Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Swap--CHOO!

Spring may be coming (here in Maine, at the pace of a glacier), but the sniffles are still around. Need to brighten your purse? Lift your spirits? We have the answer...

Peggy, of Skip the Chips, and I are collaborating on a hand-stitched, rolled-hem hankie swap, entitled, what else? Swap--CHOO! We are sweetening the deal by encouraging you to include a favorite poem with the hankie you send off, in celebration of April (National Poetry Month). It doesn't have to be an original poem, just a favorite, and if you pen it in your own hand-writing (in this age of computerized print) we'll love you even more.
The great thing about hankies? They use such a small amount of fabric that I can almost guarantee you have something in your "scrap" pile that could be a hankie. You can go wild and make it colorful and floral or wacky and wonderful! You don't need mad sewing skills either, but I will say that my success was greatly improved by a skinny needle (as opposed to the big ones with big eyes that we mostly have around here). It's a project of short duration; really, it takes about a half hour at most. (And if I can do it, what with the various crazy school and home-related dramas of my life, so can you.) Wouldn't you love to impress your friends with your totally earth-friendly AND gorgeous AND handmade remedy for a spring sniffle, that was made by a stranger in some far-away place? Or perhaps flaunting it as you wave from the deck of a large ocean steamer, flapping your hankie in farewell?
So. How to do it. Check out Skip the Chips, for her original post (what got me started on hankies), and her flickR page for a close-up. Visit the Tutorial from Purl Bee. Leave your email address as a comment on this post (or on Peggy's post about the Swap--CHOO) and we will let you know who your swap partner is by Wednesday of next week (March 25). Make your hankie in the next three weeks and you should have yours by Easter/Passover! The talented Peggy has also set up a Swap--CHOO flickR group so you can upload your pictures there and see what others have made also.

11 comments:

  1. hi Iris!
    that sounds cool! but I'm too busy at the moment...wishing you a lot of fun and hope to join on your next swap:)) happy spring!

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  2. Hi Hi,

    Include meee!
    robinsunne@robinsunne.com

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  3. HEY!! And GUESS WHAT? We made it into the news! Go see: http://knox.villagesoup.com/AandE/story.cfm?storyID=149906
    Wheeee! We are famous!
    A little bit..
    R

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  4. I learned something trying to quickly hand roll and sew ... something ... a few years ago. I used a thimble ... one with little indentations on it, and it worked almost like a tiny sewing machine. I will try to explain. Put the thimble on your forefinger and roll the fabric along with your thumb. Use your sewing hand to poke into the thimble and into an indentation and then out. roll the fabric and repeat. I swear, it came to me as if i was channeling my Italian grandmother, who I'm told made exquisite lace. Let me know if 1) this made any sense, and 2) if it helps. cdc

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  5. I would love to join! Hankies and Poetry...what's not to like?

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  6. I would very much like to take part.
    cascahawk@gmail.com

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  7. Vanessa---I am hoping you subscribed to the comments...We need your email address!
    Hope you check back here,
    and yay for the interest!

    Iris

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  8. Iris, this looks like so much fun- I would love to join! Thank you for asking me!!!
    ~Emily xx

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  9. Oops! voeb2007-swaps@yahoo.com

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  10. Okee Dokeee,

    I'm on board. Prepare to be Hankie-d.

    XO

    Rhea

    rhea59@hotmail.com
    PS Check out my latest post if you like the free stuff!!!

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  11. I was just watching "You've Got Mail" and saw Meg Ryan's character pull out a handmade hanky that her mom had embroidered. That inspired me to look for a tutorial so I could make my own, and here I am! I'd love to join the swap if you'll accept a Canadian!
    Holly

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