Friday, December 20, 2019

Bee Gift Exchange

The bee I belong to in STLMQG, called Sew Bee It, had our Christmas party and our gift exchange, so now I can post about it. We decided to draw names and make each other custom gifts this year instead of exchanging rob-your-neighbor gifts. To help, we filled out questionnaires about likes and dislikes, etc. The person whose name I drew likes bright colors, and she wanted a cover for a large Janome sewing machine with thread stand. She even gave helpful dimensions.

Here's the cover I made:

And here it is modeled by my sewing machine, which is a little smaller:

I added treats, and this gift was most graciously received by the recipient.

I enjoyed selecting the fabrics and making this project. I rarely work in all solids - well, except for the background print here - and finding the right ones in my stash that coordinate nicely with the print was fun. The recipient says she likes brights, so I hope this goes with her sewing room. The back is all one print, a big turquoise and white crosshatch, so this cover is actually reversible.

The person who drew my name created the most generous, thoughtful, and personal gift for me. In my questionnaire I said I liked warm earthy colors, and under "Other" I said "help me remember my STL friends after I move to Arizona next year."

She made this for me:

And not only that, she included some goodies and a St. Louis coffee cup for my souvenir coffee cup collection.

Such a thoughtful and generous gift! But it's even better. Look at the lining:

She made Spoonflower fabric for the lining with the signatures of all the girls in the bee. I remember when someone was collecting signatures and it was "shhh, don't tell so-and-so" (not me) so I didn't think anything of the signature thing. Imagine my surprise when I saw this!

What a delightful way to remember all my Sew Bee It friends!

Thank you so much, Gayle, for the wonderful secret Santa gift. So very generous and thoughtful! And very much appreciated.


Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict

10 comments:

  1. Jan you outdid yourself on the sewing machine cover! How fun and happy as well as practical! Looks so much better than the plastic cover that comes with machines! You also hit the jackpot on the gift exchange! What a beautiful and thoughtful gift especially the lining!

    ReplyDelete
  2. The signature fabric is such a lovely touch. I'm sure this bag will more than help you remember your St. Louis friends when you move!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Totally wonderful - what a GREAT idea for signatures.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Both gifts are very thoughtful. But the signature fabric inside the bag is really cool. What a great gift!

    ReplyDelete
  5. AWESOME gifts!! Both given AND received. Enjoy your SLMQG Bee keepsake!

    ReplyDelete
  6. You did indeed receive a fabulous gift. Where in AZ are you moving to? The sewing machine cover-well I can see what she was so happy with it, pretty!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Two very thoughtful gifts! The sewing machine cover is really happy and bright. I'm sure it will have an important place of honor in your bee-mates studio. And your tote with the signatures is just so sweet and creative. I would have cried opening that :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. What a beautiful tote -- and all the more memorable with the personalized lining!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Jan - I googled “glue basting binding” today as I knew you taught it at SewMeSTL, but I didn’t make it to the class. I ran across your blog, and have now bookmarked it!
    I am so glad you enjoyed the market basket as a gift. I was a little worried as my sewing skills are not on par with yours, but my heart was in the right place! I just wish the lining color had turned out more amber, like it looked on my computer screen. I will miss your knowledge and inspiration when you move, but I plan on keeping up with you on your blog now! xoxo Gayle

    ReplyDelete
  10. Your gift was beyond thoughtful! The signatures are simply AMAZING!!!

    ReplyDelete