Be My Funky Valentine Swap ... xoxoxo ... Sign-ups end September 30th
 

Hi everyone!!

With the Halloween swap winding down, I wanted to do another holiday swap. I don't have any Valentine quilts, so I thought it would be nice to have something I could pull out for this time of the year. Therefore the theme of this swap is Funky Valentine's Day. If it has to do with love or Valentine's Day, it will work for this swap. I know all of you can get creative with this!!

Here are all the details you need:

What size are the blocks?
Your blocks should be divisible by 3” when finished. The blocks can be square or rectangle, so long as both finished sides are divisible by three. Be sure to add seam allowances to your unfinished blocks. So a finished block of 6x6, should be sent to me unfinished at 6.5x6.5. A rectangle that will finish at 6x12, should be sent to me at 6.5x12.5 and so on…. If you are unsure what to add for seam allowance, please PM me.

How many blocks do I send?
Please send blocks to me in sets of 6. You may send as many sets as you would like to receive back, so if you send me 2 sets (12 blocks), you will get 12 different blocks back. I will be swapping all 6 of your blocks, so if you want to have one for yourself, be sure to make an extra! (Note: Since we are all sending in different sizes and different amounts, no one will end up with similar sets, so please feel free to make your six blocks in a set the same, similar, or different. It may be easier on you if they are the same, but so long as you mail to me in sets of 6, you can do whatever fits your stash!)

**Note** 3x3 finished size blocks (3.5 x 3.5 unfinished) are wonderful to have for this type of swap as they work great as filler. Since these smallies are quick and easy to make, I am making the rule that 2 of these count as 1 full size block. So in order to swap your smallies for another block, you must include 2 (so if you sent a whole set of the small fries, you'd need to send 12 small ones to get 6 blocks back). If you don't follow this rule, you may end up with fewer blocks than you had hoped for back. This makes it more fair for me to trade out your smallies for a larger-ie. Also, I don't mind a few of these, but let's not go crazy with these little guys.

Who can swap?
Anyone! Even if you are new to quilting or swapping, please feel free to jump in. We want some fun and funky blocks, so if you love your blocks, we will too!! The fun thing about a funky swap is nothing needs to be precise, so this is a great swap for those of us that are not quite proficient at those perfect points yet!

I don't live in the US, can I play too?
Yes!! I am more than happy to accommodate international swappers. What we will do for postage is once I am ready to mail back to you, I will send you a paypal invoice for the shipping amount plus paypal fees, then I will use that to ship back to you. This is truly the best way to handle this rather than trying to send American currency, as shipping amounts overseas can vary so much. If I do not hear back from you regarding the shipping fees within a reasonable time frame after you have been contacted by me (a week say), then the blocks become mine. All mine!! mwahahaha (hehe sorry I couldn't help myself) ... but seriously if I don't get payment for shipping timely, then the blocks will stay here and probably be made into a donation quilt. So be sure to check your PMs here around the time that I should be mailing if you are an international swapper. Also, be sure to mail to me extra early to make sure they arrive by the deadline!

What style of blocks are you looking for?
The blocks can be traditionally pieced, paper pieced (here's my favorite method), embroidered, or appliqued. Choose your favorite method and show us your skills!

What are the deadlines?
Sign-ups for this swap end on September 30th. You can post your intent to sign-up in this thread or you can PM me. Once you sign-up, I will send you my mailing address.

Your blocks must be in my hands by October 31st. This will allow us to have the swap done prior to the holidays (as I know how busy that time of year can get) and give you plenty of time to put this quilt together for Valentine's Day! I will swap the blocks in early November. Of course, if you have your blocks finished sooner, I encourage you to mail sooner! Get them out of your way! Send them to me so they can be in my way!! LOL

How do I get my blocks ready to mail?
Please attach a slip of paper to each block that includes at the very least your board name, this will help me know which blocks are yours when I am swapping (so you won't get your own back ). It’s also fun to include your real name, email address, and state on the paper so people can see where all the blocks are coming from and possibly send you a thank you!

Before putting your blocks in the envelope (or box) to mail to me, place them in a large Ziploc bag and close tightly, then write your name and address on the outside of the Ziploc bag. If you have ever swapped before, you have probably heard of swap blocks separating from their envelopes occasionally, putting your blocks in the Ziploc bag will help ensure that the blocks make it back to you if this should happen. I would highly suggest mailing in a priority box for this reason, but I will leave that decision up to you.

