Tote-for-Tote—the DGS Host Swap

So, things have been a wee bit quiet around here lately. Sorry about that. Life has been busy this summer and I am just happy to report that a quiet blog has not meant that there's been any lack of sewing for me.

This past weekend, I finished up a project for my super secret swap partner in the do. Good Stitches Host Swap. We decided to create a swap for the hosts of DGS so that we could get to know each other a bit more. And, while I think I successfully got to know a little more about one of the hosts (my partner—who shall rename nameless until she receives her goodies), I didn't have much of a chance to get to know many of the other ladies. It's just been such a busy couple of months personally that I had to take a little break from most social media. I gathered from the level of activity in our Flickr group that most of us were likely busy this summer and I'm probably not the only one who didn't get a chance to connect as well as we might have liked. I'm hopeful that we might get to do this again sometime, though. All that said, it was really nice to participate in this swap and to get to know at least one new person. It's such a treat to get a glimpse into someone else's world and to create for them! It's a good kind of tit-for-tat . . . or, as I like to say this time, tote-for-tote (since the 241 tote seemed to be so popular in this swap).

So, I had quite a treat of a partner. I got the sense that she probably has quite an easy-going vibe about her. In the end, after thinking about her likes (colors and fabrics) and the items she requested, I ended up with this oversized spin (25% enlarged) on Noodlehead's 241 Tote. I have a sneaky suspicion that she might like it.

It wasn't my first foray into making this tote and, I must say, I enjoyed making this one as much as I enjoyed making the first. (Oh, but you wouldn't know how much I enjoyed making it the first time because I never posted pictures or blogged about it!) Seriously, though, this pattern is really simple and a pleasure to make.

I must say, I really dragged my feet on starting this bag for my partner quite needlessly. (Who am I kidding? I always drag my feet on swap projects . . . too many possibilites!) It was the first thing that came to mind when I received said partner as, well, my partner. So, despite spinning my wheels to come up with other ideas for her for weeks, I think it turned out just fine.

I ventured into some of my treasured Heather Bailey Pop Garden stash for this project and tried to pick colors that I knew my partner would love. I am pretty sure pink and lime green were listed somewhere among her favorites.

I, like pretty much everyone else in blogland, am really loving the use of Timeless Treasures' sketch print and the similar Alexander Henry heath print . . . and using my precious stash of sketch in black and white on this tote was no mistake. I absolutely love how it works with the bold florals. Love, love, love this combination!

My pretty package (along with some extra goodies—a rainbow of scraps and some Olympic cookies) is on its way to my partner now. Can't wait until she gets this and I hope she loves the tote as much as I do!


PS: Don't you just LOVE it when your swap partner comments your Flickr pictures? Yeah . . . I do, too.