Oh, those Polaroids!

Just look at these pillows made by Sewmama123! The second photo below is actually the back of the large pillow in the top photo. What a lovely use of Polaroid blocks, isn't it?

1. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51109548@N08/7828343668/in/pool-1843503@N22/">Perfect Polaroid Picture pillows</a>, 2. <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/51109548@N08/7828349604/in/pool-1843503@N22/">Envelope back</a>

And I had to try just a small project myself . . .

A drawstring Snack Bag using Jeni's pattern, with a little Polaroid pieced into the front panel. Honestly, I need more practice with bordering and trimming the blocks - I had intended on this little block being wonky, but trimmed everything wrong. And too close. So I'll be perfecting my technique, but for a first try, I'm quite happy with it. Fabric-wise, I used Essex Linen for the main bag, Michael Miller dots for the accent, and Painter's Canvas for the lime lining.

There's lots more sewing fun in store for all of us who swapped Polaroids, but meanwhile let's give away those six packs of blocks. According to the random generator, the winners are:

#49 ~ Karen of Lintonville.com

#21 ~ Candice of Sunshine, Handmade

#19 ~ Yzo of Chez Roo

#45 ~ Jayme of finding sweetland

#50 ~ Jennie of Jennie's Threads

#37 ~ Teje of Nero's Post and Patch

Congrats to you winners - I am emailing you all! And thanks again to everyone who participated and made the *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Swap a rousing success!

Linking up with sew & tell, {sew} Modern Monday, and Fabric Tuesday.

A *Picture-Perfect* Finish

Well, the *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Swap is drawing to a close. Yes, the packages are still arriving back to their swappers, but I've received all, sorted all, and sent all, except for the one from far far away that I just got yesterday and is going back in the mail in the morning. And I must say, it's been fun. Am I glad I did it? You bet! Am I glad it's almost over? You bet!

There are several people that really deserve our thanks for how they contributed to this swap.
.....Corey of Little Miss Shabby, whose polaroid blocks first inspired me and who graciously told me "go for it" when I wrote to her about the swap.
.....my son, who when I was struggling over what to call the swap, came up with the name I used, which I still really really like.
.....Karen, of capitolaQuilter, whose block tutorial we used, and who helped me tremendously setting up the swap, thinking of details I hadn't.
.....Leanne, of shecanquilt, who tested out paypal with me so I knew how to handle postage for international swappers.
.....my mom, who spent two whole days with me sorting the swap blocks and then prepping the 'extra' polaroid blocks to include in each package.
.....and of course, hubby, who stepped around as packages piled up, smiled and nodded as I muttered to myself trying to keep it all straight, and sent me texts when he beat me to the mailbox: "CO, UT, FL, Germany" and such.

Thanks much to them and to all the swappers in the group who have been so communicative, shared their awesome sewing, and made this as easy on me as it could possibly have been!

Meanwhile, some of you have asked what about MY blocks. Well let's just say I have plenty!

The two columns on the left I made for myself. ALL THE REST were thank you blocks from swappers! There are actually about a dozen more that came after I took the pic. (And oh wow - not to mention all the sweet notes, chocolate, charms, polaroid cuts, other fabric and handmade little goodies. You guys were really good to me - thank you!!)

And then of course, I had made blocks to swap, so these are what I got back . . .

After some sharing and such, I ended up with 205 blocks! SO many great fabrics that weren't represented in my stash! And enough for several projects, most likely!

SO, I think it's time for a little celebration! As you continue to receive your blocks, let's have a little giveaway. As many of you know, there was concern that one block package may have gotten lost in transit, and earlier last week, sewing and sharing took place to get all the swap packages back in the mail. Well,  tramtadam's blocks did just come, and she has graciously agreed we still need to get her blocks to you polaroid-lovers, so I have 6 packs of 15 blocks each to ship out. You may have participated in the swap, you may have wanted to but couldn't - whatever. Just leave a comment on this post, and I'll choose 6 random winners on Friday, September 21. Talk about a *Picture-Perfect* finish!

Random

Even though I was able to blog some while on vacation last week, I feel waaaaay out of touch. And some randomness has been piling up, so I thought I better spill it . . .

There's a Low Volume Swap on flickr that I couldn't resist. My two fabrics came while I was away, so I'll be cutting them into charms and sending them on their merry way soon.

   

(L: Ellen Luckett Baker Quilt Blocks Ringlets in Grey; R: Grow With Me Drizzle in Grey)

I had another little win recently, from Teaginny Designs, who made the cutest Paper Boat mini quilt.

paper boat mini

I won the fabric to make the top, as well as Alex's pattern, which is also available here. (Thanks, Alex!)

My buddy Leanne over at she can quilt is hosting a quiltalong, and after seeing her finished Mod Pop Quilt and considering the amount of solids I've stashed, I feel compelled to join in. The pace will be slow and steady, which sounds just fine by me!

 

Mod Pop

(To give credit where credit is due, Mod Pop is the brainchild of Julie of Distant Pickles, and you can see her versions here and here. Do.)

