March 2010 Recap

SIX is the number to remember for this month.  Welcome again to our SIX first-timers this month (Balinda, Cory, Janet, Kim, Wendy and Wendy)  and congrats to our SIX winners (Carrie, June, Dianah, Rho,  Pat and Shelley).

Here's the list of blocks made for the lotto in March 2010:

• Andra - 5
• Balinda - 4 *NEW*
• Barbara - 4
• Brooke - 5
• Caroline - 2
• Carrie - 5  *** WINNER #1 ***
• Celine - 2
• Cory - 5 *NEW*
• Dianah - 5  *** WINNER #3 ***
• Ginny - 4
• Janet - 5 *NEW*
• Julie - 5 (donate)
• June - 5 *** WINNER #2 ***
• Kate - 5
• Kathie - 5
• Kim - 5 *NEW*
• Krista - 5
• Kristin - 5
• Laura - 5
• Linda - 2 (donate)
• Linnea - 1
• Liz - 3
• Lois - 5 (donate)
• Louise - 1
• Manuela - 2
• Mary Jane - 5
• Michelle - 5
• Pat - 5  *** WINNER #5 ***
• Rho - 4  *** WINNER #4 ***
• Shelley - 5 *** WINNER #6 ***
• Sophie - 5 (donate)
• Terri - 1
• Wendy - 5 *NEW*
• Wendy Lee - 5 *NEW*

Get Ready to Mail Your March Blocks

I just sent the email with the mailing information to everyone.   If you didn't receive email from me or have problems opening the attachment, let me know ASAP.

With 280 blocks flying around, timing is more critical than usual.  I don't want to become a nag and I definitely don't want to have to track down hundreds of blocks, so PLEASE mail your PAIRS of blocks as soon as you can.  Thanks.

March Blocks, Geographically Speaking

While we wait for me to hear from all six winners and prepare the who-mails-to-which-winners chart, here's something to play with.  It's a map that shows where all the March blocks were made.  Yellow marks the winners' locations.


View March 2010 Lotto Blocks in a larger map

FYI, I only used the city, state and postal codes of everyone's addresses to create this with Google maps. So, don't worry if your location seems wrong . . .  nor worry that it might be too exactly right.

March winners

Drum roll, please . . . .
The winners are

1. Carrie
2. June
3. Dianah
4. Rho
5. Pat
6. Shelley 

I am honored to be the selector this month, and look forward to seeing your beautiful and wonky quilts!
Linda from Big D

(I goofed and included someone who had donated her chances on the list ... I went back to the random number generator and chose a substitute.  Sorry about any confusion -- Sophie)

Going, going, gone!

I've just sent the list of 140 names to Linda, one of last month's winners, who will be chosing the SIX lucky winners for March.

Look for her blog post with the winners later today  . . .  and at midnight (in Dallas) tonight, the new block and photos of the 79 April blocks made so far.

1 pair more!

here is my 1 pair for the month. THought I'd have more but at least it's one!

March blocks

Here are my March blocks, 5 pair:

If you didn't see images earlier today

Google has acknowledged that there's a problem with their image backend.  You can read about it (and any future updates in this Blogger Status message.

Updated to add this problem apparently also affects uploading images, so if you're trying to post a photo of your blocks and it's not "taking," it's most likely NOT you or anything you're doing.

One more update, Blogger has updated their Status message to say that the problem is resolved.  Now, back to the blog eye candy. 

TWO MORE SETS

Sophie:

This should bring my total sets to 5 for this month.

I would like to join the Lotto

My daughter, Andra,participates in your block lotto and I would like to join in too! Here are my blocks for March.

two more sets

I decided to play with the scrap bins again before putting them away, so here are two more sets for March (total of 5 now, all my chances donated!)

March Deadline Reminder

Because we have a lot of newbies joining us this month (yay!) and not everyone who has sent me info,  accepted the invitation to become a blogger here, and  told me they have blocks made have posted them, I want to remind everyone, that you must post a photo of your blocks to be entered in the drawing on Wednesday (March 31).  The blocks must be posted by NOON (Eastern Daylight Time) on the last day of the month.

