Monday, April 9, 2012

Grow a Garden (pouch) + a giveaway

At our monthly Ann Arbor Modern Quilt Guild meetings, we often have a swap of a handmade item or several fat quarters of fabric.  Items are to be wrapped or disguised but not labeled, so part of the fun is wondering what goodies are hiding inside the macaroni box, old tin, etc.

We conduct our swaps in a "Yankee Swap" format (like a white elephant swap). First we draw numbers, and each participant has a turn choosing a wrapped item.  The next person then has a choice of choosing an wrapped item, or "stealing" a previously unwrapped item from someone else.  If your item is stolen, you may choose to to unwrap a new item or steal from someone else.  The process continues until everyone has had a turn, and the first person to choose has a chance to steal any one of the opened items or keep what they have. Previous swaps have proven to get quite competitive; Emily's Christmas ornament and Jenna's Mendicino notebook cover provoked some very exciting swaps!

For our March meeting, participants were asked to make something with a "spring" theme.  Part of what I like about having a theme to work with is it encourages me to work outside my comfort zone.  In this case, I ended up using a color combination I might not have started with on my own.  I am very drawn to warm tones, but for the "spring" theme, I went looking in my stash for greens and yellows. 

The front of the pouch is a patchwork courthouse steps block.  I selected a number of prints and solids in yellows and greens, along with some black and white.  I included some fun text, ruler, and graph prints, imagining the process of planning a spring garden, planting seeds, and watching them sprout and grow.

natalie's grow a garden pouch

I chose Joel Dewberry's Woodgrain print in brown from Aviary 2, and lined it with a green solid. 

grow a garden pouch back

Natalie of Greenleaf Goods was the lucky recipient of this pouch at our guild meeting.  Hope you enjoy it Natalie! However, I had so much fun making it I had to make a few more.

grow a garden pouches

grow a garden pouches

One of these pouches is up for grabs, for YOU, one of my readers! Leave me a comment telling me your favorite part about spring. That's it, easy! If you're following my blog, I'd love to hear from you, and I'd also love it if you told your friends. So, for a second entry, let me know if you mention this giveaway on your blog, on facebook, or on twitter (you can find me there: @woollykat). International entries are welcome.  Giveaway ends this Sunday, April 15 at 11pm EST, when I will choose a random winner. 

I'd link up to {Sew} Modern Monday, but Megan is pausing it while the Festival of Half-Square Triangles is going on! Today's Festival of HST host is Erin at Two More Seconds. Head over there to check it out!

Have a great week!
~Anna :)

26 comments:

  1. Is being the first to comment a bad omen? LOL! I saw these cute pouches on flickr and had to hope over and comment! They are so fantastic!! Love them!! My favorite part of spring is the fresh smell of grass growing and being cut!!

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  2. Love the pouches!! I came over from the Pretty {little} Pouches Flickr group. Thanks for sharing!!! My fave part of the great weather is being able to take my little one out so we can watch his brother play outside.

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  3. I love spring because it shows signs of life blooming again! {And summer is almost here!} :)
    I also love that woodgrain fabric on those pouches! :)

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  4. I too saw these lovely pouches on the Pretty little pouches Flickr Group. My favorite part of Spring in Indiana are the sunny days after so many grey Winter days.

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  5. My favorite part of springs is finding little surprises growing in the garden!

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  6. Beautiful pouches! My favorite part of spring is, duh, MY BIRTHDAY!! I was born on the first day of spring! It's always been my favorite time of the year, mostly because I love watching all the trees and flowers bud up and bloom! Thanks for the opportunity to win!

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  7. I love the warm breezes & planting & (seeing them grow!) seeds in the garden!

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  8. Super cute bags! My favorite part of spring is getting the garden ready. I usually start my seeds way too early every year. :p

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  9. My favorite part of spring is not having to wear a heavy coat anymore!!! And, getting out the spring wardrobe!

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  10. Sunshine and being able to break out of my jeans rut back into skirts! Gah. Your work is so gorgeous!

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  11. I love the pale green as all the trees bud out. And I love it when my lilacs bloom. Super bags! Hope I can make the next AAMQG meeting....

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  12. My favorite part of spring is park visits with the kids. Looooove your pouches- I want!

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  13. I love, love, love all the beautiful bulbs pushing their way through the dirt announcing spring. The punch of color to an otherwise drab landscape always lifts my spirits.
    Thanks for the give away. Those pouches are cute!

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  14. Oh oh! Please send it to meeee! I love it! And my favourite part of spring is when the star magnolia in our backyard starts blooming - I always feel how full of promise the spring is, when we've put the winter behind us. And my second favourite part of spring is when the snow has melted clean away and the soil has dried out a bit, so that the dogs aren't mudballs every time they come in from outside!

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  15. Hi Anna. I'm a new follower and I love the pouches you made. I would love to have one. I followed your link from the PLPS4 post.
    Angie

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  16. Saw the cute pouches on Flickr and popped over to check out your blog. :)
    Spring here in the Seattle area means we actually get to see the sun and feel some warmth on our skin! Love watching all the birds get ready for nesting.

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  17. Love the pouches :D I love spring because that means I don't have to wear a coat anymore! YAY!

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  18. Spring is my favorite!! I love the warmer air (but not yet hot), and all of the flowers. Plus, it's so much easier to buckle your kids into their carseats without all of the winter layers!

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  19. My favorite thing is watching the leaves and flowers come to life after a cold winter!

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  20. My favorite part of spring is the crocuses as they first start poking out of the ground.
    The tiny purple buds are out so briefly but they come as one of the first flowers, sometimes even through a covering of snow. They are a little dash of color when everything is still grey and speak of more flowers to come.

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    1. I posted the give-away on my blog, too!

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  21. my favorite things about spring is the warmer weather and all the color returning to michigan!

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    1. My favorite thing to do in the spring is to walk through Red Butte Gardens where they plant 324,000 bulbs! I walked through the gardens yesterday! It was breathtaking!

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  22. I love these pouches - I would love one! Thanks for the chance! My favorite part about spring is watching all of the neighbors outside after a long, cold winter...getting their yards spruced up and seeing all of the kids playing. It's a real treat after being inside so much over the winter!

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  23. My favorite thing to do in the spring, and the thing that lets me know it's really here, is to open the windows! That is the important part, planting tomatoes, getting the garden ready, mowing the grass are all secondary temptations.
    Love the little pouch. so cute

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