Don't Forget....

That our seventh swap is due in my hands no later than January 11th. I sent out the "two week" notice to all players.

While the holidays may be a thing of the past, just remember to ship early as we still have weather to contend with. I have taken off that evening to swap out, so no late packages!

Quilt Show Photos From The Czech Republic

Fellow hexie swapper, Mirka, shares this link to a local quilt show:

http://stefli.rajce.idnes.cz/Vystava_Slapanice_2013_-_exhibition_our_quilt_club

*OFFICIAL SIGN UP FOR THE EIGHTH HEXAGON SWAP--TONE ON TONE AND SMALL FLORALS

Suitable small floral prints--nice and tight prints with little or no open background

Tone on Tone (TOT) prints-shades of the same color WITHOUT any other color added

Close up on TOT prints (while some might photograph white in the prints, they are actually the same color family)

Notice the top fabric has white (circled 1) in addition to shades of blue. This is NOT suitable for the swap, while the bottom fabric is only shades of blue and perfect for the swap.

**SIGN UP BY DECEMBER 15, 2013 AND THE SWAP IN DUE IN MY HANDS NO LATER THAN MARCH 8, 2014**

*NO INTERNATIONAL SWAPPERS*

The two swap themes are SMALL FLORALS AND TONE ON TONE (TOT) prints:

TONE ON TONE (TOT) is just that--the same color family with various shades or tones of the same color.*NO other colors are allowed in the print. NO white or cream (ecru, off white, etc.) allowed in either swap--just colored prints.

As always, if you send in hexies using fabrics not allowed in the swap, they will be returned. The regular guidelines also need to be followed (no solids, no batiks, NO novelties, etc.)

>>We do, however, want to keep the prints to SCALE so that we have a nice visual when the hexagons are sewn together. If you have a question on a fabric, please do not hesitate to contact me at 2013hexagonswap@gmail.com . PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, ALSO PLACE A 1” HEXAGON PAPER ON THE QUESTIONABLE PRINT SO I CAN SEE THE SCALE. **Samples of suitable prints will be posted on the right-side of the blog screen for your reference.**

In collaboration with the great ladies at Paperpieces.com (see their contact information at the end of this post), we will offer you the opportunity to join a fun swap with other quilters and save 20% not only on your precut shapes of English paper pieces, but for all other merchandise on their website! Please note this discount doesn’t include the shipping charges. They offer an extensive collection of hexagon books to spark your interest and especially recommend “Piecing It All Together” and “English Paper Piecing”.

The Paperpieces.com code number will be emailed to you once you officially sign up at 2013hexagonswap@gmail.com with your full real name, board name, address and phone number and the swap(s) you will join. Paperpieces will do their best to get your shipment out ASAP so you will have plenty of time to work on your sets! I will do my best not to send you back any duplicates.

This a fantastic bring-along project while waiting in the doctor’s office, sporting events, watching TV, etc. The hexies just about make themselves! Check out the site at http://www.paperpieces.com/  for lots of motivation, books and patterns!

Be sure to check out the blog and please feel free to send along pictures to share with others of your progress.

We will be swapping 1” hexagons (Paperpieces item # HEX100). Please note that these measure 1” on each side. Each “set” will be of six of the same fabric with the papers left inside. This will allow you to make the outside edges of a flower and use your own center fabric to bring consistency to your finished project. Please do not use any glue to hold down the paper piece on the fabric. You will be sewing through the paper and be sure to check the blog for the details.

Each “set” is six (6) - 1” hexies of the SAME fabric. You can send in a maximum of ten (10) sets of the SAME fabric

*PLEASE READ THE GUIDELINES CAREFULLY BEFORE COMMITTING TO THE SWAP OR CUTTING YOUR FABRICS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE ASK!*

                                35 SET MINIMUM-100 SET MAXIMUM PER THEME

Our players:

*Small Floral prints:

1.  KC1930

2.  Sewfun2

3.  PatV82

4.  Wippys58

5.  Bitsygiz13


6.  Goofyquilter

7.  KatzenJammer

*Tone on Tone (TOT) prints:

1.  KC1930

2.  Sewfun2

3.  Chris M.

4.  Melinda F.

5.  Tinapq

6.  KatzenJammer

Below you will find what seems like a copy of “War and Peace”, but I run my swaps with open communication so there are no surprises and complete consistency from all swappers. Follow the guidelines? Great! Don’t follow the guidelines? Your swap will be returned. I need to be fair to all swappers who play. And I know what you are thinking and yes, I am a type A personality, lol!

