Letters, Letters, Letters

ROGB
So I am organizing/hosting the ROGB fabric swap.  Red-orange, Green, and Blue is a great color combo.  Unusual in some respects, but coordinates well.  This color combo is called  "split-complimentary" as rather than using only two colors (opposite sides of color wheel), you use three colors (a Y shape - one from one side of color wheel, then split the difference on each side of the wheel.
I am addicted to fabric, but like scrappy looking quilts with a nice variety of fabrics.  One of the best ways to get a variety of fabrics is in a fabric swap.  Each person purchases X amount of fabric, cuts as determined by the swap host, then sends the cut fabric to the host.  The host collects all fabric, collates all prints so that each person receives some of every print, and sends the fabric sets back to each participant.
I decided to do a "double-charm" fabric swap (I found out after I named the swap that these 5"x10" pieces of fabric are sometimes called "bricks.")  oops - Next time I'll name it more appropriately.

1-yard of (3) fabrics: (1)red-orange print, (1)green, and (1) blue fabric.

I still have a few spots left on the swap.  I am going for 28 participants total (this will mean 1 brick each from each fabric to still total receiving bricks totaling 3 yards returned to you).  Click HERE for sign-ups. Or, click HERE or HERE for other posts about the swap.

ABCs
So some time ago I had seen THIS tutorial by Angela Yosten for Moda.  It is a tutorial for an adorable ABC book.  I made them a couple of Christmases ago for my nieces.

I was addicted (go figure).  I ended up making a few more - using different background fabrics.  I have recently sold the last of them on my ETSY shop.

So.....here I go making more.  You can still get this same Deb Strain fabric panel - but because it is older, from an independent, small online shop rather than the big ones (I had bought like 8 of them about a year ago knowing that I would want to make more.  I still have 6 remaining).  **to get this to fit on 5" charms, you have to get the panel that has the LOVE U thing in the middle.  The alphabet only panel has 5.5" blocks if I'm not mistaken.  I know that I have seen another alphabet panel (10 little things) that might be cute to make a book out of as an alternate.

I don't want to diminish Andrea's tutorial - so go check it out.  But, I do make a few adjustments when making my own.  For instance, rather than grommets, I make small button holes in the top corner, and use a piece of elastic or suede cording for the loop.  I feel like this makes it more baby friendly.  I'll update with pics as I get the new version completed.

Linky party below!!  Add a link to recent work(s) for the rest of us to enjoy.

RO-GB sign-ups and 'Final'ly Friday Linky

'Final'ly Friday Linky at the bottom - don't forget to post about your recent fabulousness!

RO-GB double charm (brick) swap:

So....I am organizing a double-charm(5"x10"), (3) yard, split-complimentary color swap - using red-orange, green, and blue color pallet.  Each participant will purchase (1) yard each of (3) fabrics [(1) red-orange, (1) green, and (1) blue].

<center><a href="http://www.sewsanejane.blogspot.com/p/swaps.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0Wde7ehgqNH4nPU71n-GHoTo51jghAsGUCXy5V6AcFBb15uDahpvChTD5AYkFCl23Ni3iYRGhscKdvKniohl3VqeFd_s8Cdi0mJdupqopeRpUph6GlRRZj5nkAwjA_FyuOEySWb1NXxw/s1600/rogb+double+charm.jpg.png" /></a></center>

I posted all the gritty details in my last post HERE.  Please refer to that post if this is the first you are hearing about the swap.  For those that know and agree to the details, here is a bit more an the colors I have chosen.  Again, I want to be sure to give credit to Jenni of In Color Order. She has been an amazing resource of color knowledge and expertise!!  She wrote a blog series on "The Art of Choosing [Colors]."  I have learned a lot about color reading her blog - including about split-complimentary colors.  I love several of the color combos, but am leaning towards the red-orange, green, blue color combo.  Below is the color wheel that Jenni made to depit this combo of colors:

Thank you to Jenni of www.incolororder.blogspot.com

for creating the fabulous color wheel for our viewing pleasure

We still have about 10 spots available.  If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. To sign up, Please complete the sign-up form HERE. 