Just a reminder that the Let's Get Acquainted! blog hop that I participated in way back here is still going on! Originally planned as a summer hop, it will actually continue clear into October, so do check it out! I've listed the blogs on the hop here, and have added links to many of the blog hop posts. I've fallen a tad behind, so feel free to catch up along with me!

And then . . . there's the *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap . . . remember it?! One international package is taking its sweet time to get here, but all the other international packages have been shipped back, and 45 additional packages are being shipped today. Then a bit of reshuffling will be happening to get the rest of the swap packages back in the mail as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, another polaroid block swap has popped up, created especially for swappers in Australia and New Zealand. It's the Say Cheese! Polaroid Block Swap by Kristy of Quiet Play. What's that they say? "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." Fair enough.

3058 and Counting . . .

1. Polaroid Blocks 1, 2. PPPBS 2, 3. Polaroid Blocks!, 4. Polaroids for Block Swap, 5. Polaroid Swap Blocks I, 6. Polaroid Swap, 7. *Picture Perfect* polaroid swap, 8. Polaroid style 3, 9. swaps august 001, 10. 008, 11. *Picture Perfect* Polaroid block swap, 12. 90 blocks for swapping, 13. Blocks, 14. Picture Perfect polaroid blocks, 15. Waglet polaroids, 16. Polaroid 003, 17. some blocks for Polaroid Swap

Random

Well it was nice to receive a couple of shout-outs from fellow bloggers last week - from my buddy Katie of Katie Mae Quilts, who talked about using left-over hst's, and mentioned how much she liked how I used them in "Spiraled".

And from Amanda from Material Girl, who shared a bunch of helpful quilting and sewing tips, including my tutorial for matched binding. 

Since these are two of my favorite quilts from this year, it's nice to know others are remembering them fondly. Thanks, Katie and Amanda!

And I keep meaning to report back about trying out "The Binding Tool"! I've used it on my last two quilts, and I like it - with one caveat: I've needed to watch Missouri Star Quilt Company's video both times. Which is fine by me - in the end, this tool really has helped me finish binding easily with very little bulk.

In swap news, Polaroid blocks are just rolling in. 

As of today, there are 72 swappers, I've received packages from 26 of them, for a total of 1304 blocks so far! Here are just some of the blocks I received this week!

1. 32-67, 2. DSC_0293, 3. picture perfect polaroid swap!, 4. *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap!, 5. DSC_1936, 6. Picture Perfect Polaroid Blocks, 7. Picture Perfect Polaroid Block Swap, 8. 50 Polaroids for the swap, 9. *Picture-Perfect* Polariod Swap Blocks 2, 10. IMG_1694 1, 11. Polaroid swap, 12. Polaroid Swap Blocks

If you call me crazy, I certainly won't blame you.

Fresh Sewing Day

Overall, this summer has seen numerous "littles" created, and very few actual quilts, but it's been fun for a change, and I've tried all sorts of new (to me) patterns and techniques, so it's all good in my book. Fresh Sewing Day at Lily'sQuilts is, of course, an awesome way to show them all off!

The Zakka Sew-Along has been the instigator of weekly small projects. This month, it was two "I love it"'s to two "um, I'm not so sure about this." All still good fun though.

1. Water Bottle Holder, 2. Delightful Linen Pouch, 3. Patchwork Ribbon, 4. Spoon Bookmark

Bee blocks were minimal, but they were definitely enjoyable to put together.

1. Gemstone Blocks, 2. Floating Frames

And these two little polaroid blocks sent me off into the crazy arena of swap-hosting! The *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap seems to have a life of its own, and I'm just anxious to see it through! What great participation in the swapping group!

A couple of random littles - a triple-zip pouch I've been meaning to try for ages. I'm pretty pleased I was able to figure it out and I love the finish. Then there was another of Jeni's drawstring bags, my go-to bag pattern.

1. ">Triple-Zip Pouch front, 2. Lined Drawstring Bag

And though these aren't finished projects {yet}, they are important bits in my quilting journey, all from the Improvisational Patchwork class I took from Quilting Modern author, Katie Pedersen last weekend. Maybe next month I'll have a finish to show from this set. (I hope so!)

1. Improvisational Piecing, 2. Improvisational Piecing, 3. Improvisational Piecing, 4. Improvisational Piecing, 5. Improvisational Piecing, 6. Improvisational Piecing

And there were two quilts this month - A Taste of Marmalade in baby-size . . .

and my pride and joy this month, G.O. Modern. Finishing up this quilt with my 4x5 modern Quilt Bee blocks was a great feeling. The quilting alone was a major challenge and accomplishment for me, and it definitely has given me confidence to move ahead with my free-motion quilting. 

The photo-shoot itself was a highlight of my month as well. Talk about having the quilt in the right place at the right time. Of course you can see some of my fav shots in the blog post links above.


So it's been another full and productive month - just the way I like it!


Linking up with Fresh Sewing Day!

