I had a hard week and needed something to cheer me up. It came in my Inbox right on the hardest day - a Doll Quilt Swap confirmation. Yay!!! I am in! Sadly, it was not enough to make up for the hard time, but was a lovely, wonderful surprise... I had forgotten about the sign up timing at all... It might seem way too strange to be happy and announce it as news about something as simple as a swap... I know! But Doll Quilt Swap is so much than a swap and I am so happy, I am taking part in its tenth round! I need to make a mosaic, do some research, make some choices, make a quilt and than send it a stranger... And it is magical in every little detail. I felt a little nervous about this round - the 10th and the chances not to get in. It is crazy as I am too busy to make it... Yet, not making it in would feel not really good. Planning a mosaic now...

I am so happy, I can now call a fabulous event done and this pincushion public. It was an adventure to make it go to the other side of the Atlantic, but it is now done. Yay! Тwo attempts and a month the second time, but all done! I was longing to make a big one for this special lovely event and I new it will be somehow appreciated, that the scale does matter with all the pins we all keep around the machine... Its diameter is approximately 20 cm /8 "/ and yes, this is correct and big! I think I will make some more big, pin cushions for me and for presents pretty soon - maybe January LOL.

I tried to write something but it really did not feel right to steal even a single bit of the attention the pincushions, I received deserved... So here it is. Started from a sketch - lots of options, one pincushion to make... decided something special about it and had to choose one design... So after leaving it for a week or a few weeks to settle - I chose and started. It all happened pretty quickly and I had an almost ready pincushion before I was sure it is the right design... Took a picture or two... and I think it is the right design... So much my style - kind of signature pincushion. And my partner has almost my style... Will see how it will be accepted... Sewing more pincushions in the meantime...

I was procrastinating the blog post about the pincushion I am making... and it turns out I am to write of the one I received first. Yay, I did receive my pincushionS! Yay! Two! How generous is this? And how beautiful? Just imagine beauty multiplied by two! A craft paper package graced by Her Majesty's profiles... package coming from The UK looks interesting enough itself... Now imagine a few turquoise little packages in side... and two pincushions plus flat-headed pins... But wait! Mini, tiny, perfect hexies... feeling so spoiled... And did you notice the owls? On the chocolate buttons and the pincushion?  Oh, and they are both reversible! Happy me :) Well, the hexagons are unreal... OK. Now for what I have made. I sketched a few designs, choose one, started and almost finished the "top" side... and just need to back it and make it all 3D, soft and pin-inviting... I will not actually show it here... feels like stealing part of the attention the package I received deserves... These beauties were made by Isisjem. Thank you!

Here it is in its full glory. Yay, I love it. Have to make one for me. What I really love about this is, I made it using many first ideas and my DH quilting idea. Perfect combo. LOL It was pleasure to make it. I now do hope it will be liked when it arrives where it is expected to be in a week or so... Now something about the process as I have taken a pledge. It was supposed to be all solids quilt, but I added some prints to spice it up. It was supposed to be a modern take of a classic pattern - I think it is. I was about to add curly, feathery quilting but went for a spider web quilting /DH idea!/ and I think it made it sing. At least to me. Who supposed these things mentioned anove?... me..  at first. The pattern itself was the decision that took me most of the "making" time. Thought about a spider web, but they seemed to be so popular this round, it was kind of expected... It is funny my partner was to make a spider web for me and changed it seeing I was to make one... Some part of me regrets, I showed the plan, as I am sure the web would be lovely.. the other is sooo happy with the one I got! The label is not a label actually I just embroidered all the info in a sort of circle around the web. And added a sun/flower-like spider with mother-of-pearl button to add interest. The binding was the most obvious choice to me - the perfect turquoise to match the top and the sky, the web should be surrounded by...