What about postage?
From doing more recent swaps, it is my suggestion that you purchase a flat rate envelope stamp from your post office, and attach it to a flat rate envelope. Address the envelope and fold it in half and mail it to me with your sets. In previous swaps I had people paying over $12 for sets that could have easily fit in the flat rate mailer for $5.15. Also, including the envelope with the stamp on it this way, makes my life a lot easier when I am ready to mail.

If you choose not to do this, please include in your package, a Self Addressed Envelope and the amount of postage it took to mail to you, plus a few extra stamps (or even a dollar or two). Remember, since we have all different size blocks it may cost more to send back to you then it cost to send to me (unless of course you choose the flat rate option above). All loose postage and money sent will be pooled and used to mail the boxes and envelopes, if I have extra they will be set aside to use in a future swap!

How do I keep track of the swap?
I have created a group to use to keep track of members of this swap. Here is the link:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/groups/...-swap-g22.html

This is going to be such a fun swap. I am so excited to see what everyone comes up with. There are always so many more creative ideas than I can think of on my own. I am hoping to have a quilt I can hang on my walls during this time of year since I don't tend to decorate much for this holiday, and I am hoping it will be fun and funky, just like me!!

So let's get funky with the day of love!!

Cheers!
Rachel

Hi Rachel, I'm in for 2 sets at least. I may do more, but, we will see. I joined the valentine swap last year for 2 sets. And, I need more to complete my quilt top. So, this is perfect for me!! I can't wait to see what comes in. I'm just going to finish up swap blocks for another swap I'm participating in and then I will get started on these. I'm still trying to decide on what is funky?.

I sent you a PM!!

Rachel

I will need to watch this one. It is a time factor for me.

Would these work for this swap? They are 9 1/2 in sq. I plan on my 2nd set being "funkier".

ooooh pretty!! Yes they would be great!! They don't all have to be super funky, a good mix is great too. :) :)

Cheers!
Rachel

I would love to do Your Valentine swap. Schedule me for three sets. To the books I go to try to find some funky valentine patterns. I will have to look at Lori Holts Valentine pattern to see if there is something I can use from that. Thanks for setting this up.

I sent you a PM!! :) I love Lori's patterns, she is so creative!! I am currently working on her Family Tree quilt.

Rachel

Okay, I keep saying I need to catch up on things before signing up for more stuff, but who am I kidding??..lol...So, please sign me up for 2 sets for now...I will let you know in plenty of time if I can go for more...
Thanks!
Kif
Pretty block, Judith!

Signed you up!! :)

Cheers!
Rachel

This looks like fun with plenty of lead time. I need that:D So glad there is a variety on these blocks of style we can do them in.

OOOOhhhh I'll be lurking.. Let's see how my schedule shakes out! <3

I will be lurking around too. I am a little bogged down at the moment but gee by Sept. 30th, I may be able to do it. We'll see.

I'm thinking of making this pattern from http://blocksnswaps.blogspot.com/201...ith-bonus.html, but it is 6.5 x 8.5 any ideas on how to add a little more to get length to get it right for the swap? Any expert quilters out there who have any ideas on modifying the pattern?
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5285/...e56843b8_m.jpg

Just add a border. When you put them together with the rest of the blocks it goes together nicely. Or, you can redraft the block. Sorry, I am not good at that. But, maybe someone else will know.

I was going to suggest a 1 inch border on the bottom too. I think that'd be easier than redrafting. :) :) Love that block!!

Rachel

Yes, adding a boarder was my first thought too. But a strip at the bottom might make it seem too off balance, maybe 1/2 inch to top and bottom of the same background color fabric so that the heart is still in center? Or maybe not in same background fabric but a single heart/valentines print?

Very new to this site and relatively new to quilting.

I have been looking at the various swaps and this one seems to be doable as far as the time frame goes. But of course I have a question.

Can I use Valentine colours (White, Red, Pink) and Valentine prints, but make simple blocks? 9 patch for example, I know I do not yet have the skill set to do paper piecing or anything really fancy.