I don't know if we'll end up with enough blocks for a sixth winner, but if everyone who said they wanted to join us makes and posts blocks, it's definitely possible ;-)

. . . and while I have your attention, go check out the blocks that Kate is making for herself from WARM colored fabrics (and her new blog design, too).  I might have to stop reading everyone's blogs via my RSS feed reader, because I'm missing out on all the fresh, new blog designs ;-)

Rearranging the Furniture

(updated Saturday morning, after all my churning on the design stopped ;-) 

It has felt a little like spring cleaning and endlessly rearranging the furniture  . . . if you've visited the blog on Friday,  you might have seen any one of a bunch of different layouts and colors as I played with Blogger's new Template Designer and finally got around to putting the Guidelines, FAQs (frequently asked questions) into their own pages, which are easily accessible through tabs at the top of the blog. I also added an alphabetic list of all the lotto blocks we've ever made, with block photos and links to the patterns we used.

As I tried one thing, then another, I bounced between two and three sidebars, I was trying to put the info we all come here looking for "above the fold" (in the screen you see without scrolling down).  I think I managed to rearrange the various elements (AKA gadgets) just about every way that you can . . . though I think I ended up pretty close to where I started ;-)  I even took the photo of my block lotto banner quilt out of the banner for a while. And, as you might expect, the blog also went through more than a few color changes. Ultimately, I liked the plain blue background and this swirly yellow-orange one best and decided this template had a better definition between the main body and those pesky (but essential) sidebars.

So ... do you like the tabs (and the new look)? I will probably add a quilt gallery tab and one for my contact info (since contacting me is essential to joining the block lotto and it sometimes is a problem for some ... especially if their accounts are set for "no email."  I wondered if it would be a good idea to move our (often very long) list of blocks made onto a page.  Would you mind the extra click?  Would it be too hidden there? Everyone's feedback seems to be to leave it in the sidebar and I like it there, too and think I have come up with a layout that works with the list on the left.  Plus, it's easier for me to use the list gadget to update the list than it would have been to have to edit the "page" if I moved it to the tab.

The Journey . . .

I couldn't stop playing, so I  put the extra column back, thinking I could  "live" with it for more than a couple minutes.  I think I lasted a few hours, but I decided (again) that it was just too busy and that main body of the blog (the center where the posts display) was just too narrow.  If you missed the previous versions of the blog ... the first time I stopped (for a while), the page looked like this:

And then I changed to the template with the extra sidebar and it looked like this:

 

I'm not sure exactly how much the narrower the center area (where the posts are) becomes when you add the extra sidebar, but you can take a look at the March 1 post with the little blocks laid out in a virtual quilt and imagine that virtual quilt when it breaks because each row of images is too wide and so it wraps.  Ugh.

There is still a problem with integrating the Banner quilt ... or deciding to remove it.  I'm reticent to take it out of the banner because, if nothing else, it makes it clear that this "lotto" is about QUILT BLOCKS.  So, I will be tweaking the banner, but (I think), mostly leaving the layout alone for a while after I add the two tabs for our Lotto Block Quilt Gallery and some contact information.

So ... if you have made quilts from lotto blocks you've won OR inspired by lotto blocks and you haven't already posted a photo here, please consider sharing your quilts.

Last pair for March

Whew - got the last pair done, brings me up to 5 pair, yay!

Have my fingers crossed for this month!

~Carrie

Join the block lotto

Just wanted to say I would like to join the Block Lotto.

Debbie E
Indiana

I Just Clicked "Send"

If you have made and posted a photo of your March lotto blocks ...

• Your name should appear in the sidebar on the right, with the number of PAIRS of blocks you've made.
• You should have email from me, with a sneak peek at the April lotto block.

If you haven't received your mail and/or if your name (or number of PAIRS) is incorrect in the list in the side bar, let me know ASAP.

I had fun making April blocks yesterday afternoon . . . and hope others will, too.

Log Cabin Quilts Found on Flickr

I was looking for something else this morning and noticed a few interesting Liberated-style log cabin quilts on Flickr.

This one caught my eye because the colorway is so similar to the blocks we're making.

And I thought this strippy setting and dark sashings and border were interesting.

I found both of these in the Free-Piecing Group Pool of photos of Flickr . . . where I was actually looking at an inspiration quilt for April–which isn't much of a hint because there are over 500 photos ;-)

I have started collecting more Wonky Log Cabin quilt photos in a Flickr Gallery.  you can check it out here: Liberated Log Cabins.  Check it out for examples of quilts made with wide, narrow or no sashings and borders; and solid and print  sashings and/or borders in several colorways.

in under the wire!

