BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Quilting May Fat Quarter Swap

It's time to post the May swap. We will continue swapping groups of three fat quarters, with this month being white on white, black on black, or white and black prints. There are a lot of amazing black and white prints out there, so lets have some fun! I'm going to establish a web site with the general guidelines. I'll post the URL when I'm done.

Will anyone be sending for this month's swap? I am hoping that the beginning of June remains uneventful. It seems that everything major so far this year has occured at the beginning of the month.

I was planning on sending some fabric for May.

I'm so glad! I am looking forward to shopping for some good fabric for this swap. I may end up with a little of everything-black and white fabrics are so neat!

OK I may be interested in swapping, how many people actually swap? Jean

Hi! I tried to send you a reply to your email but it bounced back to me. There are only a few of us swapping right now. But we'd love to have you join! I've been hosting this swap for a few months, but I've been a swap hostess for a couple of years. It's a lot of fun.

Everytime I read about the swaps, I am so tempted to do them. But, I have read so much about new people messing up that it makes me so nervous. I might do one in a couple of months and let you return my fabric if it isn't nice enough quality.

Michelle

Oh, Michelle, I designed this swap for beginners. It is truly idiot-proof. Your fat quarters don't even have to be exactly 18"x22". Go out right now and buy 1.25 yards of something black and white-anything, as long as it's 100% cotton. Wash it and iron it and cut it into four equal pieces. Send three of them to me and wait for the goodie bag to come back. I'm dead serious-you can't mess this one up! Just make sure to send an SASE so I can send your fabric back to you.

I have a new email address, just emailed u with it sorry.

so let me get this straight. I only need to get one color selection then cut that into 4 equal pieces? So I would buy 1 piece of 1 1/4 yds of white/blk, wash, iron, cut, bag then send and that is basically all? Sounds easy enough. Think I will try it, Yep tomorrow I am going out and getting some fabric and washing it ( wow I never wash fabric, does this mean I have to put sizing stuff on it before I cut and sew it now?)
:rolleyes:

After all I am sure I only have 5 or 6 projects going on right now. JEan

Hi Laura,

I'll be swapping this month but only one fabric and it's probably a little unorthodox, but I think everyone will like it and will find a use for it. I've given everyone a full half yard, instead of the fat quarter. I had to do this because of the print.

My future swaps will go back to the regular FQ.

I'm only swapping one fabric this time because I just haven't had time to go shopping. Getting my curriculum together for next year has really put everything on the back burner (cleaning house, laundry included). Plus, I've been buying books to support the curriculum, so my cash flow is low for quilting supplies. Becca does a year round school, so next month (June) we start on her new curriculum! Anyhoo, just wanted to update you. I'll get the fabric in the mail sometime next week.

BTW, Tammy comes into town this afternoon!

Jean, I got your email and I'll get back to you later in the day/weekend with all of the details. If you're more comfortable with using spray sizing before cutting you can, but it's not required. I'm curious about never pre-washing. Have you never had a problem with the fabrics shrinking? I know I've gotten away with it once in a while, but over all I can't imagine. Especially when using the less expensive fabrics with a lower thread count-they really shrink up in the wash. Doesn't that present a problem to your finished quilt?

Thanks for the update, Kathy. I'm sure your selection is great. I haven't actually chosen mine yet. I am hoping to go shopping soon at the newest local quilt shop. Well, new to me. My old favorite shop recommended it and I'm excited! Do you have my new address?