Okay, Color talk.  In my details of the swap, I wrote that "the fabric can have flecks of other colors, but should still 'read' the specific color."  This is somewhat hard to explain without pictures.  What I mean essentially is that I should be able to glance at a fabric and say, "that's a X color fabric."  For instance, if I am looking for green fabrics, I want to find something that is primarily green.  If it has too many or too predominate other colors in it, I don't focus on the green.

I went to Hawthorne Threads (a great online fabric site where you can search for fabrics by a color grid.) and pulled a few fabrics for an example.  You can click on each fabric for information about print and to go to the Hawthorne site for purchasing.  While these are a wide variety of greens - they all read green.

     

 While these have green in them, the other colors/patterns seem to pull the eye away from the green.  Thus, while all great fabrics, I would not recommend them when searching for a fabric that "reads" green.

Reminder: Join the Fabric Swap Finder Flickr Group to hear about upcoming swaps, give input into the next swaps, post about and solicit members for your next swap, etc.

Swap-Tastic Newness = RO-GB

One Down, One Up, and More to Go.  I am now ADDICTED to hosting swaps!!  (and participating of course!!)

One Down: So I have recently wrapped up my Charm-Tastic Color Swap.  We swapped 5" rainbow charms - each of 28 participants assigned a color to result in loveliness:

Click on button to see our flickr group of all fabrics chosen

I had a great time hosting the swap (I know I vented a bit in my last update, but although I feel awful being the heavy, it worked) and want to start another right away!!!  I have been kicking around ideas for a bit.  I have (2) different ideas forming in my head, but think for this swap I am going to go for "Split-Complimentary Colors." 

One Up: I love the idea of complimentary colors (colors that are across from each other on the color wheel) - which is likely why I have been loving the teal/red color combo lately.  However, I also feel like that color combo has been in a few recent swaps.  I don't want swappers to get bored with the same color swaps and not paticipate.  Thus, I decided to try a variation on the comlimentary color swap - a split complimentary color swap.

Jenni of In Color Order has been an amazing resource of color knowledge and expertise!!  She wrote a blog series on "The Art of Choosing [Colors]."  I have learned a lot about color reading her blog - including about split-complimentary colors.  I love several of the color combos, but am leaning towards the red-orange, green, blue color combo.  Below is the color wheel that Jenni made to depit this combo of colors:

Thank you to Jenni of www.incolororder.blogspot.com
for creating the fabulous color wheel for our viewing pleasure

So....I am organizing a double-charm(5"x10"), (3) yard, split-complimentary color swap - using red-orange, green, and blue color pallet.  Each participant will purchase (1) yard each of (3) fabrics [(1) red-orange, (1) green, and (1) blue].



<center><a href="http://www.sewsanejane.blogspot.com/p/swaps.html"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0Wde7ehgqNH4nPU71n-GHoTo51jghAsGUCXy5V6AcFBb15uDahpvChTD5AYkFCl23Ni3iYRGhscKdvKniohl3VqeFd_s8Cdi0mJdupqopeRpUph6GlRRZj5nkAwjA_FyuOEySWb1NXxw/s1600/rogb+double+charm.jpg.png" /></a></center>

SWAP STILL OPEN.  WE NEED ABOUT 10 MORE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP.  Remember, you only have to purchase 3 yards of fabric, and you receive a fabulous mix of fabrics in the same color scheme that equals 3 yards back. To sign up, Please complete the sign-up form HERE. 