W.i.P. Wednesday

The weeks just fly by, don't they? And before you know it, W.i.P. Wednesday is here again! I feel like I am whittling down my to-do list though, which makes me feel really good, chalking up my second Finish-A-Long finish this week, and starting on #3!

Completed projects
Zakka Style Sew-Along project #17: This Delightful Linen Bag got its own post, of course. I'm quite fond of it.

A Taste of Marmalade - A sweet little baby quilt, with full post here.

Ongoing projects
*Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap - I'm finding blocks in my mail box every day now, and I only have 15 done. Lots more in the works though.

Zakka Style Sew-Along project #18: Bread Basket - In progress, but I've got a good start going. Another hour or so and I should have it done. Mine's all-linen, which has been lovely to work with.

QWERTY II - Do you remember QWERTY? I love that it hangs outside my office door, where I can enjoy it during the work week. Well, my coworker loves it too, so I've begun a variation for her. So far, very fun!

Upcoming projects
* Improv log-cabin quilt NEW
* more Zakka
* a quilt to coordinate with my Christmas tree skirt - NOT for Christmas in July, apparently . . .
* scrappy Metrolink
* Plus quilt for my sister-in-law
* EZ Dresden Challenge project - maybe?? maybe not??
* 100 Quilts donation quilt

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday, hosted this week by my blog buddy, Katie from Katie's Korner!

A Swap and A Class

Well, the *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap is well underway! 70(!) swappers are making blocks like crazy, and more are arriving at my house every day! The mosaic below shows most of them! Thirteen packs have actually arrived, a total of 525 blocks. Savinggrc/Karen has added up 2025 committed blocks so far, and has agreed to keep tabs on the total as the blocks continue to ship.

1. Materialmoments', 2. CityHouseStudio, 3. IMG_0290, 4. 45 Polaroids to swap, 5. Polaroid Blocks, 6. Polaroid Swap, 7. Whew! I'm done!, 8. Picture perfect polaroid swap blocks, 9. Polaroid Swap, 10. 50 Polaroids Ready To Go, 11. All done with my polaroid patches!!, 12. more for the Swap - Sign Ups Open

As for the class, how would you feel if you received an email from the teacher saying, "I'll be making up fabric kits for each of you to use while learning the techniques, as well as bringing my scrap bins for you all to dig through." Uh yeah, me too. Especially when the teacher is Katie of Sew Katie Did. So I'm pretty excited this morning as I pack up my sewing supplies, machine, and copy of Quilting Modern, and head off to take her Improvisational Patchwork class. I'll be sure and report back, but meanwhile, see ya later!

W.i.P. Wednesday

I don't have any completed projects this week, but do have alot in progress! So welcome W.i.P. Wednesday!

Ongoing projects
Zakka Style Sew-Along project #15 - I'm doing my own thing this week, but I have my bookmark ready to sew up.

4x5 Quilt - Boy, this modern sampler really needs a name before all is said and done. Meanwhile, I got that pieced back done - nothing too exciting, except the main fabric, of course - one of my current favs, Dear Stella's Gridlock.

Source: hawthornethreads.com via Debbie on Pinterest

The blocks' framing is all quilted up quite simply, and now I'm slow but sure, quilting the blocks - some straight-line, some free-motion, something a little different in each block. I've gotten 5 of 20 blocks done so far. It'll be a while.

Storytime Squares baby quilt - The top is done. I didn't find a good backing in my stash, so am waiting for one to arrive - a Vintage Modern floral.

*Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap NEW - Not sure what I was thinking when I impulsively started a swap last weekend!

the blocks that started it all - 1 untrimmed & 1 trimmed

But things are hopping, and I've got lots of 2 1/2" squares cut out to make my own polaroid blocks to swap and keep.

Upcoming projects
* more Zakka
* QWERTY variation
* a quilt to coordinate with my Christmas tree skirt - Christmas in July??
* scrappy Metrolink
* Plus quilt for my sister-in-law
* Always Bee Learning July block
* EZ Dresden Challenge project - maybe??
* FAITH Circle July blocks
* 100 Quilts quilt to donate

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday where Kati from the blue chair is hosting today.

Clicking Away!

Oh my goodness! I started an innocent little *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap on a whim, and things are clicking away over there! As of this writing, 36 swappers have signed up, each with plans for swapping from 5 to 50(!) little polaroid blocks! Several are cutting and sewing away already, with at least one preparing to ship! Gulp!

capitolaquilter

Sewmama123

 

busybeequilts

shecanquilt

*Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap!

After reading Karen/capitolaquilter's post earlier this week, I was thinking I'd sure like to try my hand at some polaroid blocks! But I really don't feel like I have that many focus fabrics that will fussy-cut well, so why not have a swap and collect a larger variety??

What a novel idea, huh? So . . . if you are interested, you can check out *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap! Wanna join in the fun?

<a href="http://aquilterstable.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="A Quilter’s Table" src="http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x440/debjeske/button150-1.jpg"/></a>