WOW! some of you really have your stuff together, thanks for the hints about different way to cut and mail out the candies. Right now I am trying to find a box of assorted birthday cards to use instead of buying each individual one but around here that is about as easy as finding a quilt shop. You see my nearest shop is 2 hrs away so you can imagine how much fabric I have since I try to get as much in a trip as possible. In our family the saying is the one with the most fabric wins, now we have changed the one with the most sewing machine wins, since our stash is falling out of our rooms. Cant wait to get March cards in the mail!

Wowsa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!AWESOME!!

Also good to know!!!

More Good info from DJmat....

Thanks for sharing.

Good mailing technique! Thanks Sewbizgirl.


btw Sewbizgirl........your mailbox is full. You are a social butterfly!

TP....condolences to you ....sorry a Quilt Shop is so far away :(

Just finished cutting my strips. Thought you might appreciate this picture - 50 different fabrics, 155ish strips (few are not quite WOF) is over 4 inches thick:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]509209[/ATTACH]

now time to cut them into squares!

You are ahead of me for sure! Haven't even started yet and can honestly say I'm dreading all the cutting!!

Yummy photo, n10sgrrl! Look at all the yummy strips.

Thanks for the 'heads up' Barb. Will go delete a bunch of pms.

Wow so many organized swappers!!! I have my FQ's. I'll have to get cutting! It's exciting to see new swappers too!

that is an awesome picture! Looking forward to seeing what is in the wall of color!

I sit in front of a good movie......and cut away.

I also cut my left over fabric from my current projects into 2.5" squares. So I always have a pile to pick from.

Finished half of the cutting, will pick it up again next weekend & hopefully finish it up. On the lookout for some cool birthday cards. Sewbisgirl, love the way you stack them in the card to save money on shipping, way to go!
Big work week here, may not be able to sign in again until Friday. Hope you all have a productive week!
hugs,
dj

So, I cut into that wall of 2.5 inch x WOF of fabric strips and learned a few things. . . What I did works but is not the fastest way to do it. So here is what I did (and then I'll explain what I'll do in the future instead).

What I did: Cut out 3 strips from 50 different fabrics. Then I stacked all the strips from one fabric together in a row. I then repeated that 6 more times. So I had 7 rows of fabric strips each with 3 strips of fabric. I carefully lined up the rows one under another and used my 6 x 22 inch ruler to cut them into squares. This went pretty fast. The problem was I ended up created 50 piles of the same kind of fabric, which then had to be sorted into 48 stacks of 50 unique fabrics. This took a loooong time.

What I'll do next time, or maybe a better way to do it when cutting from fabric that is WOF. Cut a strip that is 7.5 inches. Then cut that in half so it is 22 x 7.5. You will have 2 bricks of 22 x 7.5. Cut your remaining fabrics and organize them into 2 piles, each pile will have 50 unique fabrics each measuring 22 x 7.5. Then follow DJ's cutting instructions from post #38 - Stack 5 high, line up carefully, cut off salvages, etc. When you cut, cut the narrow end into 3 2.5 strips, then cut those strips into 2.5 inch squares. Then you can put the squares directly into pile/bags/envelopes for each person. (And skip the sorting step that I had to do.)

Hope this is makes sense. Let me know if it doesn't.

Finally done, I've never cut so many 2 1/2" squares in all my life!! :)Anyone have some photo's of what you do with these? Would love to see some examples[ATTACH=CONFIG]509504[/ATTACH]Ended up with 52 in each stack, now to go find some B-day cards

Oops, I forgot to check in prior to the 5th of this month, Sorry. I just found the new site for this year. Anyway, this is my second year for this swap. I really enjoyed this swap last year. Next week I will start making my candy packets, I've already getting my fabric together. This year I will cut out everything early.

Later on this year I plan on starting to make my 1st scrappy 2 1/2" quilt top. From my last Years's candy I recieved. I have a few patterns picked out to make. Until I start them I'm working on QB mystery train tops (7 & 8), 1st. FYI mystery train #9 starts Saturday February 21st, it's another scrappy. Yea!!!! I can use up more of my scrapes.
Well enjoy cutting everyone and sewing and quilting.

Last night I made birthday cards to put the "candies" in. :)

I had to go to Michaels over the weekend and buy some new scrapbooking stuff to make the cards. Darn. Don'tcha just "hate" buying shiny new craft supplies? :D

Handmade cards... what a treat!

Looking good, Jaba! I'll try to post some patterns I have put aside for "candies".

This is my pinterest page where I have pinned the scrap quilts that inspire me. If you scroll down a bit you will see a bunch of quilts made with 2 or 2.5" squares. "Growing Up Odd" is pretty cool, as is "wonky stars".
https://www.pinterest.com/bonbonevans/scraps/

There is also a pattern online called "Crazy 8s" that works with our little candies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qe_veu0T-a8

Thanks, sewbizgirl. I just went to your Pinterest page and Growing Up Odd is the one that caught my eye. I didn't realize until I came back to thank you that it was one you noted. Thanks!

All 35 cut (34 to send + 1 for my collection), ziplocked, packaged & ready to roll for 2015. Looking for the first birthday addresses next weekend. If I fall in a hole my daughter will mail out these packages!
hugs,
dj

Looks like I will be waiting as well we share the same month! My Birthday is on the 5th I was a Labor Day Baby! and my mom said she had to work hard for me...took her 3 days hard labor. That was way before they started doing C-sections on a regular bases....

