Extra stuff - let's swap!

Today I want to talk about extra stuff.  I'm not normally someone who goes for the less is more approach to most things, and this includes quilting.  But from time to time, one does tend to end up with extra stuff. In my case, I inherited quite a few specialty rulers and loads of fabric from my mom when she passed (not to mention cross-stitch patterns and enough embroidery thread to go to the moon and back a couple of times).

After I made the Christmas wreath that my mom had started as a mystery project from a Quiltmaker's magazine, I was contacted by a reader who was wondering if I could be persuaded to part with the issues so she could make a similar wreath.  No problem!  I was very happy to think that someone else could benefit from my mom's magazines.

When I was in Texas, I went to The Old Craft Store in Carrollton.  It was a cute little store with a post office inside!  I wasn't turned on by the fabric, but I found some great rulers, including the Rapid Fire Hunter's Star ruler by Deb Tucker.  I really like Jackie's quilt using this ruler, so I was thrilled to find it.  I also got the Easy Angle and the Companion Angle rulers for making HSTs.

But when I got home, I went to get the magazines out to send to Karen and I started looking at through the box of my mom's quilting things, and didn't I find the Easy Angle and the Companion Angle!  I could have kicked myself!   I also found a duplicate HST square-up ruler.  Argh - how frustrating!  Who needs duplicate rulers?

It occurred to me that it would be great if I could swap these rulers for others that I would use.  Or maybe for patterns, or other notions.  Why should I hang on to patterns like the Christmas wreath pattern or other patterns I have already made up when others might be interested in them?

So here's what I suggest:  an online swap meet.  Go to this Flickr group, Quilters' Exchange, to see what I have to swap and if you have some things you're ready to give away, take some photos and add them (you have to join the group first).  I've got some more things to add, like the Fons and Porter magazine issue with the Paprika pattern in it (I promise I will quilt this baby over the holiday - I already have the wool batting).  All the photos in this post, plus some other great swag, is listed on the Quilters' Exchange page at Flickr.  Go look and see what you think!