*Winner* of most creative 12x12 quilt . . . Cynthia Zdanzukas!

I have placed the winning 12x12 quilt in the header of the creative swaps blog to honor and congratulate Cynthia Zdanzukas from Connecticut! (Now removed to allow the rest of the quilts their limelight).

Even though this was a very tough choice, I agreed with those of you who voted in the poll on the blog -- Cynthia's piece was the best! There were also 3 runners-up for most creative 12x12: Mary Zimany, Andrea Millington and Valerie Cowan. Congratulations to everyone who participated and for taking my prompts and really making the most of them. This 12x12 quilt swap has got to be my favorite swap I've hosted yet! : ) The artwork the participants produced was AMAZING!

I have swapped all the quilties out and packaged and mailed out 9 of the packages today . . . that is about 1/3 of the swap. I will finish packaging & sending the rest of the pieces tomorrow. This was an even swap and whomever quilt you've received has yours! It has been a real pleasure to host this swap.

Just so you know -on a personal note: We are quite busy now getting ready to list our home for sale, having our second tag sale, cleaning & sprucing up, meeting with the Realtor, going through our possessions, tossing & selling. Phew! It is all for a good cause. I will be going to visit my parents in Bradenton, Florida (where we plan to move after our house sells) May 8-12th and I look forward to the visit, as always. My dad is doing well, still in remission from his liver cancer and getting ready to have radiation on the other lobe of his liver. In the meantime he is making ME a new wooden canoe paddle - he recently gave one he made to Steven!! When I visit, my parents have a Realtor friend down there who has offered to show me some of the neighborhoods near my parents, where a few interesting things are for sale - just so we can get an idea. They may not be available later . . . . our house should go on the market around May 10th and we have no idea how long it will take to find a buyer. We are hoping it won't be too long as we'd like to be with my parents sooner, rather than later . . . . but we will just have to see! I am thinking positive and doing everything I can to make it happen.

CLICK ON ANY photo for a larger picture & more details!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #32: Lenna Andrews, Connecticut

My 12x12 quilt is the very last one to come in by yesterday's deadline. I have been busy getting ready for our first Moving/Tag Sale this weekend, working some at Stonewall Kitchen and cleaning up the house & yard in order to put our home on the market -- we talk to our real estate agent on Saturday. Phew! All for a good cause . . . our plan is to sell this home and move near my parents in Bradenton, FL. My dad is doing well considering he has liver cancer (still in remission) but Steven & I feel that this is simply what we need to do and want to do right now.

Anyway -- my quiltie. It is actually pretty simple and a little restrained for me! I used fabrics in my stash: a wonderful 5x5 Moda piece from The fat Quarter Shop - the green piece with pink roses, and lots of lovely flower & leaf beads (and leaf pins) from Alpha Stamps - go here to see these and more. I especially love the Glass Leaf Charm Sets and the Pearlized Leaf Stick Pins, yum! The olive green back of this quiltie is a recycled chemise, yes - I saved it even though I was not wearing it anymore because I so loved the fabric. It felt wonderful to use it for this project and then happily throw away the rest! I did some simple rubber stamping of favorite sayings: Make Art, It's the little things, and Follow your heart. I used Fabrico/VersaCraft ink pads & heat set the ink.

The most unusual thing I did which came to me while I was creating this piece, was to recycle a dried flower, a beautiful yellow rose I had been saving. I used Tacky glue to attach it to the fabric and then protected it from breakage by coating it with gel medium. I just had this wild idea that this rose was what this piece needed!

Thanks to everyone who participated and I am sorry for those that had to drop out . . . life happens. There will be another time! This was a wonderful, amazing creative swap! Please vote for your favorite quilt in the sidebar of the blog . . . . even though this is a one for one swap, it will take me probably about a week to swap. I will keep you posted when it is completed.

12x12 Fabric technique swap #31: Cynthia Zdanzukas, Connecticut

I think Cynthia's 12x12 quilt is so interesting! You must click on the photo above and read how she did this!! Thank you, Cynthia!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #30: Victoria Talcott Wormell, Connecticut

I love Victoria's techniques - click on the above photo to read! Plus, it was so fun to get to see her and catch up when she dropped this off yesterday. Thanks, Victoria!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #29: Anne Hartman, Iowa

Anne has used/recycled a fabric square (with the tulip) made by Fabienne Lunel. Fabienne has participated in swaps here too! : ) Both Fabienne and Anne wrote about this on their blogs . . . you'll find Anne's post here on her blog, and Fabienne's post here.

Thanks, Anne!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #28: Valerie Cowan, Scotland, UK

Absolutely wonderful, Val! Thank you.

