#KBPatternSwap Reveal!

It’s #kbpatternswap reveal day! I’m so excited! This was my first time taking part and I have been totally blown away by the kindness and generosity displayed by the sewing community!

If you haven’t heard of the #kbpatternswap before it is a pattern swapping initiative come up with by the amazing Sian of Kittenish Behaviour. The general idea is you are assigned a person to swap with, you follow them on Instagram and you get an idea of what they like and you send them a pattern or patterns that you think they would enjoy!

I love our crafty community and have been looking for ways to join in with our amazing and diverse virtual club without having to make loads of things. Don’t get me wrong I do love an Instagram challenge, but as I have taken part in more and more this year I can see how many more unnecessary garments I am adding to my wardrobe. This swap seemed like a lovely and generous way to join in and be a part of something without making another garment. Yes I know my patterns will result in new clothes eventually but if I take my time and make what I need those patterns will last me years!

Now back to the swap! I was surprised to receive an email from my swap partner instead of her just stalking my IG profile but it was a fab idea. My partner The Crafty Sue is new to Instagram and I’m not sure how much I could have learned about her without chatting over email back and forth. Sue is based in the USA and I am here in the UK so it was so fun getting to know each other and collecting ideas of what to send!

A few weeks after our initial correspondence a parcel arrived on my doorstep all the way from America and I am absolutely blown away by it’s contents.

Sue had told me that the US craft chain Jo Ann’s fabrics would be having a big pattern sale during the time of our swap so she suggested I send her any ideas of any McCalls/Butterick/Vogue Patterns I was interested in. I couldn’t believe the parcel of patterns she sent me!

Can you believe all those beautiful patterns?! Sue sent me a bunch of the ones I mentioned, and some I didn’t but love anyway and even some Vintage patterns from 1969/1970!

My mind is racing with all the ideas of tops, jackets, skirts and dresses I want to make with these patterns, I can’t even begin to think which one I am going to make first!

As well as the patterns, I also recieved some gorgeous goodies in my parcel. Some bits from the Vintage Simplicity Range including a bookmark, vinyl decal and box:

AND I received these amazing bags which will be perfect for fabric shopping! As well as an absolutely beautiful handmade card made by Sue herself – I just love recieving handmade gifts!

Either those JoAnns sales are AMAZING or Sue is one amazingly generous lady! (I think it is the latter!)

Here is a snap of the parcel I sent Sue, it completely pales in comparison to what I received but I really hope she likes it! (I HAD to get her the Susie Blouse didn’t I?!)

Have you taken part in any swaps like this? I absolutely loved taking part in this swap but really feel like the parcel I sent was nowhere near as good as the parcel I received so this makes me a bit nervous about signing up to another one anytime soon!