Spring swap is in the mail!!!

Oh boy, has this item taken forever to get done!!  Between either DD, me or both of us being sick (DD developed really high temperatures, fluid in the lungs and an ear infection last week ... if I hadn't gotten her to the doctor when I did we would have been looking at a diagnosis of pneumonia if I'd left it only a few days longer!! ... thus I haven't gotten much done this last week at all, especially in the way of uni!) and uni assignments that feel like they are slowly drowning me (yes, I am stressed!!), I haven't gotten much craft done in the last couple of months - I'm having withdrawals!!!

But, the most important item is now in the mail box to fling it's way across the country to my ***very patient!!*** partner Lisa!!!  I have included a number of other goodies along with my handmade item, and I truly hope she loves it ... I will post some photoes of this item when it has arrived.

Oh another note, I have noticed that I haven't shown the blocks I have sent and received in my various swaps for a while... plus, I haven't posted much crafty things lately, and it is always nice to see those things.

So, without further ado...

My August 6in swap partner was Vanessa (no blog).  The top two blocks are ones she made for me, the bottom two I made for her ... she requested friendship stars...

This next block I sent to my August Christmas block swap partner Pat, who made me a lovely log cabin ...

These were my very late July QBSA blocks for my partner Gina who requested stars or applique.  I originally began working on the block on the right ... an antique star tile ... didn't really work, but I thought maybe she could use it in something else.  I also made this Christmas Star on the left.  Lots of HST's pieced together to look fabulous, though I got very frustrated with trying to get the block right ... and now that I look at it I realise I had one of the HSTs around the wrong way!!! Aargh!!!!  Sorry Gina!

My August QBSA swap partner Robyn (who I get the chance to swap with again this month in the 6in swap) made me these lovely bright blocks ...

And for her request of teapots/cups/and saucers/mugs etc, I made this lovely pieced, embroidered and appliqued block.  Once I decided on what I was going to make it came together quickly.  All images came from a google search of relevant images, though unfortunately I didn't think to record the specific pages I got the motifs from ... the teapot was originally a redwork design which I drew out on the fabric with water soluble marker before doing the stitchery once it was appliqued on the central panel...

And a close up of the embroidery ...

 And the last blocks are the ones from my September QBSA swap ... The top two are blocks Elizabeth made for me ... how fantastic is that dresden plate block?!!  She has apparently never done this block before ... but I can't see it!  It looks fantastic!!  And I love the colour blocking in the log cabin!

Finally, my star blocks for  Elizabeth ...  She requested any star block in blue/purple/red/cream ... these two are the Sawtooth Star and Sharon's Star blocks.  Although the second was more fiddly, I really enjoyed this one!

I still have a few blocks that are late in coming ... and I promise I will get onto them as soon as I can ... however I still have a number of assignments that need to be prioritised higher than sewing atm, especially since I have a couple overdue too!!!  **Breathe ... just breathe....**

I have also done more work on my stitchery when I just need to get away from it and do something mind-numbing while watching an equally mind-numbing show ... but this is for my scissor keep swap, so pictures will need to hold off until it's arrived ... still awaiting my fabric to arrive for this, but I still have a few hours of stitching to finish before I can get stuck into this.

Now that November is upon us, I will also mention that I have made the decision to drop out of both the 6in block swap and the Christmas block swap due primarily to time, and the fact that I want to begin working on some full-size projects, namely the Dear Jane quilt and Anni Downs' 'My Favourite Things' quilt from her Some Kind Of Wonderful book, both for which I have joined in a sew along to encourage me in these endeavours!  I will still be a part of the QBSA swap as I do enjoy making these blocks, I am just very aware that I am consistently falling behind in these and it is not fair on my partners ... and the fact that I would like to make some things for myself :)

Anyway, must go.  Got one assignment in and finished at 5am this morning (leaving me with less than two hours sleep) and need to get back to the next one.  They may arrive late ... but at least I am determined that they will get submitted regardless, devil be damned!!!