Handiwerx

SWAP-A-LICIOUS!
(OR Overcommited, depending on how you look at it)

In January, I signed up for FTLOS2 and Hoop Up! swaps I wrote about below. After I threw my name in for those two, I was asked to join the Doll Quilt swap AND there was the Nubees monthly quilt block swap I forgot I had signed up for.

I confess I panicked for a minute when I realized what I had done.  I had a lot of projects to pull together, as well as a long list of deadlines to keep straight. UGH!  Being an 'early retirement' person and empty-nester, I live a pretty unstructured life.  I have a lot of flexibility.

This is my Mod Mood quilt I was working on when all of this started.  

It just needs hand quilting but has been shelved for a bit.

I decided that--though a bit challenging to order--getting the deadlines lined up on my calendar would be a good thing.  The slight fear of missing the deadlines would keep me on task to finish up these projects on time, and perhaps early.  At least most of the deadlines were a couple of months out.

I made this for a quilt for Alyssa, thinking I might make it for the NuBees swap.  

It proved too stressful to make 6 like this, but will be fine for Alyssa's quilt

After I sifted through all of these details, I told Byron what I had done.  As I was talking to him, I remembered the ATC (artist trading cards) and ALFALC monthly swaps I had in addition to these new sign-ups.  That was a total of SIX SWAPS in the next weeks and months, YIKES!

ATC and ALFALC swaps have been going on for months, so they are part of my routine.  I jumped on the Nubees block, since that was my next deadline.  Here are those, with 3/4 of a month to spare...CHECK!:





(oops, the last one 'spins' a different way than the others!)

Then I started working on the FTLOS2, which is a large and small project. I am making a tote bag and a wallhanging.  Here's a pic of the embroidery that goes on the totebag and the design for the wallhanging.  It's still in process, but I have until March 10 to finish:

Shhh! It's a pic of my secret partners hometown!

I got really excited for the Doll Quilt Swap (DQS12.) While we were waiting for partner assignments, we were challenged to make a polka dot pig mug rug for a contest... CHECK!

When I got my partner, I was rather obssessed and the small 18" quilt is done...CHECK! I have to wait until the middle of March to mail so I get to look at it for a month:

"Time Squared"-- four New York beauties lit up.  Shhh!  Another secret swap

Since I didn't have anything to do... nah, I felt bad for a couple of days and couldn't machine sew, therefore, I embroidered.  I sewed these freaky trees from Urban Threads:

Somewhere in here, I mailed the ALFALC package off... CHECK!

I got an email to participate in making some small baby quilt blocks.  Fortunately, the tutorial was good and the blocks were easy... CHECK!:

I have yet to start on the Hoop Up! embroidery.  I have two partners am to make a design for--I am waiting for their fabric to stitch on for them to arrive in the mail.  Here's the design I made to give my partners and idea of what to make for me:

It's kinda wild, eh?  I modeled it after Takashi Iwasaki's designs... CHECK!

I'll make the ATC today (that's easy!)  My big projects that are left are the two FTLOS2 items.  I might start assembling the totebag today.  Here's a pic of the wallhanging I am making (not sure whether I am going to TRY to paper-piece or just do raw-edge applique:

At some point, I should stop to organize, stow and regroup in my studio--it kinda looks like a bomb went off in here!  Maybe I will take some time off when all these things are checked off... CHECK!

whew...