Handprinted III - received

Handprinted III has been one of the best swaps I have been in and I have been daydreaming about handprinted fabric ever since!!  I was in Group 18 and what a great group to be in!  Leslie of Maze & Vale was the organiser extraordinaire and she prints the most amazing fabric.  I used her fabric in my 4 Things quilt top.  I've already shared what I sent so here is what I received!

Laminia from do a bit sent grey sprouts on linen (yum) PLUS a pack of printed fabric bits too!  I absolutely adore the sprout fabric - I have plans for it already!!  I know the scraps will find their way into several projects because they are totally my style!

Kelsey from lovely and enough sent orange gumdrops (that's what I'm calling them anyways!) on white.  This one is really whimsical and I know it will look great wherever I use it!

Mellisa Q from a happy stitch sent grey ginkgo leaves on white.  When Mellisa posted this one on Flickr I fell in love instantly!  On my walk to work I pass a tree that has these (or similar) leaves so I thought it was really cool that she made a leaf stamp!   

Kerry-Ann from Ameliorate v. make better sent blue lace doily on linen.  This is a really lovely image on fabric and the story behind it too!

And of course I had to print myself something so I gave myself some white on white and grey on grey!  I made a screen print of two stick figures and a sun, inspired by my niece and two nephews' drawings when they were little!

The process of creating my image, preparing the fabric and turning my tiny kitchen table into a printing space, then sending the wrapped up printed fat quarters off to four lovely strangers was tremendously exciting and fulfilling.  This swap has truly rekindled my love of printmaking and I felt like 'me' again!  This is the 'me' that I lost somewhere between graduating university in 1998 and the present day.  I am so thankful to Leslie for this amazing swap - and to the four amazing women in Group 18.  Thanks everyone!!