Gifts from Blogland!

Here are some photos of the items I received from the swaps I participated in.  The first photos are from my Shabby Chic Swap and my partner was Marie from Australia.  Here is the link if you missed my part of the swap for her: http://summersetsewing.blogspot.com/2010/07/vintage-swap-package-delivered.html

She sent coasters and key chain with doberman photos because she understands what Toocutecdobs stands for (two cute dobermans), a notebook with the rose cover, 3 napkins and a doily, 3 packs of sachet, 2 "baskets of roses" soaps, a pewter bookmark,a box of bookplates and one of her own pieces of art--the Victorian lady and horse decorated box.

If you would like to see more of Marie's work and her blog just follow this link:

http://ajourneythatstartshere.blogspot.com/

My next swap was the Rosette Swap.  I signed up for this having never made a rosette but figured this was just the thing to inspire me.  If you missed my half of the swap just check out the previous post with tutorial of the rosettes I made.  I tried several styles but was only successful with the one shown.

This swap was different because we did not know who our swap partner was.  Jill at http://www.gypsyfleamarket.blogspot.com/ organized hosted this swap and assigned us to someone.  Here are the wonderful goodies I received.

Stevie from http://myartcanvas.blogspot.com/ sent me these beauties.  A reclaimed necklace that she added the rosette to, a beautiful fun bunting with a rosette and ice cream theme, and a fabric wrap cuff with rosette and vintage lace.  At first glance I thought the cuff was far too tiny but it fits perfectly.  Pretty, pretty, pretty! I told Stevie this package made me want to host an ice cream party while wearing a vintage summer dress and the jewelry she had made for me.

And then I got this surprise package from Jana at http://98redballoons.blogspot.com/  This was not even a swap just a fabulous gift from a fellow blogger!  Jana had been traveling a lot this summer but sent all these goodies to me when she arrived back home.

This is a German issue Burda (my first ever Burda!), two great pieces of fabric, a pattern, a postcard from her travels, and a note card from Jana.

The pattern is Butterick 5334-I like it! And the Burda had some really great shoes in this issue besides all of the other fashion stuff.

Here is a close up of the two pieces of fabric Jana sent.  The left piece is a stretch cotton and the right--well I don't know the fabric content but I like it.  It is an olive green with black running through it.  Jana is really talented at copying designer work and making her own version of it.  You should check out her blog when you get a chance.

My heartfelt thanks to Jana, Marie and Stevie for the great gifts I received. Thanks so much!

Tuesday morning and Everybody WINS!

Ok, at least everybody that made a comment to the previous post "GRIN".  Vanessa and Kathy both will receive a gift from me for the Followers Celebration.

Rosette Swap

I finished my "custom" designed rosette for the swap and here is what I came up with.

These are three individual rosettes with pin backs.  They are attached to a pillow sham I made in a heavy cotton with a basket weave design.  The lady receiving this will only need to insert an 18 inch pillow form.  She is also receiving a small "shabby chic" gift as she indicated in her email that shabby chic was a preference of hers.

Close-up of the two smaller rosettes.  You can see the basket weave in the fabric better in this photo.

I was asked for a tutorial of the rosettes I made.  (Ok, I was really asked for a tutorial for the previous posting of rosettes I made.  But I have not made any more like that one since I was not all that pleased with the outcome of that style rosette.)  The rosettes shown here are made from a shiny sheer fabric I purchased at Hobby Lobby.  I think it was listed as chiffon but it has quite a bit of body and not like the normal soft type of chiffon I am used to.  On to the tute:

 You need only one of the squares shown above for the large rosette.

Fold or pinch fabric to a point in the center and have a needle threaded (double with knot) ready.

Hold the center of the fabric you folded fabric back over your hand and swirl until you see a rose center shape appear in your hand. 

Pinch this fabric to hold the shape of the rose as shown above.

Carefully holding your pinched fabric so it does not lose the shape you have made, fold the fabric back over to expose the center you have been holding.  Using your needle and thread start stitching the fabric fold together in the center (original pinched section you will hold until completed) and secure twisted fabric.

After securing the twisted fabric, fold the remaining loose fabric back over your hand.  Swirl and twist this fabric around your center rosette shape until you find it pleasing.  Again you hold on to this newly shaped fabric with your fingers underneath in the center pinch.  Then fold excess fabric back to expose the pinched center underneath and stitch again to secure this to the center.  Continue doing this until you have used all your fabric and you have made your rosette.

Use smaller pieces of fabric to make the rosebud shape and the small rosette.  Above you see a 14 inch piece of ribbon used to make the leaf and stem for the rosebud.

This is a running stitch down the edge of the ribbon made with a single knotted thread matching the green ribbon.  The ribbon is folded in half and the two sides are stitched together with the fold at the top.  You will pull the fold center down with your gathering stittch just slightly to indicate a leaf shape.  This top of the leaf ribbon was matched with the rosebud and the remain ribbon tail used to wind around for the rosebud stem.

When making the rosebud you will end up with a wad of fabric at the bottom which you will cover with the ribbon to make the stem. Stitch the ribbon tightly after winding it around the excess rosebud fabric.  To help get that excess fabric from the rosebud easier to handle I used floral tape just like I would in a floral arrangement.  Then I cover this with the ribbon and stitched it closed.  I used a bit glue at the very bottom tip to secure.

Finally I sewed pin backs on each of the small rosettes and secure them to the pillow sham with a safety pin from the interior of the sham. 

The large rosette was secure with only the safety pin on the interior of the sham--no pin back.  Also you can see that I stitched two large silk leaves to the back of the large rosette.  These are actually silk hydrangea leaves--these come in so handy with many types of projects.

"Friendship is the sweetest flower that in a garden grows."

My shabby chic gift that was include in the rosette swap.