Swap-CHOO!

I'm excited to announce my first collaborative swap for all of you with a scrap of pretty fabric, a needle and spool of thread and an hour to make something beautiful. The first ever Hankie Swap, Swap-CHOO!, presented to you by me (Peggy) and Iris at Creative Endeavors in a Busy Life. 

This swap honors spring sneezes, the beauty of a handcrafted item, simpler times, romance, allergies and long goodbyes at the train station. 

Hand rolled hems are not hard, though they are somewhat time consuming as compared to running them through the machine. But they turn out beautifully and whether you've tried this technique before, or are terrified of the pressure of a swap I hope you'll give it a whirl.

As a bonus, April is  National Poetry Month, and for this we've added some extra fun. We'd love you to include with your hankie a poem, handwritten by you for added loveliness. This does not need to be one of your own making. A old favorite, or a new one would be really dandy.

We'll match you with a partner, and you'll have three weeks to make a hankie and write out a poem of your choice and get them in the mail. Anything else you choose to send is up to you and is by no means required. Simply post a comment here or on Iris' blog with your email so we can add to to the list. 

Feel free to use the swap button on your blog if you like, and we have also set up a flickr group for the hankies to be uploaded to, so we can all see the amazing results.

Easy, well-photographed and clear step-by-steps can be found at Purl Bee. You can also check out Iris' post on her first attempt, and mine, for more tips and inspiration. 

• For some poetry inspiration here are some links here, here and here.
  
• For some hankie'spiration, beauties to be found here, here and here.