JAN - UFO Report

Well the first month of 2009 has (almost) come to a close and here is my ‘UFO Report’:

Summary:
Number of Projects at Start: 24
Number of Project Completed*: 4
Number of Projects Added: 5
Number of Projects Unfinished: 25

* Completed here means finished, re-purposed or gifted.

Unfinished Projects started in 2008 (or earlier):


For an explanation of UFOM Read My Tale of Tragedies and Miracles!

1. UFOM #1 - My First Quilt Completed


1. UFOM #2 - Yes, it's a Quillow! For more pictures CLICK HERE



2. UFOM #3 - Flannel Crazy Quilt To see pictures of this Crazy Project: CLICK HERE



3. UFOM #4 - Almost Almost Done Christmas Wallhanging We've decided that this one will be done by next Christmas, so progress will be slow, but steady! For Pictures CLICK HERE


5. UFOM #5 - Woodsy Center - This became a quilt back.



4. UFOM #6 - The Really Big Kaleidoscope Quilt - I found another ruler! This project is back on track, for pictures of my Really Big Kaleidoscope Quilt CLICK HERE
   


7. Tree of Life -. CLICK HERE ! Completed


5. Road to California -I've purchased additional fabrics for the sashing and this one is high on my list to complete. CLICK HERE for pictures



6. Botanical Shop Hop Quilt - CLICK HERE for pictures. Progress: It's on my design wall, but I'm not really sure if I like it anymore. Got some REALLY good feedback!



7. Old Tobacco Road - This is a Bonnie Hunt Mystery Quilt. I love Bonnie's patterns and books. If you aren't familiar with her work check out Quiltville.com Right now I'm still making the pinwheels. I need 100 pinwheels made out of 1.5 inch half-square triangles. That's 400 1.5 inch half square triangles, that is a lot of work left to do. This UFO is my Sew-Between. (That is the quilt I work on in between my other items. I make a HST or a pinwheel as a Leader or an Ender for every chain on my current project) CLICK HERE for more pictures



8. '07-'08 Thangles BOM - blocks are done, top is unfinished.
   
   
9. Marisa Pinwheels - I'm about half through the piecing. This is a pattern from Roxanne Carter I have a few of her patterns that I am meaning to make!





10. Cinder's Best Day - My daughter and I are going to finish this quilt together, it's a tribute to her cat who passed away.




11. Garden Path Mosaic Pictorial - I don't know if I should include this in my list of UFOs. I wasn't even going to keep this. About 10 years ago I decided to make a mosaic picture because.... well, just to do it. I did this garden path. It was ok, but I wasn't enamored with the mosaic style. So I was going to toss it. My my middle child, a baby then, grabbed on and wouldn't let go. So it became hers. It was never finished and I noticed that the edges were VERY worn. I told my daughter ~ almost 10 now, that I would finish it off for her if she wanted to keep it, otherwise it would fall apart.



15. Lost Blues - Re-purposed

Subset: SWAPS and BOMs:


12. '08-'09 Thangles BOM - This is actually two quilts I am doing this in two colorways: Brights and Yellow, White and Blue. I am doing both simultaneously!




13. Friendship Star -




14. Disappearing 9-Patch -




15. Lap Quilt Swap IV
    


Subset: NOT YET STARTED (NYSs):


16. Postage Stamp Quilt - I think I don't have enough of the colors I want and too much of colors I am eliminating. I only want purples/blues/greens/reds and the lightest of lights and the darkest of darks. I don't need pinks, oranges, yellows etc. Bummer! Lots more work to go. Anyone want to swap 1.5 inch squares?




17. Midnight Garden - I LOVE LOVE LOVE this pattern by Roxanne Carter, and I have the Perfect fabrics that I searched High and Low for! I mean I called every Quilt Shop this side of the Mississippi! I can't wait to start this project!



18. A Girls Work is Never Done - This is going to be a baby quilt. It should be cute. I have one fabric missing.




19. Bold Over Batiks - Love the batiks!




20. Cam's Snake Quilt -



Projects Started in 2009


21. Calendar Quilt 2009 - Come Quilt-a-Long with us!


22. Dad's Scotland Quilt - This quilt is by special request, and perhaps a bit harassment.
    
23. Christmas Runner - With Moda's Merry and Bright fabric.
    
24. C's Twin size Christmas Quilt - With Moda's Happy Howlidays
    
25. Animal Totems Auction Quilt - This one has a hard fast Deadline!!

I also have 3 aprons, 2 Halloween bags, and a pillowcase that needs finishing, but they don't count as my Quilty UFOs!

