Mug Mat Swap Partners...

  It's time to announce the swap partners for our March Madness Mug Mat Swap! As there are an even number of people who signed up, I'll sit this one out, and work on making the two mug mats that I'll give away after our swap is complete.

I'll be sending an email to everyone with their partner's email address so you can contact each other. If you are participating, but don't receive an email from me, it's because I don't have your email address. Please contact me asap so that I can put you in touch with your partner.

• Terry G. (Goatldi) and Sherry E. (Createology)
• Danice G. (Homespun Hannah) and Jody A. (tja)
• Lucy G. (The Farmer's Attic) and Mary Ann M. (Handcrafted by Mary Ann...)
• Toni S. (Sewing in CT) and Noreen H. (auntmeanie)
• Denise E. (Happybugs) and Gloria Martin 
• Lyn S. (Australia) and Nancy Stone (Nancy Matters)

Just to recap, here are the rules (reprinted from the last swap post) so everyone knows them. (Now that you know your partner's name, please contact them through the email I'll be sending to you to find out the information listed below.):

• I will need your name, address and email information to correspond with you outside the blog, and to transmit your partner's information to you. I may post partner lists on the blog, but not your private information. It will not be shared with anyone except your swap partner. PLEASE contact me if you don't hear back from your partner.
• What's your favorite color or theme? Your swap partner will need an idea of what you like to make your custom mat. When I assign you to your partner, I will share that information with them, and their information with you.
• Yes, you may add a few goodies to your package when you ship the mat. If you want to share a local candy, or something that represents where you live, that would be nice. Nothing expensive, please. These are just little things...a tea bag of your favorite tea, a postcard from your state, or a treat. You'll need to make sure that whatever you include doesn't "leak" onto your mat, so separate ziploc bags are a safe precaution. You could choose to include a notion or two that you especially love...vintage buttons, ribbon... You get the idea.
• Remember, you're committing to send a mug mat to your assigned partner. It would be sad (and not nice) if your partner sent a mug mat to you, but they didn't get one in return.
• I'll ask that you each take a photograph of your swap packages before you send them out, and then email them to me. Once everyone has their package in the mail, I'll do a wrap up post here on my blog. I think it will be fun for everyone to see all the beautiful creations I know are going to be made. 

Due date to send out your swap package is: March 15th, 2017.

Have fun! I can't wait to see what you create for each other.

 

Mug Mat Swap Information...

Brynwood Needleworks - Mug Mat Ideas

Thanks for your response to the Mug Mat Swap I proposed yesterday. We will definitely do the swap, and based on your responses, it will be in March. March 17th (St. Patrick's Day) will be the mailing deadline.

Brynwood Needleworks - Mug Mat Ideas

I thought I'd share more images of some of my mug mats to inspire you to think about how you'd like to make yours. I love making mine with scrappy, coordinating fabrics, and then I add vintage laces, printed tapes, or other trims. I avoid buttons in the main section of the mat so that the recipient won't have to worry about cups tipping over because of the uneven surface.

Brynwood Needleworks - Mug Mat Ideas

I also like to incorporate portions of stitching or quilt blocks. I also do surface sewing to hold the layers together (I always have three layers...top, batting and back). I've been asked if I intend to share a tutorial on my technique. The answer is yes!

In fact, if you go to the top of my blog page, you'll find a "Free BW Patterns & Tutorials" button up there. Click on that, and then you can scroll down for two different tutorials. (Click on the name of the item, not the photo.)

One is for a photo tute I posted to my Flickr page showing my favorite technique for creating my mats. If you click on the first photograph, you'll not only see the photo, you'll also be able to read my instructions under the photo's captions.

The second tutorial is also a Flickr photo tutorial for my "White Wing Dove Mug Mat", and it includes the template to make the dove shape. (Both are free tutorials, so you're welcome to them, whether or not you join our Mug Mat Swap - but I hope you will!).

Brynwood Needleworks - Mug Mat Ideas

 

You can even choose one of your favorite fabrics and showcase the fabric on part or all of the front of your mat.

