Are batiks okay for the candy swaps or should they all be 100% cotton.

Batiks are great, I try to include the batiks with my candy's that I send. I'm doing my candies different this year. In the past, I filled how many birthday cards the same and kept one for myself. This year I am filling 10 or 12 at a time. That should allow me to send different fabrics.
I'm sorry to hear about such cold temps. When we got up this morning it was 6 degrees, but thankfully the house was warm.

Queen, I believe all candy squares should be 100 percent cotton, including the batiks.

I’m cutting batiks right now, thinking of doing half batiks, half regular quilting cottons.

PamelaOry, I am sure that if you have batiks to share with us, that we will love those additions to our scrappy quilts.

Do people ever put extra goodies in the packages?

So far tonight I have cut enough for 6 sets of birthday candies. I have a good start so far.

PamelaOry- little surprises have been known to show up; sometimes in the form of a special fussy-cut charm, lovely greetings or whatnot. Since the group uses lots of fabric and postage, it is at a minimum.

What is the average postage? I’m used to the 7, now 8 dollar flat rate envelopes but assumed these would be much smaller to send and would cost less as a result.

Pamela- You bet postage is less than $7 or $8! In this swap on the 20th of each month, for 12 months, you will get a message from BarbK with the birth dates and names and addresses for the upcoming month. Then, as shown on the picture above, you will prepare a birthday greeting with candies for each birthday celebrant individually. The postage on these will vary from $0.70 cents to $2.55, depending on the weight and size of the envelope. Thicker envelopes are treated as a first class package. Since there are 30+ birthdays, many in the group have perfected the technique to get the thinnest, lightest envelope for mailing.

Hi PamelaOry. :) I stack 8 candies into 6 sets with two additional on top, rounding out the 50. I wrap all in plastic wrap (saran type) and put them inside a birthday card inside an A9 envelope, (5.75"x8.75"). The envelope is slim and light enough to come in at under two ounces, now costing 70 cents. Here's a pic of the way I stack them:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]607713[/ATTACH]
Hope that helps. :)

edited to add: some people just stack them inside a card but I invariably open the envelope and some fall out. I like to use the plastic wrap, but not the sticky press and seal, as I find that the candies can stick and ravel at the edges.

Went shopping today with DH and got to Family Dollar and picked up 40 birthday cards. Now to get to cutting the candies!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]607764[/ATTACH]Hello I am a newbie to the Birthday Swap but I am super excited about it. I spent today getting all {37} sets of 50 charms cut and sorted into their respective piles. I am all out of plastic wrap and ziplock baggies but I’ll get some later this week and also my birthday cards. It is going to be so exciting to get some actual mail and not bills for my birthday this year. Cannot wait to get it started.
waiting for the fun to start!
Brenda aka Juststitchin

Oh my where am I? I have checked the list and checked it more than twice and I am still not listed. Help please I wanna play��

Did you hear cheering early this evening? I have 38 little bundles of 50 all cut! Just need to get them put away so they do not get rearranged by my kitty. I made 38 because 37 is the max in the swap and I made an extra just in case a package gets lost in Neverland and needs to be re-mailed. I am patting myself on the back for being ready early and to only used cuts from my stash.

From time to time folks do and it is fun, but one that is easy and it doesn't add much weight is to send a pattern to use with 2.5 squares. Well, I like them any way. New ideas are always welcome. A fun 5x5 has been seen to show up too. Even though out heart may "want" to send a birthday present, this is really supposed to be a fun little surprise. No obligation to do more than that. :)

Juststitchin Did you PM(private Message) saying you wanted to join, and have you received a PM from Barb saying you are in? If these things have happened you need not worry. And welcome to the Birthday Swap, it is so fun.

Juststitchin you did post you wanted to be added to the list but it was on 2018/2019 birthday swap. I hope you are in the swap. This is my first birthday swap.

This is a great swap, getting all the birthday packages in the mail is a fantastic feeling. It makes your birthday extra special.

juststitchen, send Barb a PM with all your information.

Hi Barb
am I included in this swap? I sent my personal
info last week but I am not seeing my
name on the list yet.
Thank you so much
Brenda

Sorry about that Juststitchin.....I had you on my list at home but did not change it on the computer list. I had one of our ladies (a knowbie) need to drop out so I put you in her spot. (just to keep things neat in my book at home). So yes you are in the swap and your piles of pretty little squares look marvelous!



Who's in:
1) Me!
2) MizMelly
3) Happylab
4) travelinggramma
5) JENNR8R
6) WMUTeach
7) Janice McC
8) Jane Quilter
9) Rosemary Attaway
10) Patrick's Mom
11) Trish b
12) LottieParker
13) CrazyConnie
14) Gaijin
15) Lstew2212
16) Jaba
17) Sunrise450
18) Armylady 2012
19) kele
20) hav4boys
21) pinkflowers
22) SheriR
23) Juststitchin
24) Redstilettos
25) LUM
26) Oldcatlady
27) Macybaby
28) IrishMom
29) Cheesehead
30) Queenbarbiej
31) Cuppy
32) GramE
33) Aborning
34) Crispy_Frog
35)
36)
37)

Thanks Lstew2212 for showing how you put your packages together. I am sure that will be a help to the newbies!

