I have started working on the various blocks from my Modern Quilt Guild's block swap. 11 participants - each providing each participant fabric and a basic idea as to what they would like to get back. Each participant having a bit of creative "license" both with design and fabric. 
I decided to start with the blocks that requested flying geese. Here are the beginnings for two of those blocks. I am utilizing paper piecing for accuracy I like this technique. No guesswork. I enjoyed making these two sets of geese, utilizing the participants' fabrics, along with some of my own to make a traditional block with a "modern" twist. Not sure what I'm going to do next on these - so I am putting them aside for now.
Next up - a chicken block. This gal loves chickens. She provided most of the fabric as she requested specific colors and her only instruction - "make a chicken." Here is my "fused" chicken, along with a vintage wool sunflower. I plan on doing some hand stitching on this with a machine appliqued edge and maybe some beading on the center of the flower.I'm not a huge fan of the "chicken" as a design element, but the mere fact that there are 11 different artists interpreting the "chicken" in playful fabrics and colors - coupled with the notion of putting them all together in one quilt - is a bit intriguing and should end up being a fun little quilt.
I am liking this exercise.
