Atlanta trip- the loot

Ali came up with the great idea to do a swap while we met in Atlanta.  Everyone was assigned a secret partner and make a little handmade treat for them.

My partner was Cara.  I am convinced that she and I are somehow linked in the constellations.  First off, we share the same birthday.  Secondly, her oldest daughter is the same age as my youngest, and they share the same name.  Thirdly, we both have funny embarrassing crap happen to us ALL THE TIME.  I could go on and on about all the things we have in common.  In addition, we both have 3 kids and careers and struggle to find the balance.  She has become a true friend and support to me, and I was so glad to have a chance to make her a little something special.

Cara's favorite color combination is pink, yellow and orange, and I had so much fun with that colorway! First off, I decided to knit her a fun pair of fingerless gloves in some soft squooshy yarn I had been saving!

The pattern is called Nalu mitts, free on Ravelry.  Nalu is Hawaiian for wave, and I loved the wave cable down the front.  You can read more details here.

My second gift had to do with her daughters.  When I was having a particularly bad parenting day last November, Cara not only gave me her ear, but also sent me a copy of her favorite parenting book!  So I decided to do the same.

I love having this book on hand, to record all the cRaZy things my kids are saying, the funny moments and such, so that I can remember and focus on those good moments when they are driving me around the bend.  I flip through it often to recall those moments!  So I knew I needed to give Cara a copy.  I then proceeded to make a patchwork hand quilted cover for the book!

 

The personalizing touch was to add the three little girls across the front to represent her daughters, using Heather Ross's pin people fabric from her Crafty Chloe collection.  I was fully inspired by this pouch made by Krista.

On the inside cover, I added an inscription on printable fabric.

Then, as a final treat, I made three little coin purses with the corresponding pin people sewn on, one for each of her daughters :)

I had so much fun making this package for Cara!!

In return, I had a gift made for my by Ali.  That girl is such a sweetheart, I love her.  And she could not have hit the nail right on the head any better than with these pouches!!

I love them so hard.  They are absolutely perfect for toting around my knitting projects.  I just love the hand embroidered touch!  And she used some of my favorite fabrics of all time, the Heather Ross roses from FFA2, including the pink roses, which I used the last of mine up for Cara's gift!  So now I have a little of my own to enjoy every day.  Thank you so much, Ali!!  I am already using it to tote along my latest project, a cabled cardigan all for me, using the same yarn that I used for The Middle Child's sweater.

Just love watching these cables take shape!

ALL of the swap gifts were just amazing!  There were minis, bags, and so much goodness, and all so perfectly matched to the recipient.  I wish I had a better photo to capture all of the amazing details.  We were a happy, screeching bunch!

(and a foot picture, just for giggles.....just because it is SO GROSS to see feet in quilt pictures, IMO!!)

In addition to Ali's amazing gift, some of the girls decided to bring packages for the whole gang!  Man, were we spoiled, get a load of this!

So many fun goodies.  Incidentally, if you want to make a beaded necklace like mine, Ali wrote up a tutorial here.

I showed you a peek at the bags I had packed before I left. Inside I had tucked in a couple Canadian goodies, since I was the only Canuck represented.  Some maple green tea and some Bernard Callebaut chocolate, along with some cute stitching tags I found at my favorite shop, Pine Ridge Hollow.

So fun to be spoiled!!

Next post- the quilt top finished!!!