Santa Swap Sack Reveal!

This year I gave my blog info to my Santa Swap Sack partner Jennifer and since I did not know if she was following my blog I couldn't post pictures and information about what I was working on.  This was hard for me, I like to blog as the final step of making stuff!  So I am blogging here in August about these first two items, but am postponing the post until after Jennifer gets her stuff!  We are supposed to be swapping a sack or stocking of some sort and then five handmade gifts to put in it.  Jennifer told her her favorite color is violet and she does a lot of cross stitch.  I decided gift number one would be a cute little needlebook with a bit of purple and violet.  I made it from a tutorial I had used before to make one for me.

Tutorial for this needle book is at Pile o Fabric if you want one for yourself!

There are several "pages" in the book with needles, pins and such on them.  I didn't fill the pages because I am guessing Jennifer has a plethora of needles she might want to add to her book.  The floss on the left ties in the little scissors.  I thought the lining fabric was perfect since it had the violets, purples and greys I was using in the needlebook.  I started with the colors I had at home and eventually made my way to the store to get the purples I needed or this book might have been all violet to start with!

I used a variegated floss for my blanket stitch and am really happy with the results!   

I also made a cute little Kleenex holder in puples and violets.  That fabric is  the same as the lining in the needlebook.  I love these holders in my purses and bags and it is one of my favorite little gifts to give people.

I made a purple sleep mask for my partner too.  While I was at it I made a few others for gifts, I have one of these and I use it all the time!

Of course I had to send along a bit of Arizona, so my partner is getting a tiny Arizona flag pincushion!  I figure for years to come she will remember her partner in Arizona!

Here is the large "sack" I made Jennifer--purple fabric inside and out and it is reversible.  

 

 Here are all the gifts.  She also got a set of four Christmas napkins.  I also put a little quilty ornament in there, I bought one for me to match too!  I hope she likes all of her gifts!

Today we were allowed to open our Santa Swap Sack exchange gifts!  Christmas came a little early, yay!  Jennifer made me this pretty sack to hold all the gift.  Really pretty batik fabrics!

 She gave me a set of stamped cross stitch pillowcases.  They are too pretty to use, lol but I will save them for something special.  I used to do stamped cross stitch now and then (when my ex and I lived in Korea I ran out of things to craft and begged the folks at home to send me anything to do and my mil sent me a cornucopia table runner and matching napkins.  I really enjoyed making it and regifted it to her when it was done--I hope one day one of my kids gets it passed down to them).  But, I digress!

 I almost put in a few knitting dish rags for her but in the end I don't think I did.  She sent me three (crochet or knitted I am not sure) and I love the pattern and cannot wait to use them.  They came in a cute little pail too!

 This was really unique, it is a pincushion and holds some spools of thread!

 I thought this next gift was really clever, she sent me a little kit to make my own cross stitch!  I have never stitched on linen, so now I will get the chance to try it.  I kitted it all up so it is ready to go--since Jennifer made it so easy!

 This little sweet cross stitch might be my favorite thing of all.  I love the little wreath around the home sweet home!

 I also got all these fun and useful items!  There is a little soft thing (not sure what they call them) that I put the tiny scissors and such in with the cross stitch kit, so it is in use already.  One can always use new sharp pins too!

 A dragonfly scissor fob!

 A magnetic needle slide box with really sweet birdies on it.  This is also a favorite!  Thank you so much Jennifer for making my Christmas extra special!  Thank you too to our organizer who kept us in line and blogged the fun all along!