Second set of Orca Bay clue #2-gray strings

There are a few of us making more than one Orca Bay Mystery quilt.
Yes we are gluttons for punishment.
Yes we love piecing tiny units.
Yes we love Bonnie Hunter's Mysteries.
Yes we do count how many pieces are in each quilt. But I am not telling.
(I was yelled at once on the Yahoo site for perhaps scaring away potential participants.)
Won't happen again.

 I cannot believe that my tiny pile of gray strings made 36 string blocks and there are still more strings left to use. And I had thought that I had cut generous sizes on the strings but most blocks have 10 or more strings in them. They look pretty but the paper removal is a bit more intense.

So here is one of my ever handy pencil cases with my string blocks all ready for sewing. The paper is all removed. They did not even need any pressing after sewing as I pressed my strings FIRST!

 And I have my very own copy of Volume #4 Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks. WHOOT!

 I swapped out the 2 1/2" red and black strip Quiltvilleswap at Yahoo swap yesterday. Here is one third of the swapping area with the parcels just assigned to their respective baskets.
Nothing has been opened or counted yet.

 This is the second third of the packages getting their assigned basket.

 And here is the final third of the u-shaped area. My swap basket is on the chair. If any of you are counting the baskets you will be coming up short of the 24 total. This is because some swappers participated in both swaps and some did not. The only really tricky part is when some swappers do not send in 10 sets. I had two swappers with 5 sets and one with 6 sets. But I got it all figured out.

 This shows that now I have gone through all 24 parcels. I have counted their sets and removed the shipping packages to the bottom of the baskets. I keep them this way because some swappers do not have their names on their individual packages.

I also have "start" and "stop" papers. This keeps me on track in case of an interruption. Life does tend to get in the way sometimes. In 90 minutes I had both swaps completed. But then it took another hour or so to re-count and pack up the precious strings for mailing back.

To the left are all the different sized containers that the swaps came to me in. They are trash now. In the center are the empty baskets. They have done their job and are heading back to the closet. On the right are two VERY HEAVY STUFFED totes with all 24 packages ready for the post office.

I lugged them in there yesterday announcing myself that I was helping with the Postal Clerk's job security. I had the same sweet Postal Clerk who is sharp as a nail. She and I get on very well. She knows that I pack carefully and that I will help with any issues she has with the packages. One of the swappers sent fabric from Sweden. So there was an export form to fill out. (I did that at home as I keep mailing supplies for this very reason!)

The register tape was a mile long. I am going to hang onto it and maybe use it for some string piecing for a border or something. (Just for memories!)

I took hubby along but he waited in the truck. It was his first day out of the house getting some air from his kidney removal surgery last Tuesday. I think getting some fresh air did him good as he actually went for a walk around the block today. Healing takes time and it is the little things that are obstacles to overcome.