303 Shades of Color (And I chose 12)

Kona Blogger Bundle - Kristi @ Schnitzel & Boo

Peanut butter and jelly, peas and carrots, Robert Kaufman and Stash Fabrics, socks with sandals...wait, maybe not that last one...  Know what they all have in common?  When paired perfectly, they're spectacular!  (Yeah, definitely NOT that last one!)  Robert Kaufman has 303 colors of their Kona Cotton, and Stash Fabrics now stocks every single last color in their gorgeous little shop.  Isn't that great?  

I was graciously allowed to choose a handful or two from her new stock and participate in this blog hop.  I think picking the colors was fast and easy for me, I already had a color scheme dancing around in my head that was taunting me along side a block that I sketched out months ago.

When my bundle arrived, tidily folded and wrapped in a plastic bag, I oohed and aahed at the vibrant colors and crisp feel of the fabrics.  Kona Cotton is so nice to work with, hey-kinda like Beth at Stash Fabrics!  (They really are peas and carrots.) I stacked them all up neatly, then got out my sketch book so I could start filling in the colors.  Problem is, my daughter had swiped my colored pencils, so I had to borrow a set from a friend.  Oh well, I got the job done regardless.

I made one or two changes to my original block design and then set to work cutting the fabric.  Being fairly new to quilting, I made one or two mistakes, but eventually churned out this block:

That's pretty cool, right?  I didn't have enough fabric to make a whole quilt, but if I did, this is what it would look like:

 Don't mind the wonky pink X's, I used an iPhone app to mash up my one picture into a borderless collage for my mock quilt.  I really like it and I think it would be pretty stunning in shades of black, grey and white.  Or shoot, any of the 303 colors!  Or heck, maybe I'll just order my own bundle a few times and make a king sized quilt for my bed!

You can purchase my bundle by clicking here.  Better be fast or I might beat you to it!  

All of the blogger bundles are available here.  

Take a peek at their part of the blog hop for giveaways, tutorials and even more inspiration.

Stash Fabrics Kona Blog Hop Schedule

July 17 – Darcy @ Modern Cozy
July 23 – Jacey  @ Jacey Craft

July 27 - Kelly @ Kelby Sews
July 30 – Nancy @ Owen’s Olivia
August 6th – Jodi @ Tales of Cloth
August 10th – Megan @ City Stitches
August 12th – Rita @ Red Pepper Quilts
August 17th – Elizabeth @ Andpins Handmade
August 19th – Tara @ Rad and Happy
August 21st – Sharon @ Color Girl Quilts
August 24th – Allison @ Allison Sews
August 27th – Kristi @ Schnitzel and Boo

August 31st - Jessee @ Art School Dropout

Happy Sewing!
-Kristi-

Oh hey!  Before I go, here's a little coupon code to use while you're shopping!  You can get 10% off your entire purchase now through September 6th by entering “WOW303” at checkout. 

(The code does not apply to pre-orders or clubs.)

Free shipping on orders of $50 or more DOES apply, though hooray!

PS A great big thank you to Beth/Stash Fabrics and Robert Kaufman for graciously hosting this fun blog swap and providing all of the participants with a bundle to work with.

Round Four Deals, Discounts & Info

Is it safe to come out yet?  Has the dust settled?

We did it!  We broke our Round Three record!  The official count after taking out duplicates and fixing applications that didn't get counted is 1008.  Can you believe that??  Hooray for us!

{shamelessly swiped from @ailishl on Instagram}

So now that everyone has been matched up, I thought I'd sit down and give you some things to keep in mind while participating.  Plus, I have some pretty great deals from some community favorites.  This is a long post, so go grab yourself a cup of coffee and a donut or two (coconut for me, please!)  Ok, you ready?  Here goes!