Is it to late to get into this swap?

Just got back from a quilt shop wkd. I am excited to start a new project but promised myself I wouldn't til I get my candy stacks cut. So off I go thanks for the tips.

Hello everyone. I broke down and rejoined again this year. Now that my packages are rolling in for my birthday, I couldn't stand not participating again!

Someone made the suggestion to spread out the blocks neatly in an envelope and they were completely right. It's not the weight that gets you, it's the thickness. If anyone is interested, here's the size specs for 1st class envelopes under 3.5 ounces:

Height 3-1/2 inches to 6-1/8 inches
Length 5 inches to 11-1/2 inches
Thickness 0.007 inch to 1/4 inch

Anything over 1/4 inch and you will incur much higher rates. Keeping the envelopes slim, saves you money, which means more money for fabric! 2 ounces costs $.70 or $2.32 if not slim. (I used to do mailings all the time in my old job so I keep track of basic mailing rules.) Hope someone can use this info.

Thanks to Barb for running this swap again!

I'm so excited to be a part of this swap! My husband is finishing up making a "big board" ironing board top for me. I can't think of a better way to initiate it with the washing, pressing and cutting of the candies! I'm looking forward to sending out the March birthday candies!

Hello Ladies

we are up to 27 swappers so far. Really excited about a new year! Our first birthday is not until March 29th (so far) so you will have plenty of time to get them sent on time! :)

so far...we have 27 swappers from: AZ,CA,CO,GA,IA,IN,MI,MN,MO,MS,NE,NJ,NM,NY,OK,OR,TN ,TX,WY WOW 19 states!

11-12 months are also represented....Still looking for a birthday girl in August.

:) Barb

Welcome back Janice glad you are enjoying your birthday this month!

and welcome to Nora....hope you have fun meeting some really nice ladies.

:)Barb

Just checking in...looking forward to the start of this swap.

Great to have that Big Board! You sure don't have to "wash" I prefer mine not washed. If I'm concerned about fabric color bleed, I leave it out. So save yourself a step!

Another fun year about to start.

Sheri R, My candy is all cut and I could not wait! Count it for your next birthday! Karen G.

I'm so excited! I finally got all my candy cut. I love the 15" square, 5 stacked up method!! I didn't do mine according to color because I picked the FQs and scraps little by little instead of all at one time. But it will still be a colorful bunch of fabrics!

Nora, tell me more about your big board ironing surface....I wonder if my DH would do that for me?!

most candies cut going to take alittle break from it for now but more then 1/2 done, I am not as talented as some of you who can cut layers and layers of fabric at the same time, mine seem to slip and then that is not productive cause end up having redo's. Right now been on the look put for nice birthday cards that aren't that expensive sine need alot, have been checking at the dollar store for boxes but no one seems to carry them, I know some of you make your cards but 1 I am not that talented and 2 dont really have that amount of time, so have to come up with another idea. What do you guys do?

Hi everyone, PeginCo asked about the big board my husband made for me. There are so many tutorials on-line and many different suggestions. Mine is 24"X54.5"...my ironing board is that long and I really just don't have room for longer. But, I'm loving the 24" width. He used 3/4" plywood(exterior grade)and cut it to that size. Then, he painted both sides (had the paint) and covered it with aluminum foil, 2 layers of 100% cotton batting (I purchased at JoAnn Fabric with a coupon--do not use polyester, it will melt) and I used the silver ironing board fabric. Stapled all down. There is tons of good information on this board (search for big ironing board). He found some type of "twisting latch" thing that I can twist and screw to the ironing board so it won't slip off. I love it, but it is heavy and I probably could have made it 24"X48"...that would accommodate width of fabric...but I like lots of room everywhere! Any flat surface in my house is immediately consumed! Everyone have a great day sewing!

I buy pretty birthday cards for $.50 to a dollar... at the dollar stores, Fred's or anywhere they have them. They are just as nice as $4 cards! I always look for big ones so I can spread out all the candies inside without the card getting too thick to mail first class. Some people just lay out the candies on a piece of thin cardstock and then cover them with plastic wrap to keep them from shifting, and put that in a business sized envelope. I'd prefer not to get them covered in plastic, as it's a bit of a pain to take it off... but I got plenty like that last year and didn't turn any down, LOL! :) You just have to find what works for you.

I'm very excited about all the new people joining us this year! Looking forward to getting to know everyone better.

thanks sewbizgirl will have to do some looking around, here in Jersey we have just recently gotten a few Dollar Generals, they are the first of the so called Dollar Stores around here. I did pick up a couple today before the next snow storm tonight so I can work on fanning them in the card, how do you get them to not shift out of the card, when you try to get them in the envelope? guess its a talent I will have to get use too, lol

can you take a picture of the board for us new people kind of hard to imagine what it looks like, thanks

Well I threw my name in the pile - hope there is still room. Janice McC - its all your fault:)
Next week we will be back at a campground that has an awesome sewing room with large cutting areas and I will bring my stash and do some cutting. I like that I will be able to have the "ready"!

This swap is really shaping up nicely! Love the 17" wide quilter's ironing board hubby got me last year, really saves time on big swaps like this. Found really cute cards with glittered fronts at Family Dollar (8pk for $1.50) and there were 4 different patterns in each pack, 2 of each pattern, so who knows which birthday princess will get which pattern!
hugs,
dj