I am still on the bench. Don't really get upset with that because I have some great company

UFO,

This made me chuckle, considering almost everything is west of Maine.

Nope you're not alone twinkie, I'm right there with you too. Maybe today, maybe not.

I am quite disappointed in our Postal system. I mailed out on Wednesday, March 13th, the receipt says "expected delivery on Saturday, March 16th" and still my SP hasn't received hers. I am very upset that it's taking this long for it to reach her. Did the package take a detour and on a world tour before arriving at her place???

Let's not forget Nancy in Louisiana, who is a dream swap partner. She is sitting on the bench from FEBRUARY!!! Whatever stinkball had her ... well, I just hope appropriate feedback is left. :thumbdown: Happily, a little bird told me that a nice Angel Package is on the way to her :thumbup:

Nothing in the mail for me today. A couple of days and I will be on the bench.

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Okay, I slaved away for 14 hours yesterday and this was the results. I hope my secret pal likes her gifts. Quilting with 1"x1" squares is for the birds, but I like how it came out.

This was my first attempt at a needle book. Those are fun to make. Will post the whole package once my SP gets her gift.

Hey, hav4boys your sp will be 1 lucky lady! Love the tote, too cute!

Love the tote and needlecase!! Your SP partner is super lucky to have you as her buddy. :-)

I received my parcel today from clsurz. Thank you very much for the lovely fabrics. Jan x[ATTACH=CONFIG]402596[/ATTACH]

First time I have uploaded a picture on here so I hope I have done it right

Phew , I got it to upload ok. This has been fun .Looking forward to next month but will settle once I know my sp has received her parcel.

No package for me today but that's OK. My BFF quilting buddy from Conneticut arrives tomorrow. I will be so busy I won't even know I am on the bench or even where the bench is!:thumbup:
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Hav4boys. That bag is beautiful. Your sp is a very lucky lady

I am so excited I just have to share. My best friend has been so bummed because I have made everyone a bow tuck purse but her. I was looking for that perfect material, and I finally found it. I wanted material with jewelry on it. Here it is.

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Got a question for everyone... do you wait to sew for your SP so you can create in their favorite colors or do you make a variety of items and then send those? I am struggling as I have time to sew now for a couple of weeks but then May revision will hit at work and I will not see the light of day for April and May. Can anyone share how they do it? I so want my packages to be customized, but I have to work with in my personal parameters.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Hav4 that is adorable! And I love the fabric!

Fayzer, hope you have a wonderful visit. What a great photo!

I waited and made something personal, this is my first swap and I wanted to make sure that I put something personal to my sp in. I am not saying that is right but I wanted to make it personal and put some thought into it.

That is cute fabric. Well, still no package yet. I am sitting on the bench with lots of you.

I've been planning on making a coffee cozy myself but haven't gotten around to it. May I suggest that you go to your local starbucks or 7 Eleven (or any place that you know of that uses the cardboard sleeve), and pick one up....you can use that as your template.....that's what I plan to do :-)

I just rec'd a great pkg from DONNA LUIGI, look at the stack of fabric!:eek: A measuring tape in a cute little container, my 5" half hexagon ruler (my most wanted item:thumbup:), 2 cute patterns I will be using for my upcoming grand baby, zippers I collect to make cute things with, a beautiful black onyx bracelet, and let's not forget the chocolate!:shock:Thank you again Donna, I just love everything!
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http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/project...=coffeecupcozy

Here is an adorable coffee sleeve tutorial from Fiskar.

The puppy quilt is adorable. I have made over a dozen. It is my most used pattern.

I dropped mine off at the post office on Sunday night, and finally on Wednesday the package showed up on the online tracking.... It got delivered in a couple of days after that though but yes, have had my issues with the postal service too. Hopefully your SP gets the package soon! Sometimes the mailmen have so much mail to deliver that they can't take all the boxes with them....

Just signed up for the Secret Partner Pin Cushion/Needlecase Swap. Going to make some neat ones! Get my practice down so I can make even better ones for my SP!

Received my wonderful package from Adeliahartzog today. It came on a great day because feeling bad about my BFF who had to have hip surgery and now go to a NH for recuperation. Anyway she sent me 2 scissors, highligher, potholders, sunglasses, snowflake candle, 3 repo prints fat qtrs., 4 more brown and blue fat qtrs., peeps, cotton candy, peanut m&m's (my favoarite), butterly, notebook, jar of buttons, coffee cup buttons, quilting tape and she made me a beautiful Christmas bag. Hit the jackpot - thanks so much Adelia. Love everything.