Now that it's certain that we're going to do a swap, here are a few housekeeping items as we move toward our exchange date. These are things I'd like you to think about:

• I will need your name, address and email information to correspond with you outside the blog, and to transmit your partner's information to you. I may post partner lists on the blog, but not your private information. It will not be shared with anyone except your swap partner.
• What's your favorite color or theme? Your swap partner will need an idea of what you like to make your custom mat. When I assign you to your partner, I will share that information with them, and their information with you.
• Yes, you may add a few goodies to your package when you ship the mat. If you want to share a local candy, or something that represents where you live, that would be nice. Nothing expensive, please. These are just little things...a tea bag of your favorite tea, a postcard from your state, or a treat. You'll need to make sure that whatever you include doesn't "leak" onto your mat, so separate ziploc bags are a safe precaution. You could choose to include a notion or two that you especially love...vintage buttons, ribbon... You get the idea.
• Remember, you're committing to send a mug mat to your assigned partner. It would be sad (and not nice) if your partner sent a mug mat to you, but they didn't get one in return.
• I'll ask that you each take a photograph of your swap packages before you send them out, and then email them to me. Once everyone has their package in the mail, I'll do a wrap up post here on my blog. I think it will be fun for everyone to see all the beautiful creations I know are going to be made.

Sign Up Deadline will be February 1st. You have plenty of time yet to decide to participate, and I'll assign swap partners the first week in February.

I'm going to make a few mats of my own, and once our Swap is complete, I'm going to take the names of all the participants and draw one or two names to receive mats and gifts from me. So, please email me or comment on this or yesterday's post if you'd like to get in on the Swap. I'm catching everyone's notes, and replying to all of them to acknowledge your addition to the roster. 

This will be so much fun! Of course, the more, the merrier! I look forward to seeing all the cool mats that are created for our event.

 

It's Swap Time...

It's Swap Time!!!

Here is the partner list:

Becky H. (Me and Mine) and Chris G. (no blog)
Carol D. (Serendipity) and Shirley C. (Shirley C)
Debbie H. (Mosaic Magpie) and Nancy S. (Nancy Matters)
DeeDee J. (DeeDee's Craftspot) and Sherry S. (Blessings From Her Nest)
Jane (Mamie Janes) and Patty (Shoefly Quilts)
Karen M. (Rabbits Eat Quilts) and Susan M. (Art of Mine)
Kat R. (Quilt Kat) and Lucy G. (The Farmer's Attic)
Laura Q. (Fun With This and That) and Mary Ann M. (Handcrafted by MA)
Margaret B. (The French Bear) and Angela G. (Sew Loquacious)
Tina Eudora (The White Swan) and Natalie G. (Tins and Treasures)
Nancy H. (Huggins Haven) and Patty C. (Hanging By A Thread)
Rett L. (The Gazebo House) and Sandy M. (Vintage Sandy)
Elizabeth S. (no blog) and Donna (Brynwood Needleworks)

You should have already received an email from me with your partner's address information and color preferences. If you haven't seen it, please check for it in your spam folder.

You can link to any of the participants who have blogs to say hello or get to know them better. I'm sure most of them can be reached through their blogs, but if you want or need their email address, just let me know and I'll share it with you.
I have created a special Flickr photo group to post images of your mats (click here to go to the group). When you have completed your mat, please post your photograph of it to the Flickr Mug Mat Swap Group by February 14th. If you don't have a blog, just take a photo and post it to the Flickr group.

Now, just a little more information:

• Mug Mats should measure 6.5" x 10.5" (They'll fit in a flat rate priority mail envelope.)
• Feel free to add a little something extra, if you'd like. (Chocolate, unless your partner is allergic, is always a good idea!)
• Add a note to tell your partner a little about yourself and where you live.
• Please have your mat mailed no later than February 14th. Earlier is better, especially if you're mailing out of the country because it takes longer to get there. (There are only a couple swap partners who live outside the US)
• Feel free to contact me if you have any questions at all.
• MOST OF ALL...HAVE FUN!!! I love that you're all participating, and hope that your partner will become a new friend if you don't already know them.

If you need a refresher course, you can click here to see the tutorial again. I think that covers everything. Time to pull out your fabrics, trims, and embellishments, and let your creative juices flow! Thanks again to everyone for participating!

Mug Mat Tutorial...

I took all the photographs while I made the mug mat yesterday and put a photo tutorial together for you. (There are lots of pictures for this tutorial!)

The finished size of this mat is 6.5" wide by 12.5" long, but if you want to make a mat that will fit flat in a USPS Priority Flat Rate mailer, you should make it 6.5" x 10.5".
This is the finished mug mat and you can link here to see the entire "tute". Once you check it out and see how simple it really is, perhaps you'll join in the swap.

Just send me an email with your color preference and if you have one, your blog url. You don't need to have a blog to participate, either. I have a second list started for those of you who don't need to link to a blog. You have until February 1st to sign up. Hope you'll join us. The more, the merrier!