Two things for swaps

Time to make a post showing off some swap stuff.

First up, some wacky 9 patch blocks.

That's the whole set of six.  I keep two (one of each color) and then swap the other two sets to my partners.

The pic doesn't do the colors justice.

The pinks are a lot deeper and the yellows much more bright.

I really like the fall ones the best.  I love food print fabrics like that, where the images are really overlapping and kind of busy.  That leaf fabric is nice too (same idea of really busy print).  The yellow just worked so nicely with it (and has what kind of looks like little wheat shafts on it--but they're not just little leafy things).

The other block I'm just "meh" on.  It looks good but that fabric in general doesn't make me leap over the moon or anything.  I got it as a set from a traveling stash box and I took it for just a project like this.  Made it easier for me to pick the fabrics.

I used my walking foot for these and that's when I discovered it's acting up.  The little lever that gets bumped up and down (by the screw that holds the needle to the shaft) to make the top feed dog move in time with the bottom (built into the machine) ones was getting stuck in the up position and causing some issues.  Also, I hadn't measured to see what a 1/4 seam allowance was for that foot so my seams were pretty dang fat.  Thankfully, you start with 11 inch fabric squares to end up with a trimmed 9 inch block so I had wiggle room.  I plan to remove the walking foot and see if maybe it needs a shot of oil to prevent that catching.  I'll also measure to see what a 1/4 inch seam is for it (I might need to move the needle all the way to the right to get the sizing correct).  But for now I can just put my regular foot back on.  I don't really need the walking foot for projects like this (just making a block) or regular sewing and I don't have any truly quilty projects on the horizon right now (so I have time to fiddle with the foot).

Blah blah, so much talk.  We need more PICS.

I finished a patch last night.  There was no theme for it.  I love a good anything goes patch.

Funky Monkeys!

My partner likes sock monkeys so this should go over well (same partner I made the bag for months back).

Thanks to having some fabulous fabric I didn't have to do much to make this patch work.  Just embellish the images.

I added felt hair, french knot eyes, and stitched mouth line to the top left corner monkey.  The top right monkey got stitching on her fabulous eyebrows, french knot eyes, and some lace.  The bottom left monkey got stitches on the eye marks and some beading.  Bottom right monkey got CRAZY EYES.

Those need a closeup.

AAAAHHHHH!

I love this monkey so much.  I was going to put google eyes on but these beads are so much better.  The pupils don't match which makes the overall effect that much more crazy.  I didn't do anything else to that monkey.  I mean, after the crazy eyes was there anything else to do?  Exactly.  This monkey is now perfect.

And the back.  Of course I had to find something with a banana.

That's all I got for now.

What's up next?

Well, I've been working on Fluff Project stuff.  I just have four tiny ghosts to face up (put the faces on) and then I can put a whole mess of them through the machine.  In fact, I might machine up the ones that are ready before doing the minis.  Then I can move on to the reindeer I've had cut for an age and a half.

THEN. . .I'm going to make a big ass whale.  Yup.  Totally impractical and will just take up space in my house but I WANT IT.  I haven't sewn really big lately and I'm in the mood.

I also have a few swaps to do.  One is a super fun Disco themed patch.  I have my idea all sketched up and feel confident it will turn out well.