*PLEASE SHIP IN PLENTY OF TIME AS ANY LATE PACKAGES WILL BE RETURNED BACK TO YOU UNSWAPPED AT YOUR EXPENSE!* I will be sending out a “gentle reminder” notice two weeks before the swap is due. THIS WILL BE strictly INFORCED! If shipping parcel post, plan on two weeks shipping time:

As a member of the HGTV Quilting boards, you are invited to join us by clicking on the HGTV registration link on right side of the blog page. After you sign up (this is free!), you can join us on the “Quilting & Needlework” board. Any problems, just contact me. I will have a running discussion there if you want to communicate and share with the other swappers.

While I advocate using Paperpieces papers (#HEX100), you can also take lightweight card stock and cut your own. You cannot use regular computer paper or cardboard for this swap as they are subsequently too light and too heavy ensure a sharp point when turning corners and will be returned! If you do use your own inserts, be sure they are consistent while cutting. I will be doing a spot check to be sure they are not too small or too large and that once you sew down the corners they are not pulling up the tips. Check out the blog for a tutorial as to how we would like the hexies made. Please do not use any glue or adhesive to hold down the hexie paper to the fabric. WE ARE SEWING THROUGH THE PAPER. Please use a straight stitch, not a whip stitch for easy paper removal.

Your swap guidelines on how to make of the hexagons will be posted on the blog. Please DRY press your hexagons when finished. Be careful NOT to use steam if using printed inserts as the dyes may come off on the fabrics! Yes, we will be sewing through the paper, but as you see in the tutorial, it will be easy to remove the papers for reuse once you sew your hexagons together and remove the basting stitch.

As mentioned before, each set will be six-1” finished hexagons of the SAME print with a knotted basting stitched (PLEASE USE THE SMALLEST NEEDLE POSSIBLE TO AVOID HOLES!) down the middle and back up to the top to hold each set together (with papers left inside each piece). You can only send in 10 sets of the SAME print! (Total of 60 hexagons of the SAME print) to ensure a nice variety of prints. I found cutting 2 ½” strips of fabric and sub cutting them into 2 ½” squares work PERFECT for this project.

A couple of rules of thumb for this swap for both Small Floral and Tone on Tone prints:

*Use only 100% cotton fabric.

*NO solids, homespun, glitter, novelty prints—this includes holiday prints and children prints, flannels, thin or plastic-feeling fabrics—this swap is for prints, so please do not send in any WOW (white on white), COC (cream on cream), etc. They really don’t make a colorful flower. You can send in TOT (tone on tone) fabrics. Just remember we want each flower to stand out--not become a wallflower in your finished project!

*NO large prints—be sure your fabrics selected are to the 1” hexagon scale! Leave your open background and large prints for other projects—use smaller prints that fill in your hexie! CHECK OUT THE BLOG FOR FABRICS THAT ARE AND THAT ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR THIS SWAP.

*NO batiks or plaid fabrics.

*Be sure when cutting directional fabrics they do not end up looking off-bias or wonky once the

*Be sure to REMOVE your selvedges (and pin marks) BEFORE cutting your fabrics. Please be sure your edges do no have a raw edges. Check fabric for flaws, such as runs or stains. Since the sets will be stacked and tacked by a thread, I will not be able to double check your work. Remember the golden rule of swapping—do not send anything in that you wouldn’t want to receive in return.

