I will do that. I have a wonderful lqs here in town. Very helpful. I'm sure I will love them, just never really heard of them until I joined this group, but then I had never heard of a doll quilt either. I think I need to get out more! lol

I love your gorgeous dog! Looks rather like mine!!

Brenda B:

One of the best aspects of being a part of a group of quilters is how much you learn along the way. I have been quilting for 20+ years and have taught for about 7+ years and when I am in a group hearing myself say "I didn't know that".
You will love working with batiks. The interest they give a quilt is terrific.
Claudia Paula

The batik process is different than tied dyed. The design is applied with a resist such as wax or gutta then the fabric is dyed several times with layers of wax added to change colors. In the end the wax is boiled or ironed out and the design is left. The commercial process is more dye stable but it is suggested to wash the fabric to be on the safe side. Moosegirl

Claudia: I took your advice and went to the local quilt shop and got a lesson on batiks. They helped me pick out the fabrics too. Now, I'm excited to do my batik blocks. Thanks for your comforting words. You helped me to get unstuck. :-) Thanks again. You are a sweetheart to help.

Hi , I am following along on this swap.. I will make them for fun, not join this swap cuz I am new and also cuz I signed up for the doll quilt swap and the table runner swap! So I could get into trouble if I signed on to this as well. But it looks like fun.. If I should get them made in time I will check with you and see of exchanging.

I'm pretty new too, and it is so hard to pass anything up. They are so much fun! I hope you get yours done in time. :-)

There is a table runner swap?? Who is running it? Sounds like fun! :thumbup:

Yes, how did I miss this?

I received the following message in a pm, What do all you swappers out there think of this option??

How about a "no Sew Swap"

We all picked star blocks from quilters cache, cut the pieces, Enclosed what the name of the block was.
I think newbies would enjoy. Then, when you receive the blocks back you can sew them at your leasure.
This would make a great sampler! Do you think this would go over well here on the board?

Pre cut pieces sound like a good idea in principle but unless you are using an accu cut machine there is a big variation in types of rulers, marking pencils and hand/eye coordination of the quilter to get accurate blocks. Over the years, I have purchased kits or exchanged kits and found it was a headache. But on the other hand, if the finished block size is flexible, it would be fun getting different fabric units to play with.
Moosegirl

I can only speak for myself, but I would probably stick them in a box and forget about them. Put it off to do at some other time. I don't think that I would sign up for that swap.

I would sign up for this, but I am a swap-sucker! I sign up for them all!

I have participanted in 5" square exchanges in my Guild from time to time. You can't imagine how different in size 5" squares can be.
Needless to say I would not be interested in a pre-cut swap.
Claudia Paula

I'm not interested in a pre-cut either. I screw up my own cuts bad enough, I sure don't want to do that to other people.

What about some kind of scrappy? I haven't figured out what, yet.
All I can think of is tumblers (because I want to make a tumbler quilt), something one shape and scrappy so we could send sets...

Instead of pre-cut pieces maybe pre-cut strips with 3-4 colors.

I would pass on a No Sew Swap with pre-cut pieces, as I agree with the other ladies that pre-cuts would be different from person to person...

I'd like a scrappy swap - maybe with a theme, like a basic pattern (9-patch, churn, basic star, rail fence,etc) on a "beige" (like muslin, white-on-natural, cream, etc) background. Guilds usually do this for a Lotto block, but rarely does anyone ever get enough to do anything with them. A controlled swap would assure enough for a small lap quilt anyway. This would be a good one for newbies to flex their wings. It would also give us all a chance to use up some of those smaller scraps. Keep the pattern simple (and idiot-proof as far as those pesky scant 1/4 seams go), and no one would mind doing a larger quantity. Or use different sizes, multiples of 3 inch increments. For "set" calculation, let two 3 1/2 blocks equal one 6 l/2, two 6 1/2 equal one 12 1/2, one 3 1/2 and one 6 1/2 equal a 9 1/2. Just so it pretty much equals twelve 12 1/2 squares. Clear as mud?

i like this, muslin with 9 patch scrappy? any equality of 12 1/2?

I like the scrappy one too. I have got to down size my stash before I have to pad my mattress and sleep on it all! I have already given away 4 priority boxes and that is at 10.00 a pop. But thats ok, because some cool quilters on this board put them to good use! So, to whom it may concern: I am in with the scrap-happy bunch!

Would anyone be interested in dressed up dresses??? See the thread below for examples.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-19799-1.htm Pattern done in EQ on page 4

If you know of any free dress patterns out there please let me know. I found a few but didn't fall in love with any of the free ones and I don't want anyone to have to purchase a pattern to partipate in the swap.

I vote for batiks! 8", 9" or 12" any pattern or specific pattern is fine with me. What about 6" cobblestone blocks?

Can you post a pic of an example?

I'm not sure I'm doing this correctly but just in case the photo doesn't come out, tt's basically a square in a square. 2 1/2" center, 2 1/2" sides and 2 1/2" X 6 1/2" opposite sides.

Thanks for the pic, I can add it to the list to vote on for future swaps.

I really like that cobblestone block. I'd like to be in on that one!
MJ

Hi,
How does the block swap work? If I am able to join I would say batiks.
Thanks,
***Pam***

I saw Sindy Rodenmayer's "No Sew Swap" idea at the fatcatpatterns.com. Has anyone thought about doing something like the thimbles, gumballs or snowglobes? The thimbles are so cute. Snowglobes do not have to be Christmas only either. Those things used to be sold showcasing cities, states, countries, whatever you want as a theme.

Snowglobes and gumballs:
http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/
Thimbles:
http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/Miscellany%20Designs.html

The laundry was kind of cute even if I try my best to eliminate it from my vocabulary.

This was just a suggestion as a starting point. I bet there are a bunch of talented people who can come up with wonderful "NO SEW" swap patterns as well.

I'm interested in how the no-sew swap works as well. If I'm not too late.

So the cobblestone block is a no-go? I have a bunch of blocks if anyone is interested in trading with me.

What do you want to trade?

I'd like to trade same blocks so I can get a bigger variety.
Mine are not batiks but scraps and most have a bright yellow center.

Those are really cool. If some one did one of those I'd be up for it

I vote for Garden Themed!

I'm so glad you linked to that website, it is Fab! I like the idea of a no sew swap ala Sindy Rodenmayer style, as a newer quilter that would fit much better in my comfort zone, snow globes would be awesome! or even using the same concept, a fruit jar type applique swap?

So...has a decision been made...or is it too late to sign up for this block swap?

I don't think it's a no-go. There may not have been a recent vote on what the next block swaps should be. I really like your idea.
:thumbup:

As much as I love Batiks, we already have a Batik swap going....so I vote for a Garden theme. We have so many beautiful florals out there, we could have a lot of fun with that.

I'm in for the garden theme too!