Scquilters Christmas Swap...Part 1

This year I participated in a swap through Scquilters (Southern Cross Quilters, a yahoo group for Australian and New Zealand quilters - we quilt under the Southern Cross down here) which started in January and ran for the whole year.  The idea was to make your partner a stocking (or bag or sack depending on their preference) and one or two presents each month to go in said stocking (or bag or sack) - all to be squirreled away and opened on Christmas Day.  My partner was Tracey in Western Australia (who as far as I know doesn't have a blog) and this is the gorgeous stocking she made me and the pile of pressies waiting under the tree...

The swap hostess Shaaryn had us fill out a questionnaire - and a very comprehensive questionnaire it was too - and then we were partnered up in a direct swap so we were able to communicate with each other during the year.  When Tracey asked me if I minded a red and white stocking I smiled and said no problem - my footy team is red and white! (Go Swans).  When the stocking arrived I almost couldn't believe it, Tracey had managed to embroider my snowman on the front!!  You see, I have this snowman ornament which I've had since babyhood (so yes, it is very old now)...um, actually, snowman is a bit of an overstatement, it is his head...yes it is old and tatty and nope I am not getting rid of it...I refuse to do away with my snowman, he goes up the top of my tree each year...it was like Tracey had seen my ornament and used it for her inspiration...

It's a bit dark under the tree so here is a better picture of the stocking...

And inside all those packages....a veritable treasure trove of goodies...

A book of fun small quilty projects...a lovely Crab-apple Hill quilt pattern (I love Crab-apple Hill designs)...a kit for an origami bag, how gorgeous is that blue fabric!...a roll of fat sixteenths of fun blue/green/brown contemporary fabrics...a fat quarter of yummy fabric with absolutely perfectly matching Rajmahal Art Silk thread skeins...a pretty tin filled with an assortment of buttons hiding a quilters tape measure...

..stop for a breather...and...

Stitchy gadgets and notions galore...quilters tape...reverse sewing tool (seam ripper)...yo yo maker...pretty scissors (I am always drawn to these scissors in the shops and now I have a pair!) on a retracable fob...machine quilting grips...quilting needles...a measuring gauage (something I've not seen before and most intriguing)...and a wooden needle holder (something I have always wanted and never been able to justify buying myself and in a favourite wood too!)...

But wait there is still more!....

An apron and two Christmas kitchen towels...lovely...

Think I've finished? Huh, you'd be wrong!!

A picture insertable travel mug (I'll have to make up a photo collage for this)...a pretty chenilled mug rug...tissue holder...tote bag of the cutest fabric...a fun small suitcase which I just love...a clever candle holder (which the firefighter in me can't use as a candle holder being fabric, sorry Tracey - so I'm calling it a pincushion with storage space) and the last parcel I opened contained the sweetest little knitted teddy bear, he really is absolutely adorable.

A better look at the candle holder/pincushion with storage space ('coz I think it is clever).  Isn't the dragonfly charm just gorgeous...

And just because he really is a sweetie...just look at that face!...

Thank you so much Tracey...I was beyond spoilt...I love love love it all...and thank you also to the swap organiser Shaaryn who did a whole heap of work and made it happen...

I'll be back later with what I sent to Tracey...

Happy stitching...