NOTE: I know life sometimes throws you curve balls, but it has happened that people get excited and want to play, only to wait two months later when the swap is due in a day or so to say they didn't have time. By that time you should have already been ready to mail the package. That leaves me hanging to replace your swap with my stash and totally unfair IF you know you cannot make the deadline to begin with. I give you ample notice so you have plenty of time to make an informed decision. Also, another player may liked to play in your place. Be honest with me up front, or a repeat offender might not be able to play in the future The success of this swap depends on your ability follow through your commitment to our group of players. Thank you for your understanding!

By all of us being honest and accountable, I'm sure we will have a great 2014 swapping year! I really do enjoy hostessing and want to continue to enjoy it, so by coming up front with any issues is not really a complaint, but a way to correct it so my frustration level (and blood pressure!) stays at an even keel. Probably the MOST important thing I can say about a successful swap is the high level of communication between all parties. Without that, we are setting ourselves up for failure. Be prepared for me to contact you several times during the swap for an update on your progress and invite pictures of your hexies to share with other swappers!

I’m allergic to dogs and cats, so please do what you can to control the fur. Some packages come in with so much pet hair that they look like they need to be brushed! For health reasons, I cannot handle them and they will be returned untouched at YOUR expense. My health depends on it and I thank you in advance for your understanding.

POSTAGE or POSTAGE money must be included in your package. Be sure to add a stamp or two to your stamped envelopes if not going priority mail flat rate boxes. They also seem to weigh more returning than coming in! If you are a frequent swapper, you can also send in $20 or so and I can keep it on “account” and deduct your postage from it. This was worked nicely with some swappers in the past and that way you don’t have to worry about sending in money each time. Once the swap is complete, I will PM you your postage balance on account for your records. If you wish your extra postage money returned, I can certainly do that also.

If you wish to include a self-addressed mailer for the return trip back to you, remember NO metered postage or ACP postage on the return mailer. Stamps only. Our post office will not allow more than a 13 oz. pre-stamped mailer in any mailboxes nor can mail carriers accept them (since 9/11 our East coast mail guidelines have been modified). While your local p.o. may say it is okay to use metered or ACP postage, our p.o. will NOT accept anything that has been pre-dated. I’m just trying to make it as easy as possible for all concerned. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!

For Priority mail packages, I have plenty of mailing envelopes and boxes here so there is no need to send a new one. I do, however, try to recycle the boxes if possible. IF YOU ARE SENDING YOUR SWAP IN A MANILLA ENVELOPE OR PADDED MAILER, YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE TO SEND IN A RETURN ENVELOPE. Remember, I am not responsible for the packages once they are mailed back to you.

>>NOTE: Some of your local post offices allow you to pack a flat rate envelope or legal size envelope to the bulging point, but mine won’t accept them as they are intended for FLAT items only. So, if you can get away with it on your end-fine-just be aware they cannot be returned the same way.

PACKING YOUR SHIPMENT-We found that using dollar store sandwich Ziploc bags package nine sets nicely and make it easier to swap out. If you “burp” the air out of the baggies before you seal them they pretty much stay in place during shipping. Also, please ID each baggie with your name and state so that the other swappers can know where their hexies come from! You can put all your sets in a larger grocery bag (or Ziploc bag) with your HGTV board name (if you have one!), real name and address, phone number and number of sets in the main bag AND a separate piece of paper with your mailing address in case the package is damaged in shipment so the post office can still return it to you.

>>Please see packaging guidelines on the blog post>>  

http://hexagonswap.blogspot.com/2013/08/packaging-your-swaps.html
http://hexagonswap.blogspot.co...ging-your-swaps.html

Resources:

Paperpieces:

http://www.paperpieces.com]http://www.paperpieces.com  (Use the search box to find the HEX100)

Email: paperpieces@paperpieces.com  

Call toll free in the US: 1-800-337-1537

Hexagon Swap blog:

http://hexagonswap.blogspot.com/]http://hexagonswap.blogspot.com

HGTV Registration: (Once you sign up, go to the “Quilting & Needlework” Message Board)

http://my.hgtv.com/registration/register.esi

My HGTV board name is KC1930