Side Notes:

• Once you choose submit for that section, that information will be sent to me but others will not be able to see it.  I will send out a confirmation e-mail to you and solicitation to join our flickr group.
• You will need to be on flickr to participate (so sign-up for an account if you do not have one).  
• Please only sign up if you are in a smoke-free home as smoke clings to fabric like you would not believe.  
• International participants welcome - we will just have to adjust shipping dates to ensure we get everything in a timely manner. 
• Our goal is that I have all fabric received by 6/4 at the latest so I can collate and send out directly

The Deal:
Once you get a confirmation of participation e-mail from yours truly:

• You will buy (1) yard of fabric of (3) different fabrics - [(1) red-orange, (1) green, & (1) blue]
• fabric should be 100% high quality quilters cotton (from LQS or reputable online quilt fabric store - NO JoAnn or Hobby Lobby fabric allowed - it really isn't as good of quality!)
• Your fabric should "read" the specific color, but it can have small flecks of other colors if you choose.  
• You may go for solids or prints as you see fit.  If choosing prints: you should steer clear of large print fabrics as once they are cut into 5"x10" double charms you loose the print.
• do NOT wash your fabric.  
• You will post on our flickr group which prints you have selected to ensure there are no doubles.  When you do, this is where you should also include info about the print for others to see - fabric name, line, company (this is always helpful if you fall in love with a fabric and need more for your stash!).
• You will cut your selected fabric into "Double Charms" = 5"x10" charms (Tutorial for cutting posted soon - careful as you cut these - or you might need 1 1/8th yard of fabric)
• Each yard of fabric should = (28) 5"x10" charms.  Which means that total you will be sending me (84) double charms total.
• You will put your stacks of fabric into a Ziploc baggie and include the details of you and your fabrics on an index card
• your name, e-mail address, physical address, fabric name and company, ...
• You will send me your fabric, index card, and a self addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) (Flat Rate envelopes are FABULOUS!) to me no later than 6/4 (I'm going to be out of town a week in there so that's why the extra week).  
• I recommend using a flat-rate envelope ($5.15-5.30) as it is the simpliest way to ensure that the return package is pre-paid fully. 
• ***Make sure that you get stamps for pre-paid or complete the transaction online as a print-out.  There were some issues for my last swap about other methods of pre-payment.  Namely, if your post office gives you the barcode version with the date stamped on it - my post office yells at me and threatens to not send it through unless I pay another $5.15.  The ones with the $5.15 stamps or the print-outs from USPS online had no trouble or scolding
• Enjoy your (84) double-charms once they are sent back to you!

 If you (international or not) would prefer that I cut the fabrics - Order fabrics online, have them sent to me, and for a nominal fee I will cut for you.  If you are intested in this option, please contact me and I will set up an Etsy "sale" for this (to cover the nominal fee + cost of shipping back to you in lieu of SASE (US residents: this totals $9.00; international participants: $20.00USD))

Hopefully More to Go: Stay tuned to this blog AND the Fabric Swap Finder for more swaps coming throughout the year ... ADDICTED!!

Reminder: Join the Fabric Swap Finder Flickr Group to hear about upcoming swaps, give input into the next swaps, post about and solicit members for your next swap, etc.

'Final'ly Friday Linky & Lots of Littles

IT'S FINALLY FRIDAY!!  (Insert Happy Dance Here!) and Lots of Littles (meaning little updates)

(Linky (and instructions) at bottom of this post to link-up progress made this week.)

Updates:

Inspiration Stacks update

For me, I have mostly had to work this week.  I did work a bit more trying to fight with my inspiration and stacks project.  I mostly have scrapped the idea of making it into a mini quilt (the pieces were too big for a mini, mini quilt, and I didn't have enough of all the fabric to make a decent size mini quilt).  Instead, I think I might turn it into the center of what will be a new ironing board cover.

So you might be able to tell a bit from the picture, my current ironing board cover is dull and disgusting!  I had a VERY cute one when I first purchased the item - but my iron has a tendency to spit brown water, and the old one quickly got gross.  I went to a few stores, and to buy a cute new cover costs almost the same as buying a new ironing board!!  So I thought I would just make one.  That was about 2 years ago.

In the mean time, I got a boring, ugly one from Wal-Mart (I rationalized that I shouldn't pay too much money for it, but I could use it as a pattern/template when the time came.  I still have the same one  - only now covered with ugly brown water spots of its own.  This will perhaps be the very inspiration I need to actually get to making a cover that I am not so ashamed of that I hide it in pictures!

I also have an update on the

that I am hosting.  