Being that I am new to quilting I do not yet have a stash, so will be buying the fabrics for this swap. I want to know I can participate with simple squares before buying.

Tothill, come join us. Every quilt looks great with a simple block, pieced blocks, ect. And, we all start somewhere in quilting. Everytime I join a swap, I push myself into a new direction just a little more. And, I also get so much inspiration from the blocks I receive. They, at times inspire me to try a new skill. So come have fun with us.

You can find some great Valentine fabrics and make some blocks from them. You do not have to do paper piecing. Swaps are a great time to try something new though and perhaps learn how to do something you didn't think you could do!! Maybe instead of picking a simple block you already know how to do, search around online for a block that pushes your skills one step further. You don't have to do this, but a lot of the skills I have to day were learned by pushing myself for swaps!! :) Let me know if you are interested in joining officially so I can add you to the list.

Cheers!
Rachel

Well it is a "funky" swap so it doesn't have to be balanced!! :) Once it is put will the variety of other blocks we get, I don't think it will be noticeable.

Cheers!
Rachel

Another quick question.

Should the fabric be washed ahead of time? I bought my fabric yesterday and was not sure if I should wash it first. I generally wash apparel fabric as soon as I bring it home.

I checked the first post and could not see this addressed, but one of the other swaps I read about, requested unwashed fabric.

I will commit to one set of 6 blocks.

I am thinking about it. I"ll keep an eye and let you know. My DS will be visiting me for 3 weeks so I dont know how much sewing I'll get done.

I don't state on my swaps because I know sometimes if you have pre-cuts or scraps it can be difficult to wash. If you are able to easily wash, I would, if they are not easily washed, don't worry too much. If you are concerned about washed vs. unwashed when getting your blocks back, you can gently wash all the blocks once you receive them in a sink with dish soap. I have done this and had no fraying or falling apart. :) I hope that helps!!

Rachel

I'm thinking about this one real hard...

I have my Dad still with us (from when he had his stroke in May-- he's doing great but I think he's too lonely to go back home :) ... and he LOVES "helping" me with blocks from prior swaps).

Please do stress to have the blocks at least the sizes requested -- preferably a little bigger so they can be trimmed down if needed as you can't "stretch" another 1/8" generally. As I am trimming/squaring up blocks from other swaps, this is the one thing that is driving my Dad bonkers -- how the blocks aren't the correct size (hearing an 82 yr old repeatedly whine is not pretty I'll tell ya). I know the skill levels vary but sizes shouldn't be too bad for everyone. I've told him I'm sure some of mine in other swaps had to be adjusted too as that "just happens" sometimes.

I'll bookmark this and see how "life" goes for another week or so.

I hope you can join us!! That is a good tip about the blocks. It's always better to err on the side of too big than not big enough. :) :) We wouldn't want to do all that hard work and have one of our blocks be unusable right? :) :)

Cheers!
Rachel

I would love to join you again in a block swap. please add me to your list. I will make as many as I can, always biting off more than I can chew!

I think I will join this one.
I don't have a quilt for Valentine's yet.
pm'ing you now.:thumbup:

Add me to the list. I love that I have been able to use so many of my embroidery designs in the swaps I have joined. It's so much fun watching the design progress as the stitches are laid down. I try to change the color of thread or fabric in appliqués and I can't wait to get one design completed so I can start another to see how it will look with the different colors

I have all you ladies signed up!! I hope we are able to get a few more to join us too. Be sure to post your blocks as you make them (or make samples) to inspire others to jump in with us!! :) :) I am really looking forward to this swap!!

Cheers!
Rachel

Count me in for 2 sets...I love Valentines ...


Cupcake

Thinking of joining, going to make a sample block first. :)

Trial Block
 

This is the one I wanted to do. Just wondering if it's too "frilly" for this swap.

Seriously Donna? That us way to awesomely frilly for me! :D I think it looks great! :thumbup:

do we have a background color to go with? or will anything go.

Donna, Beautiful block. I love your frilly valentine.

Thanks, just doing one set so background is white on mine. I didn't see any suggested colors on first page instructions.
Okay, I'll get busy and make the rest :thumbup:

Donna- your "frilly" block is fantastic!! :)

This sounds like a fun swap

So pretty Donna