First, let me tell you about Jacey.  She's fun.  She's pretty.  She's nice.  But, don't hate her cause she's also a quilter, knitter, and everyday sewist whose blog Jaceycraft is one of my regular stops for inspiration.  Jacey has a way of combining colors that's pretty unexpected, definitely bold and downright cool.  I'm honored to have become her friend in that round-about, kind of mysterious way that can happen online. 



Sometime in August, Jacey and I decided to make duffel bags for each other using Simplicity 2274.  Jeni at In Color Order made herself one of these over-sized travel bags which got a lot of us dreaming.  The idea was to get them to each other in time for The Sewing Summit, so that we can take these as carry-ons.

This was my first private swap, so I was definitely more than a little nervous.  Happily, Jacey made it easy by falling hard for Melody Miller's new line Ruby Star Spring.  I'm pretty fond of that bee too, and my sponsor, Marmalade Fabrics, stocks what I needed.  The tomato colorway really looks like it was made for Jacey.  I mean, purple, orange and mint green?  Who would have thought of that?  Probably just Melody and Jacey.  Mmm-hmm.

 

I got a yard of Spring Bee and a yard of Spring Bloom and crossed my fingers that I could make that work.  The pattern calls for quite a bit more, but Ruby Star Spring is 60" wide.

 

Even with a bit of fussy cutting to get those bees in spots where they could be enjoyed, I'm very happy to say that it did work out!  I also added some Kona tangerine for a pocket lining and Kona berry on that front pocket to help make do.



So how was the making?  In bits and pieces.  This bag was one of the three things I finished last weekend.  Since Jacey got her package yesterday, I'm able to show it to you now!  Overall, I didn't enjoy working with the tissue paper pattern.  Not so much because of the tissue paper (which is still a tad annoying), but because the directions were so, soooo frustratingly brief.  I was able to figure everything out eventually, sometimes re-reading sections a million times and once even talking myself through it on the phone with Jacey, but it was work.  I mean, all they'd have to do is include a few more sentences to be a bit more clear.  And we'd all be happier. Sooooo much happier!  Am I right?

End complaint.



What I did enjoy was...

1.  Making something for Jacey
2.  Working with Ruby Star Rising, which has such a luxurious hand
3.  The embroidery.



If you'd like a more detailed review of the pattern, definitely check out Jeni's post.  I did overstitch all of the inside seams as Jeni and the pattern suggest and prewashed everything, including the jute.  ALWAYS prewash that jute!  And, do it in the machine.  I did it in my sink for days (literally) and it wouldn't stop bleeding, even with a color catcher.


Um, what else?  Oh, yes!  I made her a journal with the scraps.  Of course.  I'm predictable like that.



I was really tickled to add those Red Letter Day ducks and the Erin McMorris orange floral print to this project since both of those scraps were gifted to me at some point by my friend Mary Claire.  How fitting that they should be passed along to another friend!  And the fabric goodness never stops giving...



So, first personal swap?  Definitely a success!  Jacey's happy, so I'm happy.  And, as it happens, the mailman just brought me a box from a certain special someone while I was tippity typing up this post.  Off I go!