November is Quilter's Choice in Purple and White

November is Quilter's Choice month ... and your choice may be a traditional or liberated one. The sampler blocks will be 8 inch finished size, made from white (solid or white-on white print) and purple (solid, tone-one-tone or predominately purple multicolor) fabrics.

The liberated twist on our sampler blocks will the scrappy strings added to each side and used to put our purple and white blocks on point, for a final lotto block size of 12 1/2 inches (to finish at 12 inches in the winners' quilts).

This beautiful example was made by Christina.

This is a great month to share your favorite blocks, try a lotto block that you missed or suggest a block that you think would be great for the lotto in the future.

Block Guidelines and Directions 

STEP ONE - Make an 8 1/2 inch block (8 inch finished size) of your choice and place it on-point Your block choice may be traditional or liberated. As always, choose a block that you would be thrilled to receive if you win. The sampler block should be made from purple and white fabrics; for multiple blocks you may use the same white (solid or WOW) background, but change up the purple (solid or predominately purple print) to avoid making identical blocks. If you make an appliqué block, there should be NO raw edges (covering raw edge applique with satin stitch is NOT an allowed appliqué technique.) If you make a paper-pieced block, please remove the paper. If you make multiple blocks, you may make up to 3 blocks that are the same block pattern (so for the maximum of 9 blocks, you will need to make at least 3 different block patterns).
STEP TWO - add 3 or more strips of fabrics of your choice to each side to create setting triangles Strips can be any width and, if you like, cut at angles. Remember that you must add at least 3 strips to each corner. Fabrics can be any colors and any style prints (although I would avoid using white and cream fabrics.) We are creating a traditional "on point" setting ... although you could use this technique to give blocks a twist and/or put them at odd angles, that's not the intent for our lotto blocks. The top point/corner of the 8 inch block should be at the center top, the bottom point at the center bottom and the sides at the center of each side.
STEP THREE - Trim the block to 12.5 inches with the sample block centered in the big block. Note: the center sampler block "floats" slightly and you will end up with more than a quarter inch outside the corners of the center block. You can confirm that your center sampler block is oriented correctly by checking the measurement from the point/corner to the adjacent side–it should be 6 1/4 inches.

As usual, you may make a MAXIMUM of 9 blocks.   Because of the larger size, I am thinking of a target set size of 36 blocks for the winner with a minimum set of 20 blocks.   The larger size also means that they will cost more to mail–something, perhaps, to keep in mind when you are decided how many blocks you'll make this month.

Labels for Blog Posts

For all blog posts related to this month's block, please add the label "sampler 10."  If you are posting a photo of your blocks, please also include the label "nov 2010 photos."

The Virtual Quilt

These twenty-eight blocks were made by sneak peekers Caroline, Christina, Ginny, Janet (S), Kasey, Kim, Linnea, Maree and Me.  (Links go to blogs, for those that have them and that I know about.)

We have a nice selection of techniques and styles already ... and I think they are playing beautifully together.

Click the individual block to see who made which blocks and for a closer look.