As for Becca's school it sounds like you're doing great. We do year-round school too, and it's such a blessing! Don't get stuck in a rut, though. We have changed the way we do things so many times since we pulled Sydney out of school, and for the summer at least we are going with a child-led learning model of school. We have a colony of army worms in a big tub by the garage, and we have done units on mushrooms, wolf spiders, and little brown bats, all based on the wonderful things around us. And believe it or not we have managed to work in other subjects around it like math and social studies. We are eager to explore our new town. It's very small-only 1,500 people, but tons of history. We have over 30 buildings in the National Historic register, and a couple of different museums of history. Lots of train stuff, and a great little library. Anyway, I have found through lots of trial and error that Sydney works better in a less restrictive atmosphere. I wish I had clued in earlier! :rolleyes:

Well, I actually like the puckered shrunk look, but perhaps I need to make a couple of comparison blocks, sandwich them together, then wash them to see how different they actually look. I may find I don't like not pre-washing. I have never noticed any major difference though. But I have only done 4 or 5 quilts. Most of which I have given away, so I don't see the end results after washing. OOPS. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> Jean

Just mailed out May fabric. Ok after I looked at them together they don't look so ugly. Maybe they don't belong in the ugliest catogory afterall. Hope they work OK. Jean <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

I'm sure they are fine! I'll be sure to post here when they come. I guess it's about time to post next month's swap, too, isn't it? Soon!

Well, I placed an order today for my fabric choices. I was going to check out a new store (new to me) but the vans won't cooperate. The service engine light came on in the newer van, so we were getting ready to take it to the shop and leave it over night when the sliding door fell off of the other van. We've been wanting to get rid of it for a while now, so I think we'll donate it to a charity if they will come and get it. Todd managed to track down a dealership that will give us a loaner while they look at the van, and we'll take it in on Saturday. Meanwhile, he's driving it back and forth to work and nervous as can be about it. And no shopping for us! Now I really wish there was a fabric store in town. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

So I ordered from www.craftconn.com . They have a really great site, and I found some black and white prints I hadn't seen anywhere else. I also found that they have great prices on the thread I like to use, and when you're all done ordering the screen pops up with a "we love you". Now that's customer appreciation!

Jean, your fabrics arrived today. Good job! they are both just right for this swap. Your return package should be in the mail by the end of next week. I'm just waiting on my order and to see what cool stuff Kathy sent.

My fabric order arrived today from the Craft Connection. They are so neat! I hope you guys think so, too. Unfortunately our washing machine broke down this morning. Right in the middle of a large load. So if they can't come out and fix it by the time I swap my fabrics won't be prewashed. I don't think it will be a problem, but I wanted to warn you just in case.

First the vans and now the washing machine. You should go buy a lottery ticket because you are due for some good luck.

So, does anyone have anything special planned for their material?

There is no way that I can do a June swap, but by July I will have my world back under control and might go for it. Idiot proof sounds like a challenge. I can mess anything up. LOL

Michelle

The newer van turned out to just need a new thermostat. Yay! And the other van going kaput is a blessing in disguise. The transmission is going out so we want to get rid of it anyway. This is just the impetus we need. And the washing machine going out means I don't have to do laundry for a couple of days. No problem!

I don't have any special plans for my fabric. I'm just doing this as a favor to the Bella ladies who need to increase their stash. (Are you buying this?)

Hey Laura,

Sorry, I haven't sent May's fabric out yet. With Tammy's visit I've been a little distracted. I will try to get it out tomorrow or Friday. I'm only swapping one fabric this time. Sorry again!

Hey, I figured that you guys were having a heck of a visit, so no problem. You're swapping half yards, right? No problem again. Each half yard is worth two fat quarters, don't forget. Have fun!

Jean, for some reason I seem to have deleted all of the e-mails you have sent to me. Duh! Next time I get one from you I'll put your address in my address book. I wanted to let you know that the black and whites are on their way to you. Since it ended up just the two of us I sent your baggies back to you. I only had five fabrics, so I left one as a half yard instead of two fat quarters.

Laura, what do you have in mind for July? June is becoming quickly becoming a memory. But, July is looking promising. I am sure that if I start looking now, I could find something.

Michelle

Michelle, I'm glad you asked! I was thinking of you yesterday, and I'm thinking about making July either patriotic, or anything goes. A lot of the patriotic fabrics are making it to the clearance bin now. But I wanted to entice you, too, with a really simple theme. What do you think?