Barb

Batik fabrics are 100% cotton. we all love some batiks ....at least I do!<3

I don’t see my name, just confirming I am in the swap...

exactly.:thumbup:..thanks crispy_frog....

I lay my squares using the entire card size as flat as possible. I make 5 rows of 10. then I add saran wrap and make sure to get the air out. My packages are usually the 70 cent size. You will perfect your own packages as the swap goes on.

It is not the weight of the package it is the thickness of the package that will cost you more to send.

Good point Janice McC:thumbup:....please do not use the press and seal saran wrap. It sticks to the squares and causes some damage to them.

Yes fellow michigander.....I did hear something coming from your side of the state! Good for you! :thumbup: I am still cutting between packing! Now that my house has an offer I can leave a few things out...was really a pain to clean up after every time I would get my sewing out.

Hello ladies!!! What a wonderful group I see!!! This is a super fun swap. I just packaged my last two Candy Birthday Cards for the 2018-2019 swap. I pre-cut, assemble And make my cards during February. Each month I get the addresses and it's just so easy to grab, stamp, address, and mail. Some months I've needed help from my husband because I was out of town. I say, "Honey, just grab the envelope in that little tote by my craft closet. Add these addresses and pop them in the mail, pretty please. <3 " If he can do it, all of us can!! :D

(side note) It helps those of us who do not open until our birthday if you put your quiltingboard name anyplace on the outside of your envelope so we can properly document when it has arrived.

Hey, Jennr8r, I just got a Facebook message from a friend about a cool heart quilt she found online that she thought I might like because it might be made of 2.5 " squares. Yes, indeed it was your heart and mini dresden plate top and bottom borders. I tried to see if any of my squares were in your quilt but it is likely. It gave me a big smile and a giggle. I have had a brush with the famous!

... Would you like my autograph? LOL! Isn't it amazing how far the pictures we post go on the internet?

I did an internet search for Valentine Candy Quilt and found my quilt alot! Someone posted it on Pinterest and people were asking her about how to make her pattern.

Even this blog that is also on Facebook posted it today and the post wasn't originated by me: http://quiltingdigest.com/make-your-...-heart-blocks/

Right now there are 322 comments and 3,386 shares!!!

I'm so honored... Thank you for letting me know. I'm off to read some comments! This has made my day! :)

Jennr8r...I love your quilt with the dresden plate flowers. It is so cute.

Thanks for keeping me on my toes...PamelaOry
and welcome back PattyJo

Who's in:
1) Me!
2) MizMelly
3) Happylab
4) travelinggramma
5) JENNR8R
6) WMUTeach
7) Janice McC
8) Jane Quilter
9) Rosemary Attaway
10) Patrick's Mom
11) Trish b
12) LottieParker
13) CrazyConnie
14) Gaijin
15) Lstew2212
16) Jaba
17) Sunrise450
18) Armylady 2012
19) kele
20) hav4boys
21) pinkflowers
22) SheriR
23) Juststitchin
24) Redstilettos
25) LUM
26) Oldcatlady
27) Macybaby
28) IrishMom
29) Cheesehead
30) Queenbarbiej
31) Cuppy
32) GramE
33) Aborning
34) Crispy_Frog
35) PamelaOry
36) PattyJo
37)

Going to check thru my PM to make sure I did not miss anyone else. Only one more spot left!

Barb

Wow knowbies! You ladies sure are quick with the candies. I only have enough cut for 8 birthdays right now. For some odd reason it takes me longer to cut 2.5 squares than 5", 6" or even 10" squares. What's the trick? The best I can do is cut 5" squares then quarter them. I only feel comfortable cutting 6 in a stack.

This is so cool!! I actually got a message asking about MY quilt. I quickly gave them the links to Your quilt.

We make a great team SheriR! We should start selling patterns.

Barb, I tried to respond to your PM, but your mailbox is full!

Queenbarbie,

I cut WOF strips (even if it's a fat quarter) and press and then carefully line up 5 strips on top of each other. Then I line of 4 rows of five strips, and cross cut them to 2.5". I bought a stripology ruler and that makes it real nice as I don't have to move and reline up the ruler for each cut.

SheriR......you are also famous! Your sweet candy dresden plate is also featured.


I also believe that Leesewzany the other quilter mentioned in the article was in a birthday swap a few years ago.

nice job ladies!

Barb

Happy Birthday SheriR and congratulations on Jen and your quilting patterns