If you have downloaded this month’s block pattern, you may have noticed that the second page is blank. You have also noticed that the first two pages have a landscape orientation (wide) and the rest have a portrait orientation (tall). Here’s what I was thinking. The blank page is intentional, meant to allow for those who like to print on both sides of the paper.   If you don’t print on both sides, you might choose to specify...

If you made and posted string blocks in December, you should have received email from me with the mailing info for your blocks. I have updated the at-a-glance page with all the January information and the 38 blocks posted so far. And created my spreadsheet for tracking this year’s blocks to which quilters will be added when they post their first blocks of the year. I have also uploaded this month’s block pattern to Payhip–the...

  I was thinking about New Year’s Resolutions and thought how it seemed we mostly focus on negative things that we want to change to make better, rather than the positive things that, if we found a way to have more of in our lives, would make us even happier.  I was led me to the idea of making heart blocks this month after asking myself the question, What do you love? followed by, How can you have more of that in your life? Those...

In December, 29 quilters made 195 Cross-cut String blocks, which were won by: Lori Barb P Margaret Mary (AKA Needled Mom) Congratulations, again, to our winners. Complete guidelines and the block directions are in this post:   Cross-Cut Strings in December Tag for ALL blog posts about December’s block: strings   Here is the list of the 195 blocks made and posted who made them: Blocks entered into Drawing:   Barb P – 4...

Thanks to almost 30 blocks posted yesterday, we ended the month with a total of 195 blocks.  And the winners are:   Here are your winners: Lori – 49 blocks Barb P – 49 blocks Margaret – 49 blocks Mary – 48 blocks Congratulations to your all! Curiously both Lori and Mary also won blocks from the FIRST month of 2016. The winners should expect email from me later today, confirming their address and asking how many of...

Carol was having some problems uploading images … so here are her 6 blocks for this month. If anyone else is having problems with images or anything else on the website, feel free to email...

This may seem late in coming, but I really really would like to know if anyone intends to continue following the Block Lotto (and making lotto blocks) in 2017. Is there anything that would make a difference in your decision to continue to play along? Larger blocks or keeping them small (and easier to mail)? A variety of sizes? More traditional blocks?  More improvisational blocks? More difficult blocks? New colors?  Different color...

I may make more, but here are my four so far … … donated to the...

For those looking for the block directions for the chicks in the Old MacDonald’s Mystery Sampler layout … here they are. These are traditionally pieced and although you start with quite a few pieces–some which are quite small, they go together quite quickly. All the triangle shapes are added using the technique I usually call “Snowball corners” (somehow appropriate because snow is starting to fall in Santa Fe).  You...

My best laid plans for having my Old MacDonald’s Sampler quilt finished for December 1, came and went … I am still hopeful for an end-of-the-year finish, but in the meantime, here’s the layout with all the blocks. I will post more soon about how to make the half string-half split 9-patch blocks and share the bonus block pattern for the chicks … will anyone else be joining me in the race to the finish before the end of...

To finish our year of 6 inch (finished size) blocks. we will be making string blocks from quilter’s choice of fabrics and a few guidelines for the blocks to keep things interesting. Guidelines and directions for making the block appear below in this post. You may make a maximum of 9 blocks  for chances in the drawing at the end of the month. The target set size for the winners will be 48 blocks.   Tags and Categories Add the tag...

Sorry for the delay … The winner of our wild rooster blocks is … (my attempt to upload the Random applications result from my phone failed–but the number was 1) Barb P! Congratulations!!