So one of the drawbacks to hosting is that I have to be the heavy.  I have a participant that I knew was going to be up to a week late with her fabrics.  At the time that I let her sign up anyway, I had 12 of 28 people, and figured that even if she sent it a week late, I would still be sorting and it wouldn't hold me up at all.  Now, two weeks late, I am having to send a sad e-mail that says, now or never.  That makes me feel awful because life happens and I know she really wants to participate!  I also know that I have others waiting patiently for their fantastic charms.  They are ready so send....almost.  I have all the colors sorted (that's my OCD kicking in that they have to be in color order) and all I will need is about an hour or so to do the final collating line.  

and as soon as I get the last set of fabrics (either from the participant or an alternate) - they are off! Whoo Hooo!

I also figured that I would give you a heads-up to a great little friendly competition going on over at Sew Happy Geek.  Jenna created a "Play Mini Quilt Competition."  You choose a card (from a deck of playing cards) and create a mini quilt using that card as your inspiration.  She has found LOTS of fantastic sponsors to give fabulous prizes for winners of various categories.  I'm excited to get designing and see what everyone else comes up with.   Check it out and think about joining!

LINK US UP TO YOUR 'Final'ly Friday updates:Here are the Linky Party rules (fairly standard from my experience)

1. Link up a Recent work you have blogged about (in the last week or two)
2. Link up to (2) recent projects
3. Your projects should be crafty in nature (a DIY of some sort)
4. Somewhere in your original post you should link to SewSaneJane 

1. you could either grab the button below (on in right column) and insert directly into your post, or insert a text hyperlink (such as: I am linking up here to 'Final'ly Friday w/SewSaneJane or I am linking up here with [insert code from below grab button here in your HTML view])
5. Visit at least (2) other link-ups at some point in the week - try to formulate a relevant comment on at least (1) of those link-ups (paying it forward of sorts - if you view and comment, others will do the same of your work)

**I will have the link party open all day on Friday and go into next week for you to link-up.  Even after the linky party closes, you can still see link-ups and visit their projects.  Hope you enjoy linky parties as much as I do!  With that in mind, the grab button is off in the right column if you are interested (feel free to add to your blog and include in your posts as you see fit).  Link away (find link widget just below my signature pic)!!

Fabric withdrawal - sort of

So I have been in a fabric withdrawal for months now (more on this in my next post). Suffice it to say that my hubby and I don't always agree on how much fabric should be at our house at any one time.

I decided that rather than going to buy loads of fabric for a new quilt, I would participate in a fabric swap (charms to be exact) and feel like I was getting lots of fabric for only 1 actual purchase on my part. So I searched around blog-land a bit and kept finding myself a week, or day, or even an hour too late! (2) things came out of this debacle:



1) I decided to host my own swap. Now I was a swap host newbie - but I did some research (great post by ELQ about hosting) and have participated in my fair share. I designed a straight forward - rainbow swap (each of 28 participants are assigned a color - I assigned one of the following to each member: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, white/cream, grey/black, brown. If you do the math you will see that left me with 1 participant - I gave her swappers choice - any fabric she wanted!) Participants were to purchase (2) one yard cuts from their assigned color. We are getting some great fabrics! I ended up with red (although red is a fav color 'o mine, it was purely random - promise!). I told participants that hues in the range of the color family assigned were just fine. I chose a red with pink flowers and a deep red hatch fabric.



2) Sign-ups were a bit slow for about the first 4 days of the Charm-tastic Color Swap - then we filled up quick (only did a 28 participant swap). It was slow at first (I think) because you mostly have to just search out blog-land to find swaps. I thought - there must be an easier way to find a swap than having to go directly to 500 blogs before I find one. Then a Charm-tastic swap participant posted the swap in the comment section of her flickr groups and before you know it we have a full swap.

Light bulb moment.....



I want a place I can go to on flickr that shows all the swaps available but again, without having to check 500 flickr groups. THE FABRIC SWAP FINDER it is! So I created a group. Feel free to join even if you are not thinking about participation right this moment. It is intended to be a place to post about swaps you are hosting or find out about - AND a place to peruse so entice you to participate in a swap. We are getting more members each day - if you get a healthy following finding swaps and filling swaps will be a breeze (and maybe I can stop missing out on all these fabulous swaps!) **feel free to grab the button too - on the right column here - to add you your blog or posts.