• Ship dates START November 2 for International and November 9 for Domestic.  DO NOT SEND BEFORE THESE DATES!  This swap is meant to encourage community development.  Sending on these dates means more involvement in the group.  Plus, it's just fun to watch the progress of the mini's and guess which one will be yours.  Half the fun is being surprised when your package is delivered!  Keep the surprise going for everyone and wait to ship at the specified time.
• Private Accounts...it is not a requirement that people mark their accounts public during this swap.  If you have a private account, you might consider making it public for a couple of weeks-OR-accepting new follow requests if you get them.  If you're not interested in making it public, which is perfectly acceptable, please contact your Mod so she can give your maker an alternate way to find out what you like.  Maybe you have a Pinterest account?  Maybe you made a mosaic that she can email to your maker?
• If your partner is private, contact the mod and ask if she can send out an email asking some members of her group to follow your person.  If your person gets more than one follow request, she still won't know who is making for her.
• There is no hashtag for moderators.  No teams or smaller groups within the large group.  You could be assigned to anyone in the swap!
• It is a REQUIREMENT that you check in with your Mod at least three times.  Checking in means tagging her on your photo through Instagram.  When you tag your Moderator this way, the photo is then saved in her tagged photo file under her profile.  This is the best and easiest way for her to keep track of her group. 
• Please answer all correspondence from your mod whether it's email, IG etc. Failing to do so will make her worry!  Mods have been instructed to have your maker wait to ship your package until you communicate.  PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR MOD!
• EXTRAS ARE NOT REQUIRED!!! Please don't feel obligated to go nuts, keep it down to a dull roar I promise it'll be fine!  Don't feel bad if you don't send or receive a bunch of extras.  A handwritten card is just as nice.
• Mosaics are also not required.  You may make one if you like, but it's up to you.
• Please let us know as soon as possible if you are unable to make your commitment.  We have angels ready to go.  We understand, stuff happens and sometimes you just can't finish.  We will only be upset if you don't tell us and someone is left empty-handed. 
• Allergies...so your person his allergic to cats. My gut feeling is that if they were so severely allergic to something like a few cat hairs or dander bits, they wouldn't risk it by signing up to have some random unknown make something for them.  My advice is to prewash your fabric before starting.  Stick it all in a sealable plastic bag or lidded container to keep it away from the allergen.  Wipe down all work surfaces every time before you work on the project and then store it back in it's container when you're not working on it.  As soon as the project is finished, seal it all back up and get it ready to send.  It is simply too much work to reassign everyone a new partner; it effects the whole group because of the shuffling around and amount of people with allergies.
• That being said, if you're the one with the allergies and the above advice will send you into an attack, please let your Mod know what should be done-whether it's assign you a new maker or something else. Thanks!
• Don't forget to use our three hashtags for all swap-related posts.  Using a hashtag makes it easy for other swap members to discover you.  Make a quilt, make a friend, right? Hashtags are: #schnitzelandboominiquiltswap #makeaquiltmakeafriend #quiltersofawesome 
• Bullying, bashing, hatred and negativity will not be tolerated!  (If you experience any of this, notify your Mod immediately so we can handle the problem!) 
• Please be kind and remember that everyone has different tastes, styles and fabric.  No one has the same stash.  There are all levels of skill in this swap.  Be encouraging and helpful, respectful and polite.  Build each other up, this is what it's all about.

If you have any questions or concerns, please let your Mod know.  If she doesn't have the answer, she will get in touch with me.

And now on to the Deals and Discounts!
Thank you so much to the following companies for being so gosh darn awesome and sponsoring our swap.  Don't forget to share the sponsor love when posting on social media! Click on the company names in their captions to be taken directly to their website or link.

{Simply Solids 15% off with SB4 through 9/30/15}

 

{The Southern Bobbin: 25% off current stock with code: AWESOME}

{The Fabric Fox: 15% off with code: SCHNITZELANDBOO}

{Gotham Quilts: 15% off through September 30, 2015 with code: QofA4}

{Pink Castle Fabrics: 10% off with code QofA10}

{Our Cup Of Joe: $12 color customizable coffee mugs-add $4 for glitter...GLITTER!}

{Pink Door Fabrics: 20% off with code MINIQUILTSWAP through 10/15/15}

{Stash Fabrics: 10% off with code IAMAQOA through 9/20/15}

{Amora Lovely: 15% off with code SCHNITZELBOO through 8/30/15}

{Whimsy Quilts & Fabrics 20% through 10/01/15}

{Mariner's Compass: 25% off with code "holyschnitz"...best code ever!}

{The Cotton Farm Fabrics: 15% off ALL quilting & embroidery!}

Isn't that incredible?  We have something for everyone! Thank you to all of our sponsors for giving our QofA's some fantastic and very generous deals.  

(PS. The quilting and embroidery!!!!!  TAKE ADVANTAGE NOW!)

 

Lastly, most of you know how much my pets mean to me and what a softie I am for animals.  One of the goals of my career is to be able to open an animal rescue for misplaced, mistreated, unwanted, homeless animals.  It has been suggested to me that I charge people to participate in this swap, but for me it's not about making money.  This swap is all about making friendships and building community; breaking down walls and getting to know each other.  I am not interested in making a single cent off of any of you.  I am interested, however, in helping others.

So, here is my proposal:

Let's really make this a swap of love and generosity.  If you're up for it, maybe you'll consider making a donation in your person's name.  You can choose your favorite shelter or organization, donate anonymously or tell the world, give $1 or $100.  It is entirely up to you and absolutely not required.  I just thought this would be a good way to come together as a community and help the ones without a voice or a hope. 

