A Spoonflower I Spy Swap!

While I'm in limbo, I'm planning my to-do list for when I'm on the "other side". Whether I'll execute the plan precisely I don't know, but the planning is making me happy for now.

One project I'm totally excited about is a Spoonflower I Spy swap. Here's why:

1) My first I Spy project totally hooked me.

2) Spoonflower has a bazillion fabrics I'd like to hold in my own two hands. 

3) While a yard of fabric on Spoonflower isn't cheap, if we all swap, it's more reasonable.

4) By limiting the swap to Spoonflower fabrics, we can be fairly confident that the wash/wear of the fabric will be uniform, whereas with traditional mass-marketed fabrics wash/wear differently. Or so I read. Meaning, we wouldn't necessarily want to mix the two in a project. But after this swap I totally plan to try it and see what happens.

Check out Spoonflower and see what you think. Here's how I'm thinking it would work:

1) Each participant orders 2 different yards of quilting-cotton fabric. ($18/each + $6 total shipping in the USA)

2) Each participant cuts fifty-six 5"x5" squares of each fabric and mails them to me along with a self-addressed stamped envelope.

3) I sort them and send them out so that each participant gets 112 different Spoonflower I Spy squares in return!

4) I'd need everyone's squares by August 15. International bloggyfriends can participate-- e-mail me to discuss.

To look for I Spy fabrics on Spoonflower, I suggest starting with the "whimsical" section. Then view a fabric as a "test swatch". That will give you the best idea of the scale of the print to be sure that a recognizable object is included in every 5"x5" section, remembering that 1/4" will be lost on each side for seam allowances. Because of the cost, we want to avoid fussycutting, unless you want to buy extra yardage for fussycutting. The two yards assume you'll only waste an inch or two on the edges. Here are just a few examples:

 

Spoonflower quilting cotton is 36"x42" for a yard, so when it's cut into 5" I Spy squares it'll need to be cut something like this. The 2" strip on the right and 1" on bottom are the scrap fabric that will be left over.

Are you in? I hope so. I need your help to make it work! Be sure to leave your e-mail address so that I can send you more info!

P.S.  Care started this madness in my life. She's responsible for allll of it.

P.P.S. As of Saturday, 7/17, the swap is FULL!