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I really think you need to do what is right for you. I have some things made up ahead of time in various colours (like mug rugs, towels, and stilettos), and pull from that when in a time crunch. I live in a rural area so trying to find a specific item requested takes time and often some travelling, so I figure having a few things made up ahead of time is the sensible thing to do. But if I can I also make up something special as well. On another board we do birthday surprises, and it took me two weeks to find a turtle for one person. In that case, I was glad to also have things made up.

March 2013 Secret Pal Package from Barefoot Quilter
 

I received a beautiful package in the mail the other day from Barefoot Quilter; she included several fabrics, some beautiful blue batiks; a shell windchime (my other one wore out last summer - winds in MN have been crazy of late); some fun Halloween and Christmas yo-yo's; a couple of emboidered hand towels - one with a butterfly the other with a bird; a couple of clothespin reminder clips - going to put magnet on so can stay on fridge; jumbo safety pins; shamrock ribbon and a wrist pin cushion; an Easter decoration; a couple of pocket sized photo books; McCall's Magazine - want to make the gift styled quilt blocks - lots of inspiration to be found in the magazine - and one Chocolate bunny; thank you so much for such a fabulous swap package.

Texas, your package was supposed to get to you on Sat. Hopefully tomorrow.

annt59~Just got home from work and your fantastic package was waiting for me!! Thank you so much! I got 2 large pieces of fabric in my favorite colors...really love the dragonflies! bag of smarties, measuring gauge, small scissors, very cool frixon pen, quilt pattern for a quick and easy lap quilt (my favorite kind haha), a ruler and another pattern, and an adorable mug rug/mini wall quilt. Thank you again so much!! All of it will be put to good use!:thumbup:
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very cute St. Patricks day magnets from annt59 also!

Received an awesome package today from leiladylei54. You sent the perfect things and I love them all. Having so much trouble posting pictures hope this will work. Just want you to know that all is much appreciated and will definitely be put to use http://www.quiltingboard.com/members...174-402644.JPG

And some morehttp://www.quiltingboard.com/members...174-402648.JPG

and more. Beautiful Fq's and yard pieces of batiks, candy, yum coffee, fabric pen, row markers and pins, stiletto, a really fabulous pin cushion, wine coasters, dish towel and scrubber and oven mitts. Thank you so much ....I have to practice on those beautiful Hawaiian blocks before I use the batik you sent, but looking forward to it. Made my day, a very happy box. http://www.quiltingboard.com/members...174-402651.JPG

I think what you're calling the scrubber (with the rubber backing) is actually a bottle opener. Glad your box finally got there and glad you like the things included.

Perfect with my arthritic hands, sorry I missed what it was but am truly glad you let me know. It's a great idea, might have to make some of these. I love this package, it's so perfect. Thank you again, was just sending you a PM

I'm so irritated!! I've still not sent out my boxes; my acct is overdrawn at the moment, and I didn't get paid today like I hoped. :( I haven't been this broke in a while, so it irks me that it had to happen now, when I've got two boxes ready to go out. :mad:

I received a package from quiltingdragon last night and it was perfectly me!
An adorable ducky tea infuser with holder and a container of luscious-looking loose tea.
Five different red and blue fabrics-all lovely.
A magazine I do not have!
Quilt clips
Embroidery patterns and needles.
A giant bag of Twizzlers-yum,yum,yum!
A big spool of thread in my favorite color.
And best of all-a sweet card!

Thank you so much, quiltingdragon!
You are the best!

Gaijin

wonderful packages continue to be delivered.
have4boys, when I make some thing for a sp I usually start before sign up, and I just make small things anyway, as I probably would not be able to finish in time to send by the deadline if I waited til I had their survey. If it is started and not yet finished when I get my pal I see if I can work it in for a personalized color or such. Also I sometimes will think about doing something that might be in a theme for the month.
To me it is more important to follow the rules of the swap, so unless there is an unforeseen complicaton that would prevent me from being done by the deadline -such as the flu or a broken bone, which I would be pm Lori about, I would mail on time.