Okay, well I’m far from pain free today, but I’m not as sore as yesterday, so yay for super strength Ibuleve gel!  I’m totally ignoring the runny nose and sneezing that started today…

I got happy mail today o/  My Echino swap fabric came, along with the pouch I won in the Amy Butler Sew Along.  As Sara already had to send me the fabric for the swap, she asked me if it was okay to pop the pouch in when she was sending it back, and of course I said yes (who could resist 2 hits of yumminess at once?)

First up is the swap fabric.  This was for 28 10″ squares of Echino fabric.  This stuff is silly expensive here (and not that cheap in the US compared to other quilting fabrics) but this was an absolute bargain.  I picked my fabric, had it sent to Sara, she cut it all up for me and sent it over.  I’m definitely loving this type of swap!  So much so that I signed up for round 2…  And then there’s the grey, aqua and yellow swap.  Ahem, anyway, back to the fabric goodness that arrived today, including 4 end of row cuts:

It’s so lovely I spent a good 15 minutes after this shot just pondering how best to store it – by pattern or by colour.  In the end I went by colour (which I’m quite sure you couldn’t have survived without knowing ;o) )

Next is the pouch.  Now I’d totally forgotten about the pouch, but remembered when I got a glimpse after I eased open a corner of the envelope in the office after I picked it up at the sorting office this morning.  THEN I’d forgotten that it was coming stuffed with thread.  And what thread.  Aurifill, the mecca of quilting threads that everyone raves about.  I shall have to read up on what it’s all for, as it’s different weights and has different purposes.  I’m almost more excited about this than anything else.  Must get out more…  The pouch is fab too, I have to say, and I’m working out what its best purpose will be – maybe for taking embroidery stuff around, or maybe for holding little hand sewing projects, or…  It’s Sara’s own pattern for the Dirty Bubble Zippered Pouch, and if you’d like to make your own, the tutorial is here.

Hope everyone else had a great Monday :o)