SWAPPING OUT BLOCKS

It's very fun to swap quilt blocks when you are the hostess.  But it can be a challenge too.  First you have to find enough flat spaces to lay them all out.

I started with my cutting table for the Blue and White D4Ps.  I try to keep one person's blocks in a row or two.  That makes it easier to be sure she doesn't get her own back, and also that each receives from a good variety of the swappers.  These are stacks made from the same fabric.  There's anywhere from 1 to 5 blocks in a stack.

Next I covered my dining table.



And then I put the rest on my large desk.

You also have to have a spot for each gal's envelope to stack her blocks on once you've gathered them.  I didn't get pictures of those, but the were mainly on chairs, some on my desk, and some on the floor (dangerous because my two little dogs love helping!).

There were 14 swappers in this swap.  Each made up to 40 blocks, not more than 5 alike.  In all I received 395 blocks to switch out.  Amazingly I don't think anyone used the same fabrics! 

Only a couple trying moments in this swap, like when I knew one gal sent me stamps and I couldn't find them (they were still in her sending envelope, heading to recycling!), and when I counted and counted and counted again my envelopes to send out.  I was short one and I just couldn't find it nor a stray stack of blocks!  All was well when I realized I'm sending to two gals (mon and daughter) in Australia in one envelope, but they sent separately to me.  Geesh!

Here's my basket, all ready to head to the post office.  Whew!

This has been very fun, but I'm glad to check it off my list of to-do's too.