On My Design Wall Today...

Well, I've finally put all the pieces of my Botanical Shop Hop quilt up on the design wall ~ or what passes as MY design wall.







Funny thing is, that I'm not really all too pleased with the color choices. Almost a year ago, when I held the fabrics up together in the quilt shop, the blue fabric (I cut into large blue panels) brought a nice sparkle to the fabric choices. The rest of the fabrics were a part of last years Western Washington Shop Hop line of fabrics.



This was going to be the first quilt I ever made specifically to keep and put on our bed. That being said, you'd think I would have put a little more thought into the color choices. I just picked the fabrics from the shop hop line I thought my husband would like the best and then added the blue fabric to the selection.



My DH and one of my daughters seem to like it fine, but...



Mmmm, I don't know, something just doesn't feel right about it. I think that perhaps the blue fabric doesn't really work as well as I had hoped.

Like a Private class on the Basics!

I said I wanted to learn new techniques this year, but where to start?



I've been sewing for years, I started when I was just 7 with my mother's scraps and her spare machine. I found quilting about 16 years ago. I've taken a few classes at Local Quilt Stores when a quilt top intrigued me or I liked the look of a pattern, but I never took a class on the basics. About Quiltmaking!



So where to begin? At the very beginning of course! I popped in the DVD Diana McClun & Laura Nownes Teach You Beginning Quiltmaking, this is #8 in the At Home with the Experts DVD series published by C & T Publishing.

The great thing about DVDs are that you can pause, rewind and play the sticky lessons again and again. And when you are new to anything, it seems you forget more in a class than you learn because everything is so new, not all of it sticks.

This DVD is perfect for a new quilter or as a gift for someone who is just starting out. This DVD is jam-packed with information. There are four lessons just on fabrics and another three on cutting! The DVD takes you through quiltmaking from picking out fabrics, all the way to quilting and binding.

But that's not all, there is also a section of special features which includes:

• Meet Diana McClun
• Meet Laura Nownes
• Studio Tour
• Quilt Gallery
• Quick Start Guide and bonus Pattern

Personally, I absolutely LOVE studio tours!

I was so happy with this DVD, that I bought a few and packaged them up with a selection of fabrics to give as gifts to my friends who have been talking about learning quilting but have never found the time to schedule a class.

Now, if I can discover one new resource and learn a new skill every month, I'll be as happy as Larry! That's one new resources checked off my list. If you are interested in this DVD, and it's not at your local quilt store, you can find it online at C & T Publishing

A few More Lap Quilt Swap IV blocks

For this swap I had 24 blocks to make, actually 22 because two of those were for me. Now I'm on the home stretch.

For most of my blocks I've been doing the boxy star from Bonnie Hunter's website Quiltville.com

This first one is for KRB:

The background of the floral print is black and she chose a blue tone-on-tone and a burgundy tone-on-tone for accent fabrics and a white tonal for background.

This next block is also a boxy square for Whoopdedoo5:

Whoopdedoo5 chose several complimentary fabrics in larger scale prints. I like these fabrics, they have a beachy feel to me.

And finally this last block had no pattern. LouraPalmr had so many fun fabrics for me to use, that I came up with this block just to be able to use them all:

Click on this picture to get the full effect of the fabrics she chose, some really fun and unique fabrics!

Oh, I'm a winner!

Isn't it fabulous when you win!!

Lynne at The Patchery Menagerie hosted a giveaway and I won!

I really love this pattern and I think it would look great in Pat Sloan's new fabric line Arabella:

Pat actually specializes in beautiful applique. I don't do applique. I love piecing and I don't blink twice at a million little triangles, but give me the simpliest of applique and I quake in my boots!

But if you are an applique type of quilter you might want to check out the lovely kit that Pat is putting together on her website and blog.

Art Auction Quilt - Part Two, The Kids

This is the second step in the Art Auction Quilt I'm making for the school fundraiser. I did this for a class of 4th grade students.The first step was to prepare the blocks of fabric that the kids would use.

With the help of another parent, we met with the kids in the classroom today.

It was fun because I got to link their lessons about Native Americans of the Pacific Northwest with the Art Auction project.





I gave each table a set of fabric markers and their individual pre-prepared block of fabric. We had an hour and a half to finish.

Many of the kids finished their squares, the ones that need additional time, I'll go back next week.

Come See Ricky and Alex with me!!

