Making New Friends

Making New Swap Friends

Have you ever been involved in a sewing swap?  You know, where you  are assigned a person , then you make the swap item, and mail it out to her, usually with some extra "goodies"... Then you patiently wait  for YOUR special item to arrive at your house...

I recently participated in Amy's  ( Amy Made That! blog) The  Skinny Pincushion Swap !

Amy got this all from her swap partner

The swap item that we made for our secret partner was the Skinny Pincushion.  This is a free pattern  by Green Bee Patterns.

pdf pattern available for free at Green Bee Patterns

Maybe some of you remember that we  made these super cute skinny pincushions, which we affectionately call "Skinny Pinnies"!, as a past project in our Across The Pond Sew Along. (find here . )

The Skinny Pincushion    An Across The Pond Sew Along project 

This is the Skinny Pinny that I made for my partner... Rebecca (from Texas)
     ~she said she liked black and white, with a pink accent.... so.....  hold on to your seats....

My skinny pinny for Rebecca        side one

And since I couldn't decide which fabrics to use.... so I made a "side 2"  ....

Side 2   for Rebecca

I added some pinwheels for the ends...

... and made a little needle book for an extra goodie....

A needle book for Rebecca   pattern by  Nana Company  (free tutorial)

I added a pinwheel for the back cover

My pack of goodies sent off to Rebecca in Texas

Well, now comes the rest of the fun!   Look what delightful goodies came to me.... from the partner who made MY skinny pinny....   she's from Ohio!

Here is my Skinny Pinny gift from Stephanie !   I just love the measuring tape fabrics!

This is the other side of my skinny pinny from Stephanie !

And.... look at  all of the delightful goodies that she sent to me!  How lucky am I?

Thank you so much, Stephanie!!  

I really did love participating in this fun swap... and meeting new sewing friends!!  Thanks so much, Amy, for organizing it!   I know she is thinking of another swap of some kind soon....

If you'd like to see the Skinny pincushions that were swapped, click  here  for the

Flickr group.    



This was so much fun... drop me a note if You would like be in a swap, here at Susie's Sunroom.... what would you want to  make and share?

I'm off to my sewing room!

Linking up at:     Can I Get A Whoop Whoop@ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

The Skinny Pincushion- October's Across The Pond Sew Along

Across The Pond in October

Our Sew Along group.... come on and make something with us!
It's never too late to join in !

It's October, and time to share  with you October' s  Across The Pond Sew Along project.  It is my turn to choose the project...  and then  Amy, Amanda  and I will be sharing what we have made. 

Project for October:    the Skinny Pincushion   designed by     green bee patterns
This is a cute pincushion that will lay neatly  in front of your machine, and it is a free pattern!  (click here )

The Skinny Pincushion                         Susie's Sunroom

I picked out fabrics (from scraps) that match my sewing machine cover.

The pincushion is still "skinny" here  

I added crushed walnut shell kitty litter for my filling

I love using Blue Buffalo 100 % crushed walnut shell kitty litter for my filling in pincushions now. (I get mine at the pet store. A bag fills A LOT of pincushions.)  It helps  to sharpen pins and gives a nice weighty feeling to the cushion.

A plump (and happy)  skinny pincushion

The finished dimensions of the finished   skinny pincushion:  

10 inches long  x    2 inches wide x 1/2 inch high

This pattern is well written, easy to follow, and is a quick project to make. 

What can  be more fun than this?   

Why, making a SECOND skinny pincushion for my other sewing machine!!

A coordinating second skinny pincushion

My two skinny pincushions

Here is the Skinny Pincushion ,  laying in front of my Viking sewing machine

You may remember that I made a tutorial  for this  Snuggly Sewing Machine Cover, that was blogged at  this post.

Go on over to the Across The Pond Sew Along Flickr page to see what cute Skinny Pincushions are being made,  and to see other ATPSA projects! Then, make a skinny pincushion and put your picture into the Flickr group!
  (It's never too late to add something that you have made from this sew along! )

I am heading on over to Amanda , The Patchsmith, and Amy,  Amy Made That!, to see their creative spin on the skinny pinny!   

I'm off to my sewing room!