I haven’t yet made any of the butterfly blocks for my samplers … so instead of my design wall, I’m sharing this crazy photo of a chameleon with a monarch butterfly that I think I snagged from a Facebook post. The butterfly’s colorful friend is also a reminder that while you have to follow the guidelines for blocks you make enter for the Block Lotto drawing … when it comes to YOUR sampler, you can make other...

I am so tickled to have been one of the winners this month! What a very warm welcome I’ve received! Thank you for your kind words Glenna, Mariella and Pat K! Can’t wait for the blocks to arrive! I’ll be sure to post thank you so as they arrive!

Honestly, although I cannot throw them out, most of the bonus half-square triangle units I create end up in a completely unorganized bin with many others  for a “some day” project.  So, it is a little surprising that I have already used used this month’s crop in two small quilt projects. The pinwheels were treated as “squares” for the Floating Squares exercise from Sherri Lynn Wood’s book, Improv for Modern...

During the sneak peek, Jude shared a link to this design idea. This is a commercial pattern called Flower Garden; if you’re interested, you can learn more about it here. The flower in this block is similar to our Violet  …  and it has some similarities to a block Kate designed, which was our lotto block for April 2011 shown here. I called it Modern Clover. Keep reading and I’ll show you why … Jude’s message and the...

For those who love/prefer paper piecing, Cath Hall of Wombat Quilts shared a paper foundation pattern for Birds in the Air earlier this week. Clicking the link or the image should take you to her blog post about it.  I think the addition of a third fabric is kind of interesting,...

11 violets for my Old MacDonald sampler.  I’m thinking I might have to change out that light pink one later on because it sure looks out of place. I’ll wait until the end to decide.  I’m using green as my ground...

If you have made some violet blocks, you likely have a pile of triangles that look something like this. These are the 88 bonus triangles you’ll have if you make 11 blocks for Old MacDonald’s Mystery Sampler. Do you sew them up into half-square triangles and use them or save them or … toss them because they are too small? When you make 6 -inch blocks, if you sew up the bonus triangles, you’ll have half-square triangles...

I’ve been making violets this weekend … and apparently also continuing to incorrectly say that violets aren’t spring flowers.  Mother Nature (and commenters on my blog) have gently shown me the error of my ways. These (and many many more like them) are growing and blooming in my front yard.  I know if I post a photo, someone will tell me if they aren’t actually violets, but some other flower. The challenge of moving...

A couple people have asked me about the acceptability of not-quite-matched seams in the center of the block. As always, I hope everyone STRIVES to make well-made lotto blocks, while appreciating that the intention of the Block Lotto is to remain–now and always–a beginner friendly activity. The violet block is a great example of how much pressing your seams will help you make better blocks. All the seams around the centers of my blocks...

My finished top for February made from November 2013 Banded Baskets:   My finished top for March will be from blocks from July 2014 called...

Okay, they still need squaring up but here is what I learned this month. Neat Knick Sisters should stay out of my sewing area or, at least not pile everything helter skelter into cardboard boxes and stuff it in said Sisters closet…tightly. So, I am grateful to Sophie, for issuing me a Fabric test chart I am having to test all my fabrics to be sure I have real cotton…no poly in my Block Lotto endeavors. However, I decided to use up...

What if you won a set of 48 blocks this month?  What if you’re not so motivated to make a “brown” quilt?  What if you really wanted to make a big quilt and don’t want to make a gazillion more 6 inch snails trails blocks? Here’s one idea.  Make some of the larger 12-inch snails trails in a completely different color-way and mix them up … in a organized, alternate block way or in a more random fashion like...