Calling all quilters in the general Pacific Northwest!





On Aug 20-22, 2009 - Lynnwood, WA
Lynnwood Convention Center


Lynnwood, WA


Thursday, Friday & Saturday





What is a Ricky Tims Quilt Seminar?
Well, imagine...

•Not missing out because you wereput on the waiting list.
•Not having to gather items for a class supply list
•Not having to haul a sewing machine to class
•Not worrying about irons blowing power circuits
•Not having to measure, cut, or sew in a tiny, shared table space.
•Not fretting that you brought the wrong fabrics for the project.
•Not feeling the pressure of keeping up with your neighbor.

The seminar registration fee includes entry to all sessions, the seminar syllabus, the quilt show of award-winning quilts by the presenters, the Ricky Tims' concert, and the opportunity for chatting and autographs with Ricky, Alex, and Libby.



Okay, so why am I presenting this little commercial? Well, it's really for self-serving purposes actually. If I can pull 10 people together, we can get a significant discount on the tickets!

If you are interested in joining us, we have about 4 people already, just send me a private email and we'll send in all our applications together.

Absolutely everyone I know that has gone to this seminar has said it is WELL WORTH IT!

Here is the link for more information:

Ricky Tims Seminars

A Few Challenge Blocks

I finished a few challenge blocks that I thought I would share with you.

This first one is a challenge block from the Stichin' Post in Sisters Oregon. I'm mailing it out tomorrow.

For this last challenge block, I needed to come up with my own pattern for a 'January block'. This was my version of a snowflake. I had a hard time with this, I changed it on the fly when it wasn't working the way I had hoped it would. I made two of these, because I wanted to keep one for myself. The other one I already mailed off.

I think though, I'm going to alter this yet more. It really doesn't look enough like a snowflake.

Art Auction Quilt - part one, the prep work

Well, I've cut out about 40 blocks, more than we need but I want to be prepared when I get to the classroom on Wed.

Each block is 8 3/4 inch. I'll cut it down later, but with all the children handling them, I don't want to worry about fraying later. Should have used my pinking rotary really, but the best laid plans and all....

Anyhow, then I lightly traced the pictures with an iron transfer pen, I actually had to do this bit twice to keep from getting a mirror-image. Then I ironed the transfers onto the squares. What I ended up with is a light outline on each block of fabric.

You can get this step as dark as you want it, but I am going for a light outline to serve as a template for the children, because I want them each to really create their own artwork. It's a fine line and really some classroom projects have a lot less of the children's input than others. It's really the preference of the organizing parent. But personally, I really like it to be a product of the children.

I think it will come along nicely.

Cheers!
Dionne

Tree of Life ~ Done!

Well It's finished! This is the first finish of the new year! Yahoo!



This was really an interesting quilting project, because I used a few different techniques. All in all, a great learning experience.

Some More Blocks and Bricks

Well, as I always do. I've gone and got myself over-committed. I promised to help my ten year old daughter's class make a quilt for their fund-raising auction. I did this last year for my older daughter as well and was so attached to the quilt that I was quite sad to see it leave. I tried to win it at the auction, but that one went for about $800 and it was far too much for me. But I was quite happy the school made money on it.

So this year I'm doing it again. This time the quilt looks very different though. I've only just begun and no real pictures. I'm cutting light 8.5" squares for the kids to paint their 'Animal Totems' on ~ they've been learning about the Native Americans in this area and the teacher wanted to tie the auction project in with that.

So then I'll put a very light outline of the animal on the square and let the kids paint it in. They are in 4th grade, so hopefully it won't be a big mess, and will look good. My daughter's totem is the hummingbird.

My Calendar Quilt project is also coming along nicely. My little guy has taken a bit of a turn on this weeks brick and stuck a horizontal strip in there. It's not exactly the same size as last weeks brick but he says he likes it because that's the way he colors!

Not sure how we will put all these bricks together in the end to make our Calendar Quilt, but by then the 'Quilt Director' will be 6 years old, and ... well, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it!

Finally, I'm still working on the Lap Quilt Swap IV. This is a picture of a block I made with my fabrics, some time ago to see if they play well together. I just never got around to posting it!

So, it's Saturday and a busy family day!

Floragraphix ~ My Botanical Quilt

Not too long ago I bought this book 'Floragraphix II Quilt Designs' by Jason Yenter. This book was published by In the Beginning Fabrics.

Originally I selected this book because my main fabric was also designed by Jason Yenter and it was in the same style of the Graphix fabrics he used for this book.