Here are my first 6 -- will try to make a few more before the end of the month. I am going to donate my chances this time.

It seemed like these would reduce my scrap stash, but I think all it did was fluff it up from all the rummaging, so the bins still won't close!

Scrap Strips March 10 photos

Hi, Here are the remaining blocks.

Cory

Scrap Strips March 10 photos

Hi, I'm new to this blogging stuff but I am looking forward to taking part in the block lotto. I'm from Canada and live on Vancouver Island. Our quilt guild Victoria Quilters' Guild is having a quilt show in May 14 - 16 if anyone is going to be in this area at that time, we would love to see you. Cory

The April Sneak Peek is Tomorrow

For those who maybe haven't yet posted the photo of their blocks, haven't quite finished their blocks (or haven't quite started making them) . . .

While the deadline for entering this month's drawing is still a little more than a week away, in order to receive the sneak peek email with advance info about the APRIL block, you must post the photos of your blocks by NOON tomorrow (Eastern Daylight Time).

For any newbies that may be planning to join us this month, be sure to email me (sophie) so I can collect your info and make sure that you have author privileges on this blog . . . so that you'll be able to post in time for the sneak peek.

2 more sets

Here's 2 more sets from me to bring my total to 5:

Two Pairs

My blocks for this month. I will try to do three more pairs, but I'm not sure I have the time.

Manuela

Have I got the right (or left) attitude?

I have managed 4 blocks (2 pairs) for this month lotto. It is a challenge to put the ruler with the correct angle to make sure that you don't cut them all the same way I think. I started cutting my last block wrong so it isn't leaning as much unfortunately.

Celine in sunny UK (Spring is back hopefully!)

More blocks

I finished my last 2 sets of blocks for March today.   So that's 5 sets for me.  These were fun, and they did use up a lot of my scrap strips - at least the cool ones.  I had to be careful this time - I kept wanting to add reds & yellows because I was just working with those.  But I managed to avoid it, and kept these blocks cool and bold.

MORE LIBERATED LOGS

Today I finished up another 3 sets of logs, taking my total to 5 sets. Happy National Quilting Day everyone. I'm off for some serious applique, after being willy-nilly with these, LOL!

Nervous Newbie posts some....

Well, I'm awfully nervous to post. Anxious newbie, you know?

But I had so much fun making these blocks! I hope to finish another 2 sets before the end of the month. I didn't realize that I had so much green in my stash!Also, I'm hosting an online quilting bee if anyone is interested in participating. You can check it out at http://sewinginthewendycity.blogspot.com

Kathie's Scrap Strips

I loved making these squares, but they took longer than I thought they would. They've certainly put me in a springtime frame of mind.

Kathie L in Allentown

Kim's March Blocks

I'm a newbie and was really excited to come across this blog. I love liberated quilts and tend to be timid about them, but have been inspired by the beautiful blocks you ladies posted. My grandmother (an early liberated quilter) made a quilt with me when I was ten and I've been quilting ever since. I love purples, bright colors and bold prints, so this month's challenge called to me. "Liberating" the blocks in pairs was more challenging than I expected because I kept forgetting which way the ruler should go from one block to the next! I made five pairs and then a "tie-on" with some of the scraps (from the Winter Quilts & More). There's a big bead show in NYC this weekend, so I think I'm celebrating embellishments in honor of National Quilting Day.

All My Word Blocks are Here

Lisa's Cutie block arrived yesterday.  Thanks again to everyone.  I love these.

Another interesting Circle Quilt and National Quilting Day

If you were a fan of the polka dot blocks we made in December,  surf over to Kathy York's blog and check out the circle quilt she made from her new fabric line, Urban Landscape. 

I also have a photo of a cool circle quilt (with an interesting twist) from the Dallas Quilt Show last weekend . . . but almost all of my photos are still in the camera.  Uh oh ... didn't someone make a commercial about that?

National Quilting Day (in the US) is coming up this weekend . . . is anyone planning to do something especially quilty?  (You can read about the origins of National Quilts Day here.)  I am planning to join some of the members of the new Dallas chapter of the Modern Quilt Guild for a sew-in.   I still need to decide for sure on which project to pack-up and take along.

mailed!!

I forgot to say that I FINALLY posted my block to Sophie. I think I sent it priority but the lady was mumbling a lot. I really like this months blocks! I hope I get to making a pair or two but I have some things I promised to have done by April Fools day and I am seriously behind!! They are all looking lovely ladies!

