Swap blocks - siggy

I think there is no hiding from it, I must be a swap addict... I am always finding it hard to resist the call of a new swap and more often than not end up signing up for yet another swap. Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy the swaps I am doing or have done in the past. As I am often quilting on my own, bar the rare visit to my quilting group (quite difficult to organise logistically with a baby at the moment), being part of a swap brings some new friend and also extend my horizons. It sometimes takes me out of my comfort zone to. BUT as much as I enjoy the swap, making the blocks/items, sending them off and receiving a gem back in the mail, I am ashamed to say that most of the time, my blocks end up being stashed away in a box, waiting to be used. WHY? Why can't I use them? Why can I do justice to the time, effort and money my fellow swappers and myself have put into the swap? Well, I don't really know is the answer. I guess often I'll jump into a swap, make a few blocks send them off but I don't have a project in mind for them and I end up getting a few blocks back that I am not sure what to do with. Sometimes, the number of blocks is too small, sometimes, well I don't know really.
Last year, I used swap blocks I had had since 2009 to make this Christmas Tree Skirt and I was so happy to see it to the end and have it around my tree at Christmas. And a few years back, I used some 9-patch blocks I had swapped when I began quilting to make a bag that I have now sold.
Are you a swap addict as well? Do you use your blocks as soon as you receive them? Or are you as bad as me and leave them stashed away until later? Tell me what you've done with your swap blocks?
If you've read that far, you deserve a little surprise. I'll draw a winner at the end of the month.

If you've read this far, you might wonder what is the link with the siggy swap I hinted to in the title. Well I went through my siggies in the last few days and realised with amazement that I now have 251 blocks that could be put in a rather large quilt but that are instead sitting in a post. I have been trading siggies since 2004 via various organised exchanges or one-to-one with Anneliese's list. I guess I could carry on making more and more and more... and fill more boxes but that sounds quite pointless in some way. So I have decided that I will trade a few more and then withdraw from the list until I have made my current stash of siggy into a lovely and comfy friendship quilt. For now, I can show you all the lovely siggies I have received since I last posted about them.
These one were from the centralised swap organised on the European DJ list
and these ones are one to one swaps from Anneliese's list

And while I was going through my stash of siggies, I also found some I had made for various centralised swap that had been returned back to me. I was going to throw them away because the date of them is from a few years back but then I thought about it longer. The very beginning of patchwork was all about recycling and making new from old so I have decided that instead of throwing those siggies, I will send them on to people who are swapping with me, these will be my "vintage" siggies.

Celine

Comments

  1. It's hard for me to say no to swaps too! But i have been pretty good the last year or year and a half. I'm terribly about getting them put into finished quilts. I won the Block Lotto several times and did get one of the winnings made into a top, but then sold it. I have blocks from a Christmas swap, some from a Blue/Yellow/White swap, some from a Black & white swap. I really should do something with them. Maybe I am saving them for retirement, someday. LOL!!

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  2. I usually stitch them into a top and then stash it away....I have a couple tops that need quilted.

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  3. love the Maisie blocks you received, they are just adorable. Haven't done a block swap yet as I am a bit daunted that my blocks wouldn't be up to scratch.
    I do like to do other swaps though. I suppose you have to wait for inspiraton to strike with the swap blocks too.

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  4. As I'm still in a beginners state I joined a few swaps now, 3 that where one time only swaps and now I have two monthly swaps and they make me discover new things - likt last month I was asked to make a disappearing 9 patch - I had heard of it before but never made one. So by swapping I get to know new things and of course people. I have to keep my swapping in check though as I neither have the time nor the money. Another reason why I liek swaps is because I tend not to like what I do ... and others seem to, so I guess it's better to let them enjoy what I do then stare accusingly at them because they didn't tunr out they way I wanted them to.
    The few blocks I swapped are stashed away too - I guess once there are enough for a quilt top I will assemble them but until then they are going to have to wait.
    So happy swapping!

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  5. i have never joined just have started quilting

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  6. Hi, I just did a search of google for Siggy Swaps, and this post was one that came up...I was hoping you were looking for more people to swap with, but alas, you were saying you're discontinuing swapping those squishy little suckers!

    Should you decide later on that you would like to join in another siggy swap, I'm hosting a worldwide one on Facebook which currently has over 70 members, and the numbers are rising every few days or so, which is good, as most of us want to make a big quilt with our siggy's, and we'd love to have you join us. You can either email me for further details, or add me on facebook My Facebook ID

    Hugs
    Naomi

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