The pattern I'm using is 'Botanica'. Now, I've altered the design slightly in that I am not using nearly as many fabrics as Jason calls for in this pattern. I consolidated 4 colors into two colors.

But I probably would have altered something anyhow. It's just in my nature. Even in cooking, and with the best intentions of following a recipe exactly, I always end up changing something. My family has been known to beg me to follow the recipe exactly. They are such good sports ~ especially when it comes to food.

Ok, back to the subject at hand. The patterns in this book are great for highlighting artful fabrics, some of which have very large prints, and still use several colors. You can integrate large print fabrics with small prints, and with solids very very well using these patterns!

I also like the fact that Jason gives pressing directions. It really saves me the hassle of thinking that step through. He inserts a tiny arrow on every step letting you know which way too press.

There are six patterns in this book and they are perfect for the confident beginner. I would say for the absolute beginner, except that Jason skips some self-evident steps. So if you've NEVER quilted before, I wouldn't start with this book. For everyone else, it's perfect.

I'm almost through with all my blocks and ready to piece together the top of this quilt. I call it my 'Botanical Shop Hop Quilt' because my focus fabric was going to be the fabric Jason Yenter designed for the Western Washington Shop Hop '08. That didn't end up being my focus fabric, but it is still one of the prominent fabrics.

Rhonda is a Quilting Star!

Hi Dionne,
I am honored that you asked me to join in the fun at your blog. I'd love to participate. Here goes:

Background:
I got into piecing quilts via my Aunt Pinkie in 1986. She challenged me that one couldn't piece a quilt by machine and I said ha!

Inspiration:
I am inspired by my "wacky" girlfriends who are always coming up with projects that stretch the imagination and by all the wonderful quilt & craft bloggers who share their experiences on the Internet.

I don't think I have ever had a bad day of quilting but if I had to come up with something....it would be when I'm right in the middle of a project and the phone rings & it's a telemarketer or company comes without calling first....LOL
I don't have any quilting regrets. That's weird but all the quilts I've made, I've learned from the mistakes.

Perfect Moment:
My most precious quilting memory was when I showed my first quilt, which was a log cabin, to my Aunt Pinkie and she announced that she was so proud of me and that I should have been her daughter because none of her 6 daughters sewed or were interested in quilting.

Favorite Technique:
My favorite techniques are pressing the seams in opposite directions so I don't have to PIN & assemble while sewing.

Proudest Works:
I am most proud of my "All Things Texas" quilt which went on tour with the "Done In One" contest. (Featured on my blog) The pattern is my original pattern.

Advice:
My one piece of advice is never stop trying things. I don't say "new" things because whatever you're working on, you may have done it 50 times but that 51st time a better way may hit you.

What the Future Holds:
My bucket list......I'd love to visit Sisters Oregon.

My plans for the future are to continue to enjoy my quilting friends because we always have a blast when we're together.

The Design Wall:
On my design wall today is a Split Nine Patch. I found the pattern on the Net and cut, ironed and sewed the 16 blocks today.

Commerce:
I do sell my quilt tops at "Craft" shows and "Quilt" shows. Lots of times quilters will buy them because they love the design but don't have time to make it themselves. If anyone is interested in purchasing one of my quilt tops, feel free to leave a comment on my blog and I'll be happy to speak with you.
http://ravelly1-quiltzblog.blogspot.com/

Fabrics:
My favorite line(s) ThimbleWar - CivilBerry = As you can tell, I sometimes don't know the difference.

The Magic Wand:
My magic wand would swoop and loop and women would rule the world then there'd be no wars with lethal weapons. Now mind you, we'd argue and snap at one another but we'd never resort to killing.

If I could take a class from anyone:
I'd love to take a class from Billie Lauder. That wonderful lady has so many ideas that I haven't even dreamed of and she explains everything with me in mind.....s.....l.....o....w!


Rhonda
Visit my blogs, don't delay!
http://www.ravelly1-quiltzblog.blogspot.com/
http://www.wackypac.blogspot.com/




Thank you Rhonda for being the first Quilting Star in my monthly 'Quilting Stars All Around' Report.

Quilting Stars All Around - An Introduction

I really think that the heart of our wonderful quilting community is.... QUILTERS! I know, that's a bit obvious, but I don't mean all the 'famous' quilters we watch, read and buy from. It's us, you and me, who:

• make more quilts than we could ever use,


• have even more unfinished projects in our cupboards,


• spend our spare moments


• stitching, and
  
• ironing fabric that we've washed, and
  
• folding our freshly ironed fabric, and
  
• then un-folding it, ironing it, cutting it, stitching it, only to:
  
• iron and stitch it some more!


