Three Swaps Update

Firstly I want to bless the Canadian post man who finally managed to deliver my Secret Santa Christmas Swap present to Lori of Lolastitchida blog. It took a month & is one of the last to show up so I was getting pretty apprehensive about it - just ask Chooky. She would have given a sigh of relief to see it was delivered & know I would now stop emailing to ask.

Below is Lori's snowman ornament up in her Christmas tree. I told Lori Mr Snowman was no doubt very happy to now live in Canada as it is no fun being a snowman in Perth at Christmas. The forecast isn't as hot as usual for Christmas Day but 30 degrees isn't a snowman's best environment. This pattern is from Rosie Quinlin's little Christmas Book 'Petit Noel'.

Only 3 more sleeps & all us SSCS swappers can open our main Christmas presents. I can't wait to show you Lori's main present. I think it turned out beautifully & hopefully judging my Lori's choices in the SAL's she will love it too.



I also took part in the Rainbow Charm Square Swap hosted by Sharon of Lilabelle Lane. It was based on the colourwheel & all 16 of us were allocated 5 spokes of the wheel & had to provide 16 x 5 inch charm squares to match those colours. Sharon then did her magic & sorted all the sqaures (1280 of them!) so that every member received a rainbow of 80 charm squares. Here's the end result. Now to think of what I am going to make with my rainbow of fabricy goodness. There are going to be more charm swap so so if you are interested contact Sharon & join in.

And for the third swap, here's a look at the pressies I sent to Marie in the Santa Sack swap hosted by swap-mama Cheryll of Gone Stitchin'. I really need to remember to take photographs before I send things but as this was a parcel a month that would be a few photos whereas Marie has a nice group shot.

Marie is just starting out on her sewing obsession so I tried to feed it with a couple of books - Tilda's Summer Ideas & Sew by Cath Kidson that includes a little kit. There is also a couple of pieces of jewellery, bookmark, notebook, clock, teatowels, soaps & an angel.

I sent Marie a little Christmas cushion using one of the SAL blocks from Tis The Season.

And because she loves Babuska dolls, a pattern & thread to stitch some small dolls and a table runner made with Babuska fabric.

I didn't have a pattern for this but made the four squares & then tried to decide how to put it together. Side by side seemed a little boring & adding too many complimentary fabrics would have been very bright so I got an idea from a recent table runner swap Shez did & decided to put them on point. When it came to doing the binding I was wondering how to do the inner turns but when in doubt, search on Youtube & there was the answer. It took awhile to bind, lots of folding, trying to hold the fold, dropping, refolding & a quick stitch to keep in place.

By the final stitch & press I thought it looked pretty impressive & Marie likes it so happy, happy, happy. It has been fun opening all out pressies, like having two Christmas Days. If you didn't get involved this year, look out on Cheryll's blog for next year.

I also received this beautiful card with a kitty on Santa's knee & a duckling needle holder & three little kitties to add to my brood from the very kind Melody of The House on the Side of the Hill. Melody hosts Tuesday Treasures each week where we can show off the things we love & that make us happy. Maybe on our first January post we should all post about the Treasure that is Melody & the acts of kindness she sprinkles lovingly on all of us. Thank you Melody! xx

Work is over for the year now & we are closed until Monday 9th January. I now have some last minute shopping to do (pressies for the furboys!) & the food shopping for Christmas Day. Of course there is the cleaning to do too. A trip to the pool shop to see if the salt cell needs replacing AGAIN.

Then I have to get some sort of system in place to remember all I have signed up for in quilty blog land for 2012 & get things underway. First I need to get all the December blocks sewn for the Some Kind of Wonderful SAL with Chooky & make lots of practice sandwiches for SewCalGal's Free Motion Quilting Challenge that starts 1st January & for the online Machine Quilting class I am doing. Of course, I still have some Christmas gifts to finish sewing too. All good fun!

Merry Christmas
Tracee xx Brutus xx & Hun-bun xx