X-Factor pillow swap - sent and received

I was invited to join in Round #7 of the X-Factor pillow swap which had the theme of 'low-volume'.  Each round has a different theme and the way it works is GENIUS!  You sew a cushion cover (minimum size 16") to the theme of the round and keep it a secret.  Once you have sewn your masterpiece, you send an image of your creation to the Flickr mama who posts it in the pool with an entry number.  She is the only person who knows who made which cushion.  A day or so after the deadline, all the members who created a cushion cover then vote on the cushions in order of what they would like most.  The only person who knows this info is the Flickr mama.  Then, a week or so later a cushion arrives at your house and you get to see who the maker was and which of your choices you received!

Here is my interpretation of the 'low-volume' theme:

Of course I HAD to add some green, right!!?  If you can see it, I added three lines of Aurifil green thread across the cushion at the base of the green triangles.  I think of the triangles as trees.  Wonky ones!  I love wonky!  The triangles were paper pieced from a pattern by Owen's Olivia.  Clever stuff!  Each white was a white on white print so those areas still had a low-volume effect.  And guess who the recipient was?  The swap mama herself -- Tiina!  I hope she is enjoying her new cushion!  Oh and I added a little ribbon tag to the side (I HAD to, right!!??):

So - which one did I receive?  This gorgeous scrappy one called 'Pale and Interesting' by Wooden Spoon Rachel.  I love every single fabric in this cushion - and there are 100 squares!  It is like an I-Spy with strawberries, crabs, birds, eye glasses, chickens, houses, scissors, wheels, snails and more!!!!  The quilting is amazing too - I do love straight lines and the grid is perfectly done [=jealous].

I am so lucky - thank you Rachel!!  And thank you Tiina for choosing mine and being a great swap mama!

Round #8 has just been announced with deadline of 25th January 2014.  Want to join in?  Join the group and get sewing!  The theme will be log cabin and text fabric.  Woohoo - two more of my favourite things!!  How will I interpret that one???

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The winner of my 'For the Boys' blog hop giveaway is RHONDA D.  I have emailed Rhonda about winning a bag of Christmas scraps.  Thank you to everyone who stopped in and commented on the shaggy/frayed edge/rag time quilt!  I love making these!

Also, I will be having another giveaway starting on the 21st November.  This is the one organised by the Quilting Gallery - there is still time to register :)  I am thinking I will have two prizes to give away!

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Thank you to Kristy of Quiet Play for sending me a prize of three of her paper pieced patterns.  I was a lucky winner from entering Celtic Thistle's Holiday Mini Competition.  Thank you to you both!!! Oh how I love paper piecing!!!

Also a big thank you to the Quilters Newsletter who sent me 'More Take 5 Quilts' by Kathy Brown and five Quilting Treasures Mod fabrics.  I am itching to start yet another quilt ;)

Hope you all have a great weekend.
Linking to Finish it Friday

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Linking to She Can Quilt for the 4th Quarter FAL.

Here is my original post of goals.