• we read magazines about it, talk about it with our friends, join guilds to talk and do some more, listen to podcasts about it, then read and write blogs so we can talk and learn even more!


• Many make some extra money teaching, doing long-arm quilting, or more. Lots more don't make money, but... do our part to help support our economy ... with our fabulous habits.


• Well, this list goes on and on about all the things we do in our pursuit of the fabric arts.

There are a lot of sources out there that gives us the opportunity to listen to interviews of the famous, semi-famous, or up-and-coming quilting artists. I want to hear more about us. And I figure, if I want to hear more about us, then maybe YOU want to hear more about us too!

So once a month I'm going to feature someone on my Quilting Stars All Around Report. I will model this interview just like I am Katie Couric (well, no, I don't like her) so like I am Annie Smith and you are Alex Anderson!

NOTE: I just received this wonderful comment that I really wanted to share with everyone! It's from Gina:

Dionne, please add to your list:- You QUILTERS also INSPIRE people, from all corners of the world!I am a beginner and am learning a little bit everyday... so a big Thank you.

Never bring your sewing machine into the living room...

... or at least do so hoping to get all your projects done.

I dragged it down and set up shop right between the fireplace and the TV. Perfect corner spot, with a view of the entire family, who hang-out in this room regularly throughout the weekend. Either, playing a board game, watching a movie, folding laundry (good kids!) or reading a book.

What a better way to see them and get some stitching done! Or so I thought, I was inundated with little projects and repairs by family members. So I didn't, in the end get a whole lot done.

Or well, not according to MY priorities! My poor family usually needs to wait months to get any of their sewing needs tended to. So there I was, right at the machine in plain site. What could I do.

Actually, it was really nice to get these things done for them, instead of putting it off until the repair is no longer needed because the item no longer fits!

What I did get done was a few blocks for my Thangles BOM, which is always an easy and fun little project. But what I mostly wanted to do is finish my 'Tree of Life' wall hanging.

I started on the quilting, but didn't have time to finish, mostly because I was doing other little projects for my family. I even broke a needle customizing some soccer (or Football as he calls it) training bottoms. But no worries, in the end it was nice to be with my family and still sew!!

Actually, my machine is still in the living room, so tonight, I plan to sew with my family again. I wonder how long I can get away with this before they will relegate me to my sewing room again! :-)

Dear Jane(s Blog)

Several months ago, I had the great fortune to listen to Jane Moxey talk about her career as a Quilt show producer. She was brilliant and funny, it's a shame that most people don't know who she is or all the hard work she puts into her work. She does the ‘At Home with the Experts’ Series from P & T Publishing.

You will hear lots more about that series in the next several weeks as one of my New Year's Resolutions is to learn many new techniques this year, and her DVD series is BRILLIANT! I love that medium, it's almost as good as having a private lesson!

This is Jane and me. She had a particularly funny story about the time, several years back, she met Sean Connery, he was wearing nothing but a rather short robe. Oh to be that lucky!

Anyhow, Jane sent me word just the other day that she has started her own blog! You really must check it out, I'm very excited for her!

It's called Moxy Musings.

Christmas 2009 ~ It's never too early~!

Nanette, over at Freda's Hive has had the wonderful idea of posting all kinds of great ideas for handmade Christmas gifts throughout the year. This is great because,

1) it will give us all kinds of wonderful new projects. And if you know Nanette, you know all her projects are really great! And,

2) maybe we'll (I'll) not wait until the last minute to get all my holiday sewing done!


And honestly, after the rush was over and the paper and baubles all put away. There were already thoughts to next year. Yes, I'm adding two more projects to my list.

• I want a Christmas runner. I really loved the Moda's Christmas line this year, so I'm going to make a runner out of the Merry and Bright jelly roll I purchased.
  
  I don't know why, but I really enjoyed these fabrics.
  


• I am going to make a bed-sized Christmas quilt for one of my Children. Two of them loved the Happy Howlidays (doggy) Christmas fabric from Moda. I used some of if on the back of THIS quilt, and she'll out grow the fabric soon enough. So I'll make this one for my youngest, I picked up the fabrics at GREAT post-season prices:
  
  
  I am hoping this will be a really easy patchwork project!
  

I've Been Tagged!

I've been tagged. How fun is that, I've never been tagged before!