Well the swap finder is working great - at least for me - I already found another swap to participate in. It is a 3-yard Ispy, polka dot, and stripe swap (1 yard of each) that I just couldn't resist. Don't tell my hubby that this means I had to buy 5 yards (just over) of fabric for the swaps - I always sell swaps to him as a great way to get lots of cool fabric without me having to buy much at all! Here were my fabric choices for that swap:



This was obviously my polka-dot print. Sweetwater for Moda - part of their Reunion collection (I LOVE Sweetwater fabrics!! I think I have loved every line they have produced so far!!)



This is my novelty print - Put a lid on in green by Michael Miller. The picture doesn't do it justice - it is a CUTE fabric!!!!



My stripes - Moda - Modern Workshop line (pattern: 11171; color: 21)

I wanted a set of three the coordinated, but didn't necessarily match (Not sure that was required or even suggested of the swap, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.) Thanks to some help and suggestions from my fav LQS lady, I purchased these 3.

Sign up for the swap finder if you think you may be interested in participating or hosting a swap at some point in your potential future!!


Are you still waiting for my fun news? Coming soon!!!! (I can't believe I have held out this long!)
-Becky
of
Sew Sane Jane
(Posted using BlogPress from my iPad)

Rainbow Charm Swap - Charm-Tastic Color Swap

UPDATE: Swap is Full 


Alternate Swaps that I know about can be found at 









I participated in a fabulous Rainbow Charm Swap about a year ago and LOVED it!  I have been trying to catch ones to sign up for since, but have been too late on every one of them!  I decided to create my own. I hope the rest of the people who missed out on other's swaps will sign up (or even those whom are participating in one of the others are welcome too!).

Sign-ups begin Immediately and will continue until all 27 spots are full (or until 3/25, whichever occurs first - I will fill in colors if needed).  Please complete the open fields below (name, flickr ID, e-mail) to sign up for the swap - (thank you - swap is full) once you choose submit for that section that information will be sent to me but others will not be able to see it.

I have decided to keep it simple for my first swap.  We will do 2 yard rainbow swap - colors assigned to you (this will mean each person will receive (2) charms from each fabric selection).  You will need to be on flickr to participate (so sign-up for an account if you do not have one).  Please only sign up if you are in a smoke-free home as smoke clings to fabric like you would not believe.  US participants only please (remember, trying to keep it simple for this first one).

The Deal:

• Once sign-ups are closed, you will be assigned a color. 
• You will buy (1) yard of fabric of (2) different prints in your color assigned
• fabric should be 100% high quality quilters cotton (from LQS or reputable online quilt fabric store - NO JoAnn or Hobby Lobby fabric allowed - it really isn't as good of quality!)
• Your fabric should "read" the color assigned you, but it can have small flecks of other colors if you choose.  You should steer clear of large print fabrics as once they are cut into 5"x5" charms you loose the print.
• do NOT wash your fabric.  
• You will cut your selected fabric into 5" charms (see this great tutorial by Elizabeth Hartman for making your cuts).  Each yard of fabric should = (56) 5"x5" charms.  Which means that total you will be sending me (112) charms.
• You will put your stacks of fabric into a Ziploc baggie and include the details of you and your fabrics on an index card
• your name, e-mail address, physical address, fabric name and company, ...
• You will send me your fabric, index card, and a self addressed stamped envelope (see below) to me no later than 4/1 if we can pull that off with sign-ups.  
• you can figure that you will be getting about the same weight of material back, so once you know how much it costs to send your fabric to me, you can include the same amount of postage on the self addressed envelope you include 
• OR you can include a self-addressed flat rate priority mail envelope for me to send your charms back to you in
• You will post on our flicker group which prints you have selected to ensure there are no doubles.  When you do, this is where you should also include info about the print for others to see - fabric name, line, company.
• Enjoy your charms once they are sent back to you!

Thank you for your participation!

-SewSaneJane