Blocks from June

Okay this am I woke and made another block so now I am crossing out what I sent last night and resubmitting my contribution for the month - so now I have five pairs!

The lighter colors show up best with the phone that I am using to take the photo with - oh well.

Now I have to put my machine and fabric away until the next challenge!

Thank you again Sophie for organizing all this!

March Blocks

Here is my last pair for the March lotto...
I had alot of fun making these blocks. I just love the colors and have already made some plans for when I win (thats my wishful thinking).

I probably should have taken this on a solid background rather then my ironing board but you get the idea.

Log Cabin with Attitude Pairs

Here are my first 3 pairs. I will try and complete 2 more pairs before month's end. I did miss getting sneak peek by not participating last month.

Mary Jane (mjontebeau)

Here are my two sets of Liberated Logs for this month.

Liberated Logs for March

Here's my pair of liberated log cabins for March. I pieced them today on my machine - a bit of a departure for me, since I normally hand piece, but it seemed to go ok. I hope they're not too scrappy, and they have enough attitude...



I was a bit light on green fabrics, so they're blue/purple heavy. Loving the look of them, though - I'm staying in the draw this month, and crossing my fingers! :)

Louise (Derbyshire)

Another Setting Idea

Melody Johnson shared her sister Brooke's quilt in progress on her blog,  Fibermania . . .  and I immediately thought of our blocks and what a cool setting this might be for them.

You can read more about it here, Brooke Comes to Visit.  It's interesting that her blocks are made from warm colors (the opposite of ours), but she uses blue in all her cornerstones and the border.   I really like her liberated sashing between the blocks . . . I like it A LOT.

Kristin's blocks received

I received Kristin's blocks on Friday, so I think that is the last of the bunch. Thank you all so much. I' m still mulling the arrangement, etc. but thought I would post a photo of all on my upstairs carpet "design wall". (My other design wall has 2 other projects pinned on it. As soon as I got this laid out and turned on my camera, both cats showed up seriatum to lie right in the middle of the blocks, so they are currently in prison behind closed doors untill I get this posted. This will make quite a large quilt, which is a nice surprise - so many of you made really long words. I'm thinking of making a number of variations of pieced hearts to serve as spacers between the words, but I'm just starting to play with fabrics and layouts. Thanks again to all.

Also, I had the rare pleasure on Thursday night to tour the preview show of the Dallas Quilter's Guild Quilt Celebration with Sophie. I hope you all get to meet her someday-- she's even nicer and more fun in person!

Linda from Big D

liberated log cabin

These are my first log cabins, liberated or otherwise, so I didn't get very wonky in the strip width variations, even tho the fabrics are pretty varied. (My 2 current most active projects are a "grandmother's flower garden" so I've collected a lot of solids to go with the 30s prints as the first ring of the hexagon, and my other project is a 60s-feel quilt with the Beatles fabrics and some tie die, so you'll see a bit of both of these in my 2 pairs. ) Since I have plenty of fun ahead with these 2 and the sudden treasure of winning the "terms of endearment", I'm donating these 2 pair this month. (Plus, I don't really get the vision on this one, even though they were fun to make). Now I'll schedule a real log cabin (maybe just a pillow), in my future, since they aren't that hard.

Linda from Big D

Liberated Log Cabin with Attitude - March 2010

Phew, these are done...  I've only ever done a single log cabin in two fabrics with handstitching before, so I understood the basic principle of going round like a snail, but sticking to the rules tested my concentration levels!

I also found the 'attitude bit' tricky until I realised that each log cabin has 3 centre pieces, one horizontal and 2 vertical that make a 'unit' - and if I got the horizontal unit on the 'bottom', then did the tilting and cutting for 'attitude' and also tacked a small pink upward arrow into the relevant bottom corner after using a template for the tilt, but before trimming: it all came together without too much extra thought. I hope!

These are also the first time I've conciously tried the scrappy approach.

As I won at my first attempt with the TicTacToe, I'm donating my chances for this month.

Before the trimming, I really wasn't at all convinced about the choice of fabrics/ combinations at all, but Sophie was right so trusting her judgement and not starting again was the right choice!