But before I get into that, evidently my husband would like me to make him a 'Scottish Quilt' He might have mentioned it before once or maybe a dozen times, but I didn't realize how serious he was until he went through the trouble of registering for a Blogger profile just so he could leave a comment to remind me. Mmmmm, think there might be something to this?

So anyhow, Sharon at Indigo Threads has tagged me so here goes:

Ok, first The Rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you. OK, done. See above.
2. Put the rules on the blog. Did that too! You are reading them.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself. See the list below.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is up.My 6 Random/Quirky Things About Myself:

Mmmm, this is rather hard because isn't 'Quirky' all the eye of the beholder? I make a stab at it anyhow, and I suppose some of the following even I will admit are a bit 'quirky'!

1.
I don't sleep with a pillow. Actually that's not true, I do sleep with a pillow, but usually my head is underneath the pillow and not on top of it.
2.
I dream every night, but quite often I'm not actually in my dreams. Usually my dreams play out like an art house movie or bizarre television show. Thank goodness I'm not a writer or you'd all really think I was odd.
3.
I love making lists! OK, I like making lists, and I LOVE checking things off my list; be it a to do list, a bucket list, a goals list. Sometimes I do top ten lists; but mostly I leave that to David Letterman.
4.
I believe that hot water and ice are blessings that should never be taken for granted. Really, the daily access to clean, fresh water shouldn't be taken for granted; but I am particularly fond of having the ability to regulate water temperature at will! (if you lived in a tent for a year, you would understand my appreciation!)
5.
I love to read children's books! I read all kinds of books really, but even in my thirties I still enjoy children books especially chapter books. I couldn't wait until my kids were old enough for me to read chapter books to them and now that they are, we have a lot of fun picking books for me to read to them.
6.
I like Dr. Who ~ the british show from BBC Wales. The new one that is, not the old one from years ago. Actually I had no interest in this show until we moved and had no tv for several weeks. All we had was a borrowed first season Dr. Who set of DVDs. After three shows, I was hooked! Who'd a thought! (if you want to take a peek I've added a video below:)

So here are who I am, in turn tagging:

• AudreyPawdry
• Dr. Quiltmon
• Quilt Dad
• Quiltster
• Free Falling
• Pieces from my Scrapbag

These are all fabulous blogs that I read regularly, I hope you take the time to check them out!

Cheers,

Dionne

Calendar Quilt '09 ~ Week One

This project started out as my son bringing me scraps from my 'crumbs' canister. This is a canister I keep of pieces too small to cut into a scrap, but too big to throw away. Anything too small for the crumbs canister goes into a pillowcase, which I fill up and then turn into a cat bed.

So My little guy (currently five years old) would rummage through this cannister, while I have it out. He bring bits of fabric to me that he likes and tells me he wants this bit or that bit to be in his quilt.

Usually I just smile and nod then put the bits of fabric back in the canister. But around the time he was getting wise, I read about a technique from Pat Sloan's 'My Favorite Techniques' and decided that this will be my sew-between. (the leaders and enders that I stitch at the begining and end of all my chain stitching). I loved the look of it and Rachel has set up a special blog just for those of us that are doing this Calendar Quilt.



So I take each of the pieces, picked out by my little guy, and sew them together until they make a long enough strip. Each strip becomes a day, and then I make a brick for every week. I don't know how it will turn out, because this project is being directed by a five year old boy. However, here is the brick we came up with after our first week on this project!

Now I do realize that this is the first project I've added to my list for the new year, but I feel ok about it because I've already finished one project! And actually, he picked out the 'Woodsy Center' from my UFO list and wanted that to be the back of his quilt... so there you go, it all works out well!

So, what do you think? Want to quilt a long with us?

This is a BRILLIANT giveaway!

This is such a generous giveaway that I wanted to post about it right away!

There is not much time, it ends on Jan 9th. But get over there right away and enter the drawing!

The blog is Canton Village Quilt Works

But please don't win (Just kidding... no, really... I am... just... kidding) But if you do win, say I sent you! That would make me feel better about you winning and not me winning.

But if I win, I'll tell you all about how wonderful it is that I won and not you. And then you can feel good about me winning!

Right?

Cheers!
Dionne

Mail call!

A few new blocks came my way, and a few more blocks are being sent out!


These first three are all variations of the Boxy Star that I have been doing a lot of:


These last two are for the Lap Quilt Swap IV at Craftster.org:

These fine blocks came in the mail!

This last one came all the way from Australia.