Quilting Swaps

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Just finished a quilting exchange on equilts. Was a bit disappointed with some of the results but I enjoyed doing it. This is the first time I have been on the Countryside Forum although I have been a reader of the magazine for quite a few years. I like making quilt blocks to exchange with others. I realize Countryside readers are busy working their land and taking care of their animals, but I was wondering if any one was open to the idea of a block exchange for each month of the year, with the block appropiate to the month. Say for example: Jan- maybe snowmen, Feb- hearts, Mar- St.Pat's, April- Showers, May- flowers, etc. I would rather exchange with Countrysiders rather than the web site I just did. Welcome any ideas from anyone about this or just to say hi. Thanks, Billie

-- Billie Sowell (bbsowell@earthlink.net), November 01, 2001

Answers

Hey Billie, I was thinking the same thing myself. I've just started quilting again, but feel like I'm very much the novice. My sister has won ribbons for her quilts in the statewide shows and my Grandma, now deceased, earned her living as a quilter and toy maker back during the depression and beyond. I've only managed to hold on to some of her later quilt tops, which weren't her best. But they are very precious to me. Anyway, I'd love to do the block exchange with you. It'd be great to get a few others to join in the group and then be able to do a "Countryside Friends" quilt. Since the holidays are upon us though, I'd recommend starting with a January block. It'd be neat if we could designate at least one month block significant to our geographic location somehow. Wow! You've got me buzzing with ideas now. Today, I plan on finishing up a block I'm working on for Christmas and piecing others. I had to stop quilting for a while when I cut the end of my left index finger off with that all too famous rotary cutter. I blame it on my old, old, and I mean old glasses. Today I picked up my new perscription and am anxious to get back to quilting. Great idea of yours!!! Iris

-- Iris (Sar_India@msn.com), November 02, 2001.

It sounds like a wonderful idea. There have been a couple block exchanges that went on here in the last year and I wanted in but it was too much for me to take on since you need to make so many blocks ona deadline. Good luck and I hope you get yours going, Billie.

-- Alison in N.S. (aproteau@istar.ca), November 02, 2001.

Hi Iris and Alison, Thanks for responding about the block exchange. My idea was not to have a set deadline but be a little flexible when it came to that. Say, sending blocks every 2, maybe 3, months at a time to allow people plenty of time. The set deadline seems to intimadate alot of people and I hope to avoid that.

Iris, I liked your idea of the geographic block too! I don't consider myself an experienced quilter at all. Just a novice who is a fabric junkie and likes to make things and share with others. Wouldn't dream of starting until after the holidays, either.

My grandmother was a quilter, too, and when she died we found enough quilts in her closet for her daughters and grandkids and surviving sisters and a special neice to each have one besides the ones she had given us over the years. I inherited her quilting supplies and found some blocks she had started to piece together. While they are not her finest work, either, they are still precious to me and one day hope to put them together. She also did embroidery work and was working on a pillowcase when she died. I have that, as well, and have left it exactly as we found it, still in the hoop and unfinished. Plan to leave it that way.

Thanks again, BILLIE

-- Billie Sowell (bbsowell@earthlink.net), November 02, 2001.


I'm not much of a quilter, but my mom is and i told her about your idea. she's not into applique (which is what your themed and geographic ones sounded kind of like, altho what do i know?), but wondered if anyone was interested in some sort of swap based on pieced blocks, like a certain pattern each month or a certain color each time, etc.??

-- Leslie in MO (whomestead@hotmail.com), November 02, 2001.

Hello, I'm a quilter want to be, I have made small projects like table runners and placemats. I've learned all I know from reading quilting books and by trial and error. My grandma is a quilter but lives far from me. She told me of a quilt that she is working on now though and it sounds nice. It's blocks in pastels with old ladies hankies( you know the pretty lace ones) appliqued on in the form of a butterfly. I'd be willing to give it a go but please keep in mind that I'm a beginner quilter only, if you just as soon not exchange with me I'd understand.

-- Kelle in MT (kvent1729@aol.com), November 02, 2001.


I love to quilt! Just finished a quilt top for my littlest sister-in- laws new baby to be! Has a Washington state theme. All about the ocean..whales, sailboats etc....They live there and her hubby is in the navy. So.....sounds wonderful fun! Count me in if you do something!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), November 03, 2001.

I would be interested if it didn't get too complicated or time consuming (like 20 blocks in a month or something)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 03, 2001.

Hi Ladies, Sorry for the delay in replying. My husband is sick and his uncle was back in the hospital for more surgery related to his cancer and we had unexpected company arrive from out of state. They will be moving here next month and so we had to help them look around at housing and jobs. They will be back again in 3 weeks to look some more before they come for good at Christmas. When it rains at our house it pours. If I read the replys correctly, we have Iris, Kelle, Nan, and Diane and possibly Leslie's mom. How about setting the deadline of 20 Nov for a reply if you plan to participate? The blocks can be pieced or appliqued or a combination of both. As far as a geographical block most states have a block named for them that can be pieced, no need to applique. Just need to know how many we will have in participation so we can go from there. Thanks, Billie

-- Billie Sowell (bbsowell@earthlink.net), November 16, 2001.

I don't know if I can find the time either, but some additional info would help me decide. Are we talking hand or machine piecing, 100 % cotton?, finished size?, how complicated do you want to get?, stuff like that. I love to quilt but right now I'm busy with sheetrock---. Thanks for suggesting this though. Peg (Haven't been here for a LONG time. Things just got too rough.)

-- Peg (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), November 16, 2001.

Hi, Guess everyone is busy with the holidays upon us and doesn't have the time for a quilt block exchange. That's ok. If any one changes their mind in the next few months just let me know as I will be making extra blocks anyway. Happy Holidays!! Billie

-- Billie Sowell (bbsowell@earthlink.net), November 29, 2001.


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