Afterwards I had a load of left over strips, plus the large triangles trimmed from the main blocks as I'd grossly overcreated to about 13" each.  So I decided to see if I could cobble them together into a 'new' fabric then cut more blocks out of them like Sophie did for one of her quilts a month or so ago.  The results are posted here on my blog (as it's nothing to do with Block Lotto, just inspired by this months' challenge  but I'd appreciate any advice!)

First Tic-Tac-Toe Quilt

I finished my first tic-tac-toe quilt, using 9 of the blocks that I received from the January lotto.  (The quilt itself is actually square, although that's not completely obvious in this photo.)  I mirrored the wonky blocks in the setting, and then continued the theme in the quilting.  I echo-quilted the lines in each of the blocks.

I love these blocks - they are so nice and bright.  I can't wait to finish my plans for the next set.

I included everyone's name on the label for this quilt (click the photo to enlarge).  I thought I had blocks from 9 differnt people, until I went to write out the label.  I swapped some blocks around, and apparently ended up with only 8 contributers.

This quilt is on its way to my guild meeting on Wednesday, to be donated to the local children's hospital.

Kate's blocks

Had some time to sew today, so here are my five pairs for the block lotto this month - these were fun and a great scrap user. I have dutifully tucked my scrap triangles away somewhere to use in a future month, as recommended by Sophie - looking forward to seeing what that month brings (I do have some ideas, I confess - we'll see if I'm right).

I have started to make some more of these for myself, as I was really liking the way they made a visible dent in my collections of strips. Plus, they don't require too much thought, which is always a good thing on weekends around here as there are frequently a number of distractions (3, mainly, ranging in age from 7-12!).

More March Blocks

Here's another pair of block for March! I think I'm done with a total of 4 pair...have too many toher commitments, and tax accountant hubby is working 24/7 right now. Parenting and all is now 100% my job for a while!

Keeping my fingers crossed that this is my month!!!!

~Carrie

Louise's BABE is here

Louise's block arrived yesterday.  Thank you for the pretty block.   I now have all the blocks coming to me except Lisa's.   I had a border inspiration at the Dallas Quilt Show yesterday and plan to get started as soon as my bureaucratic woes calm down.I received a piece of mail from the government yesterday that makes absolutely no sense and it isn't clear that I will ever be able to clear things up.

Dianah's HOT blocks are here

Dianah's blocks are here.  They're all wonderful, Dianah.  Thank you.

Apropos of nothing, I just noticed that, before this post, we had 1, 111 posts on this blog.  Wow!

Lurker Jumps In

Hi everyone, My name is Balinda. I have really enjoyed following this blog. This month I decided to jump in and make some blocks and be a part of the fun. Here are my 4 pairs of blocks.This block is harder to make than it looks. I found out that I am a warm fabric person. I really had a hard time finding cool colored fabrics in my stash.

Neat setting for March blocks

I saw a really nice setting for wonky log cabin blocks over on paint creek quilts.   I can see setting the scrap strip blocks the same way.  This setting idea was what made me decide to tackle this month's blocks - I had been thinking they were a bit too busy for my taste, but the wonky setting from a more plain fabric seems to calm them down a bit.

March Blocks

Here is 4 sets for the March blocks. I was having lots of fun making these. I still have one more set to make but wanted to get these turned in. Love the colors, Love the Boldness, Love the blocks.

more deliveries

In the last few days I've received beautiful terms of endearment from Hanna Mae, Krista, and Ms. Clause. What beautiful work"woman"ship on each and every one. Thanks to all.
Linda in Big D

Opps! I forgot...

Sophie my block for last month went in the mail today for you. You should be receiving "Hot Mama," "baby" and "hottie" a little later this week.

Mary's Double 4-Patch Quilt

Mary K gave me permission to share this photo of her completed lotto block quilt.  Like this month, these lotto blocks–from January, 2007–were also made in pairs. I think the resulting quilt seems so much more complex than the simple Double 4-Patch blocks.

In January, we made 275 Tic-Tac-Toe blocks which was a new high for the Block Lotto, but for a long time, these blue and white blocks, from January, 2007, represented the Block Lotto high water mark (244 blocks) . . . and they inspired a few swaps of this block pair, too ;-)

If you're interested to see all the blocks or find the block pattern, there are links in the 2007 Lotto Block Index. 

Thank you, Mary, for letting me share your beautiful quilt.

More March Blocks

Here are my 5 pairs for this month. I don't think they tilt too much. It was fun to try. I think mine need to be more liberated though.