A few more 12x12's are expected today, including mine (!) which is just getting finished! More photos to come in the next day or two . . .

12x12 Fabric technique swap #27: Andrea Millington, Cornwall, UK

Thank you so much, Andrea! wow.

12x12 Fabric technique swap #26: Misty Fredrick, Pennsylvania

Thank you, Misty : )

12x12 Fabric technique swap #25: Catherine van der Hoeff, The Netherlands

Thank you so much, Catherine - all the way from The Netherlands!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #24: Vicki Jacobs, Oregon

Thank you, Vicki!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #23: Kitty Mitchell, New York

Thank you, Kitty!!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #22: Suz Widecrantz, New Jersey

From Suz in New Jersey, we have a "rusted fabric" technique! There are more photos available on Suz's flickr account - check them out. Thanks, Suz!!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #21: Sharon Schutt, Indiana

Well, I took these pictures with a flash, and I think that Sharon has an even better photo on her blog ~ go there & check it out! You can also read more about Sharon's technique using alcohol inks on fabric. Thanks so much for participating, Sharon!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #20: Barbara Roberts, Florida

Barbara Roberts emailed me a wonderful description of how she made her 12x12 quilt, which I received today. I will quote it below. Barbara also sent photos - thank you so much Barbara!!! I received a total of 8 quilts today so that was very much appreciated. Please click on any of the photos above for more detail.

The base of my 12 x 12 is plastic bags! I first melted plastic bags together (with an iron, I think) and then needle felted organza on top. I free motion stitched the top to secure it further. I learned this technique in Shelagh Folgate’s Creative Challenge and she gave me permission to use this for this swap as long as I linked to her blog. (http://shelaghfolgate.blogspot.com). My problems with this was the first color of organza I used was too light and really washed out the piece, so I had to start over. The with the FME-which I am not an expert at-the thread kept breaking from going through the plastic.

I then made a transparency transfer using gel medium onto muslin. Behind this transfer I have Lutradur that I painted, foiled and then distressed with a heat gun. I finished it off with various embellishments and surrounded it with trim. I had never used Lutradur before and I loved working with it, although it presented its own set of challenges! The paint really absorbed into the Lutradur and I had to keep adding more because the surface looked white again. I used Misty Fuse for the foiling as I really like the webbing appearance it makes. My first attempt I used felt and foiled the felt and distressed it, but it looked too heavy for the piece. The Lutradur was just the look I was after!

I hope the receiver is happy with this piece, I enjoyed making it.
Barbara Roberts
Ft. Walton Beach, FL http://www.flickr.com/photos/craftirn

Thank you, Barbara! The texture of your quilt is amazing!! It almost feels like lace.

12x12 Fabric technique swap

The quilts have been slowly coming in and perhaps I will have an avalanche the next few days??!!
(Can you believe I received 8 on Monday!!) These are due in my hands on Wednesday -- April 22nd, 2009. I also believe that date marks 2 years for this blog? I think so! (yes) Anyway, I have received 19, and 3 (4) participants had to drop so I expect about 10 or maybe 12 more? I have not heard form some people at all so I can't be sure. I also signed up for this swap myself and mine has been started . . . . I have the benefit of delivering it to myself on the last day! I have a couple other Connecticut participants who will be dropping off their quiltes, and are already lamenting my move to Florida sometime in the future! They will have to mail their entries then for sure!!

Watch this spot. When it gets hectic I may not be able to email you individually to let you know your piece is here. Thanks!!

12x12 Fabric technique swap #19: Linda Garcia, New Mexico

WOW! From Linda Garcia in the "Land of Enchantment" (New Mexico) we have Linda's decidedly Southwest style 12x12 quiltie. Linda wrote me an email . . . one of many as she has been of great support during my dad's illness. In discussing her creative process Linda wrote . . .

"Yesterday I sent via priority mail my 12x12 Collage…..what I’ve learned over the years is that I feel comfortable with my style, the heartfelt peace of the Southwest—I get it! It’s me! I used everything that was left over from one project or another & nothing was purchased, ah, a “green moment.” You were a great incentive mi amiga! I'm a girl who was born on the West Coast, lived on the East Coast, moved to the rainy Northwest and now a woman living life to the fullest in the ol’ Southwest! Last fall my Mom told me that my Great-Grandfather also lived in Albuquerque, along with my Grandparents. This piece, Collage of la Tierra Encantada is a combination --the colors, my roots, fibers, sentiments and adornments! This project strayed a couple of times in my mind at night and what I imagined came out pretty close ---funny, I will dream of pieces."

I really love what Linda has made because she accepted my challenge for this swap and yet stayed true to herself. Bravo! This is Linda Garcia's 14th creative swap with me!!!!