April 7, 2018

Postcard Exchange Blog Hop ➕ Plus Signs

Back in January, Patty at Elm Street Quilts announced she would be hosting a worldwide postcard swap which sounded like fun!



The Basic Rules


The swap was limited to 100 participants and rules were simple...
  • Choose whether you would ship your postcard worldwide or just within your own country.
  • Select a one word clue for the person making your postcard. The clue could be anything - ex: blue, flamingo, summer. 
  • Postcards should be 4" x 6'' and must be made of fabric.
  • To keep it simple, only the postcard should be mailed - no small treats or extras. 
  • The postcard could be mailed in an envelope or just as a normal postcard.
  • Keep your swap assignee is a secret - shhhh!!

My Word


I must confess, my one word clue I chose wasn't exactly one word, but I turned it into one word...PlusSign!   And just look at the plus sign postcard I received from Terri, all the way from the west coast.



Playing it safe, Terri mailed my plus sign postcard 'protected' in an envelope.



Who would have thought 4 little plus signs would fit so nicely on a 4"x 6" postcard.  And, look at the detail Terri added with the embroidery with metallic floss. You can see barely see where she quilted the postcard by outlining the plus signs.  


And, look at the detail on the reverse.  The back was printed and includes a special message.  I love the handwritten detail on the postmark.



I was curious as to how Terri put it together.  I could tell the two layers were sewn and then turned right sides out, but where was the seam?  I had to really look hard to fined the seam where it was hand sewn closed.  You can barely make it out on the bottom edge on the left. 



Thank you, Terri!  I appreciate your thoughtfulness and care you put into into creating the Plus Sign postcard you made for me!  I love it!  

Postcard for Nina


The word my partner, Nina, chose was Surprise!   You will never guess what I surprised her with...a Plus Sign, whether it was one word or two.  Here it is finished and ready to be mailed.  




I used the small block from the Signature Plus quilt which was featured on Day 2 of the Modern Plus Sign Quilt Blog Hop.  I extended the width a bit to accommodate the post card.

The indigo plus sign fabric was dyed in an indigo fabric dying class with Maura Ambrose at QuiltCon 2017 in Savannah.

  

Once I made the block, I used 505 spray adhesive to adhere it to the craft felt and quilted around the plus sign just like Terri did her block.  And, I secured the edge with a straight stitch at that point. 



Knowing that I wanted to write on the back, I fused the backing to the postcard.  I secured the edges with a zigzag stitch. I wrote a message on the back and added straight lines to help me keep the address evenly spaced. 



Here is the postcard ready to go in the mail, complete with a return address label and a Global Forever stamp.  



And, one more!  I'm glad to say my post card to Nina arrived safely the UK.  I was nervous, especially since I mailed her postcard naked (without an envelope)!

Thank you Patty for hosting the Postcard Exchange!  I had so much fun making and receiving a postcard.  And, thank you, Terri, for making the lovely post card for me!  


Please stop by and visit the bloggers to see what postcards they have made and received. 


Denise @ DottieDoodle



Karen @ Run Sew Fun


Laura @ LC's Cottage



Michelle @ Creative Blonde

Paige @ Quilted Blooms (you're here!)


Sandra @ mmm! quilts


Be sure to check out the Postcard Linkup at Elm Street Quilts or #ESQpostcardswap on Instagram for inspiration on making your own postcard to swap with a quilty friend.

Linking to...

Show Off Saturday with Caroline at Sew She Can



27 comments :

  1. These are fabulous! Such a fun idea. x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great job, I love these plus signs ♥

    ReplyDelete
  3. Isn't it wonderful to think your postcard went to the UK! What are the odds that BOTH your postcards had plus signs! That's so awesome!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a fun swap! I love both postcards. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  5. What fun Paige. Two plus signs cards. They are both awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Awesome plus sign postcards! Great job! I love postcards!

    ReplyDelete
  7. TOO funny (get the addition pun?!) that you did a Plus sign for your recipient! It's a beautiful indigo, and hand-dyed is extra-special. Wow, a naked postcard that arrived safe and sound! I sent mine in an envelope, handed directly to the post office worker, and it came back to me... now it's been resent over a week ago and still no word...sigh. The metallic detail of Terri's hand-stitched plus immediately caught my eye and wow, what a beautiful finish she did as well as back!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love that both postcards (the one you received and made) contain plus signs; how very appropriate. And how awesome that your made it safely being shipped naked. :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. I have never done these but am totally interested. In the fullness of time, I’ll join a swap. Your plus signs are multiplying - something they normally don’t do! Love them both - the one you made ad the one you received. I think I would put in an envelope just in case of a bad day at the post office.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Little pieces of art. So pretty.
    Paige, yours reminds me of the Dutch pottery, Delftware, with that beautiful Cobalt blue fabric.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What's not to like about plus signs? Two creative and positive pieces of art!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Super work by both of you! What's not to love about a PlusSign? That indigo dyed fabric is beautiful. Wasn't this a fun swap?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Lol, I love it that you turned Plus Sign into one word! This is a very fun post, and I am impressed that you had the courage to send your card naked! I chickened. And thanks so much for adding me to the hop list. Much appreciated. :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hello Paige,

    i love your postcard ...the design are so great. :)

    Have a nice weekend the Nähbegeisterte

    ReplyDelete
  15. Paige, your sent and received postcards are terrific! I always send my postcards 'naked' and have never had an issue. Mine came in a Royal Post baggie but it was originally sent 'naked'. Obviously you enjoy Plussigns so now you have some of your own. Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wow! What great Plus Sign cards. :) I thought it would be so cool to have postcards with real cancelation marks, but when we paid the extra to have wedding invitations hand cancelled, they DIDN'T DO IT on a whole lot, and some of those got mangled in the machine. So I put mine in envelopes. I bet Nina loves the cancel mark!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Lynette! I have a postcard from several years ago and it is fun to have the postmark date!

      Delete
  17. Both of these plus postcards are just wonderful. I'm so glad yours make it 'naked' to its destination overseas! Thanks for being part of the postcard exchange and hop.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a fun swap that must have been! I like that you mailed yours naked. Did you do anything special to make sure the stamp stayed stuck?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jen, the stamp was self adhesive and I gave it an extra pat before sending it off!

      Delete
  19. I love that you chose "plussign" as your word!!!! Both the one you made and received are beautiful. Such a fun idea!

    ReplyDelete
  20. You went naked! I have made fabric postcards in the past, well one or two, and I was always afraid to go naked! How did you stick the stamp on for a start?
    Love both the one you sent and received, by the way

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks Helen, the stamp was self adhesive and I just sent it on its way and trusted it would stay stuck and it did!

    ReplyDelete
  22. You sent and received lovely postcards. Can't go wrong with a plus sign! :-) I did a postcard swap once. The cards swapped were to be "modern." When I received an appliquéd sunflower, I was sure disappointed. Same thing happened when I did a modern mug rug swap... mine had a machine-embroidered and appliquéd antique teacup on it. I've learned from experience to not participate in swaps unless you're willing to accept whatever you get. It looks like you did very well!

    ReplyDelete
  23. These are both great. Now I regret not playing along.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Love both your postcards Paige! I like the variation your partner did with finishing it and I'm impressed they made it through the mail 'naked'!

    ReplyDelete