Friends With benefits Swap

I have been trying to avoid swaps lately so I get caught up on my BOM projects but every so often one cames along I can't resist, like the Friends With Benefits swap that Kathy from Sew Happy House has recently hosted.

I was partnered with Raelene from Raelene's Rambling which is great as we haven't met before & it is so nice to meet more new quilty bloggy friends. Raelene does a lot of block swaps & gorgeous piecing, the opposite to my obsession of stitching & just a bit of machine sewing.

Raelene was super quick with getting my parcel in the mail so I had to sit & look at the parcel for a couple of weeks sitting on my coffee table. I was so happy when the opening day finally came. My first view of the fabric from the back had me swooning. The background is quite a bit darker yellow than my photo shows, my favourite colour of the moment.

It is a gorgeous tote bag. Raelene read my mind, I was thinking a few weeks ago that I had no hand crafted tote bag to take to the quilt show, having only ever made hand bag style bags.

But the best was yet to come. I said earlier that Raelene is an excellent at piecing so check out the front of my bag. It definately had me purring!

Isn't my new kitty just gorgeous!

Along with a cute little friendship book & a quilt label, it was a wonderful swap present. Thanks so much Raelene. xxx

 I will be happily carrying my new tote bag at the Quilt Show here in Perth on the 24th & 25th May. So if you go to the show & you see this gorgeous bag, say hello. I was be resting my weary feet selling raffle tickets for the WA Quilters Guild stand between 3 - 5pm too.

Now, my swap present for Raelene. I wasn't sure about the fabric colours to use for Raelene but thought she would like some stitchery, so started from there. My choice was a stitchery by Natalie Bird of The Birdhouse, called Good Friends from her Sweet Sentiments Book.

The variegated pink, red & orange thread I used for the stitchery words toned in perfectly with the bright & happy fabrics I had picked out that I thought Raelene would love. I decided to make a journal with the stitchery on a front pocket where a pen, glasses or notes can sit.

I have been wanting to use this paisley fabric in a project for ages & after doing the Name Game Swap I fell in love with all the yellow & orange that a lot of the US & UK quilters were using in their projects. Personalising the journal with Raelene's name in the same variegated thread was the final feature. I think it turned out pretty cute, definately a new colour scheme for me bit I am loving it.

I was then lucky enough to find an orange ball point pen & the bright pink Breast Cancer Frixion pen to coordinate with the journal. I added a red dog bone photo key ring for Raelenes precious pup's photo & who doesn't need a nibble, so some chocolate Caramello Nibbles. It was great to hear that Raelene loved her swap pressies just as much as I loved mine!

Thanks to Kathy for all her hard work as our swap muma & to all the generous designers who offered prizes for the weekly giveaways.

Happy swapping
Tracee xx