It's a beginning! Postage Stamp Quilt Charm Swap 2012-2013 and a new project

Over the last couple of years I have participated in the Postage Stamp Quilt Charm Swap hosted by Mary over at The Curious Quilter. 

My swap partners are from the US, Canada, Australia, Croatia, Sweden and a couple of private swaps from Germany and Malaysia. 

In 2012 & 2013 I didn't have time to start working on these squares. At the end of last year, after the last 2013 swap, I decided I will work on them from the beginning of this year. So far I have kept my promise! :) 

Well, it is not fully true that I didn't work on the squares last year; I did sort about 400 squares on colors. It's a tedious job, I got bored and put it all away. Christmas and New Year came and went and  in the beginning of January I pulled out all the packages containing 100 squares of 2.5 inch each. 

Here are some of them...

About 3000 2.5 inch charms sorted on colors

A couple of weeks ago I started sewing some of the charms together

7 blocks - 36 squares in each blocks - 252 squares - so far! :) 

I hate plans (they always fail!), but I hope to do one block per day or 2-3 blocks per week. I still have yet to decide on size and how I want to assemble the blocks

I've had these beautiful layer cakes sitting on the shelf since 2009/2010 (if not mistaken)!!!  The idea was to make Bunny Hill's 'A Tisket, A Tasket', but that never happened! 

The layer cakes are

1) Aviary by 3 Sisters

2) Beach House by Blackbird Designs

My idea is to cut each 10 inch squares into four 5 inch squares, mix them all and make a twin quilt - 54 x 90 inches - but that may change! :) Whatever it turns out to be, I have to buy backing... in spite of being on SSD! (Strict Stash Diet!) :) 

I have yet to take photos of several items I've finished this month; hope to do that during the weekend. 

A finished UFO and other small projects

In between sewing for the Culture / Craft Fair in Norway, a few hikes, housework, gardening etc, I squeezed in time to finish a UFO. It was almost done earlier this year and what was left to do was hand-stitching the binding and outline the details on the panel blocks. I spent some days at a dear friend's place at the coast for about one week and between chatting and eating - :) - I managed to get a lot done - almost done!  

I have used fabrics from 'Love is' collection by Nancy Halvorsen together with white tone-on-tone. 

To make the squares fit the panel blocks, they had to be cut as rectangles. 

I had fun making some coasters and here are a couple for chocolate lovers! :) 

A Christmas stocking, where most details are outlined.

I love making mug rugs and here's Santa skating! :) 

I got obsessed using up some black & white scraps, which turned out to be 12 mug rugs! 

Set of 4 floral coasters

A table runner

... and 2 matching place mats

More mug rugs - for Valentine's Day?! 

Another set of two...

...the last two...

These items are for sale in my Etsy shop.

I've loved making these small items, especially since I haven't felt for making quilts. I still have two UFO's - queen size quilts - that has to be done. One is ready to be quilted and the other one needs backing. 

We had a lovely Christmas Eve together with our friends. These days are lazy days and no sewing at all... I use the dining table for sewing and every Christmas I take a break from sewing... I must confess today I missed it, but to comfort myself I had a look at some of my stash and discovered some flannels I had forgotten... :-0 The idea now is to make a baby quilt - or two - using the flannels in blue and pink. 

Some blue items

I don't know where to start! 

My previous blog post is dated Oct 30 and since then I have been quiet. I felt pooped after all the sewing for the Culture / Christmas Fair in Norway end of November. When all items were shipped end of October, I didn't feel much for sewing or blogging. I needed a break!

The Culture / Christmas Fair is already history. I didn't have any expectations at all, believe me... It could have been worse - it could have been better. All in all, as a Craft Fair newbie, I'm happy! :) It gave me some extra money to buy and hoard more fabrics - LOL! No! Seriously! Now I buy what I need... almost! :) 

Not only did I sew for the Christmas Fair; I had to keep in mind my Etsy shop too... 

Cute snowman mug rugs...

Blueberry coasters

Blueberry pot holders

These items are for sale in my Etsy shop. 

I had a break from sewing.... and blogging.... and what I did, you can see here.