{meet Nelson, our rescued Hound blend}

{Nelson: Day One at Home. More about this sweet boy later}

Here is a list of shelters, rescues and charities that I love.  Donations are completely optional, and there is no pressure whatsoever to do it.  I just thought it would be a nice way for one community of friends to help another.  Take a look, if you have one that you love, leave their information in the comments for everyone to see.  Thanks!

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

 

Special Needs Animal Rescue &Rehab

Last Chance Animal Rescue

 

Charleston Animal Society

Husker's Hope Dachshund Rescue

 Here's to the best swap yet!  Have a great time!

Happy Swapping!
-Kristi-

Schnitzel & Boo Mini Quilt Swap: Round Four

{epp mini by @alexouq on Instagram}

It's that time again!  Are your ready?  This is the swap that everyone loves to be a part of, or even watch from the sidelines.  I'm not even sure how it became so hugely popular, but I like to think it's because we encourage every one in our sewing community to do their best, make new friends, learn new techniques, step out of their comfort zones and stay positive and encouraging towards each other every step of the way. 

 {by Sami Casanova}

There will be discounts offered, and I will update you as they come in.  We have some very generous offers from lots of your favorite fabric shops, so stay tuned!

{by Nicole Daksiewicz of Modern Handcraft}

More details will follow, I have a couple of small jobs that have kept me pretty busy (which is why the sign ups are happening a few days late.)

{by Piece At Last}

**********************************

The Nitty Gritty:

This round will be EXCLUSIVE to Instagram users.  Since this is an Instagram based swap, I thought it would be best to keep it on that platform.  We have a Flickr group that is great for communicating and stalking, but most of our activity happens on IG.  If you DO NOT have an Instagram account, you WILL NOT be able to participate.  I have so many participants in this swap that it is extremely challenging to keep on top of it if everyone isn't in the same place.  I know this is a disappointment for some, but it's the way it needs to be.  Thank you so much for understanding!

Here's some of the important stuff to know:

1. You will be assigned a partner according to the answers you submit, so think carefully!

2. Be sure to give as much information as possible so your swap is a happy success.

3. Quilts can be as small as 6"x6" and as big as 24"x24".

4. This is a secret swap, give us sneak peeks or even full views, but don't tag your partner!

5. Due dates to have your mini quilt in the mail is Monday, November 02, 2015 for International and Monday, November 09, 2015 for National swappers.  This gives you three months to get through back-to-school, finish up your WIP's, clear your cutting table off and stock your shelves.

6. Come join the Flickr group to share all of your pictures, gather ideas and meet up with new and current friends.

7. Use the hashtag #schnitzelandboominiquiltswap, #makeaquiltmakeafriend and our newest one #quiltersofawesome to check out what everyone else is doing. These are the exact same hashtags that we used during the first round, let's keep it going!

8. Feel free to send goodies with your Quilts, if you want.  It is nice, but NOT necessary, so don't feel obligated to do so and don't feel bad if you don't. 

9.  YOU MUST HAVE AN INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT!

10. Have fun!

11. Upon receipt of your Swap Package, PLEASE OH PLEASE OH PLEASE take the time to post in on IG, say thank you and send your partner an email.  This is ESSENTIAL!

Please keep in mind that this swap is open to ALL SKILL LEVELS.  You may not get something that equals your own skills, so please be thoughtful (and gentle!) when receiving.  Send something that you are proud of and would be proud to display on your own wall. 

For more information on how this works, click here:

http://www.schnitzelandboo.com/2014/05/mini-quilt-swap-is-under-way.html

Are you ready to sign up?

Well then, here you go...

SIGN ME UP!https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1u3N9VMH_4BLce5_vir_91Re_JC9vTnrN61cIC8fp-mw/viewform

***************

Now, sit back, relax and enjoy the flight!  Erm, I mean, give me and Nisha a little time to organize.  Because I don't set a limit on the number of participants, the partnering up process can take a week or so.  HANG TIGHT!

GREAT BIG HUUUUUGE THANK YOU TO @NISHYDOODLE FOR ALL THE COMPUTER HELP!  IF YOU SEE HER ON INSTAGRAM, MAKE SURE YOU GIVE HER A VIRTUAL HUG!   

(Without her, this would NOT be possible.  Not even a little possible!)

Happy Swapping!

-Kristi-

PS Sign-ups end Friday, August 14, 2015 at 11:59pm, so run!  Tell all your IG friends!  Let's make this one even better and bigger than Round Three!