I've been patient...

... which is not like me at all! But my patience was rewarded when FINALLY a rather battered parcel turned up in my letterbox in yesterday's extra-hot weather. It was from Grace in South Portland, Maine, USA, my partner in Chookyblue's SSCS swap. The "C" stands for Christmas, and Grace had posted it in plenty of time for it to sit under my tree ready to be opened on December 25. Meanwhile, I've had plenty of time to admire what other participants in the swap had made, while keeping my fingers crossed that mine wasn't lost in a postal black hole. And this is what I received: :

a gorgeous little quilt - just my style and colours - a gorgeous selvedge needlecase, a tapemeasure and notebook from the New England Quilt Museum, a card from a museum in Lancaster, Philadelphia featuring a very fancy chook, a sweet handmade pinwheel ornament and a cross-stitched Tree of Life sachet, because Maine is the Pine Tree State (I didn't know that either!) And these are what I sent to Andrea in England

A Phoebe handbag (free pattern online; should be easy to find) and a flex-frame purse in the same fabrics; a little drawstring bag, a felt brooch I made and the pattern for some cute little birds, a locally-made cupcake button and two cute Christmas ornaments. Once again, I really enjoyed taking part in this swap. Many thanks to Grace for my gifts, to Andrea for being such an appreciative partner and to Chooky, for all your hard work in putting the swap together.