Secret Santa package received

Got the package from my Secret Santa from the Secret Santa Soiree yesterday.    And when I opened the box this is what I found - three lovely wrapped presents.   And nope this one I didn't wait till Christmas to open.   (Note, having said that I'll be waiting till Christmas to open the remaining two Secret Santa packages that are due to arrive at anytime.)

And when I opened the packages I found the bestest chocolate of all times - lindt, YUMMMMMMMMM.   A beautiful glass snail christmas ornament - in wonderful colors.   And a charm pack of Moda Marble fabrics.   You can get a better idea of the fabric colors in the charm pack by clicking here.   Love these colors and I've seen two different quilt pics lately that these would be perfect for.

So thank you to my Secret Santa (nameless, but from Randolph MA - not far from where I used to live in Boston) and Pogo!

Gratitudes -

1. For wonderful surprises in the mail on a dreary weekend.

2. For having a roof over my head and a warm place to live on a cold winter day.

BOM Block 1 Posted

Block one for my new BOM has been posted to my website.   A picture of the block is shown to the right.

To download the pattern, click here and then click on the link for Block 1 in the 2013-14 BOM.    I hope you enjoy the pattern.   Please let me know if you've got any questions.  

As a reminder, fabric requirements can be found in these two posts on my blog, as well as on the webpage for the BOM.
            Fabric Req's Part 1
            Fabric Req's Part 2 


Gratitudes -
1. For all of my family and friends who've known me through the worst times and still love me anyway!

2. For a reliable car that is paid off.


  

100 Blocks Blog Giveaway

QuiltMaker is giving away a complete set of all 8 issues of their magazine 100 Blocks from Top Designers.   For more information and to enter go here:
http://www.quiltmaker.com/blogs/quiltypleasures/2013/12/its-a-guy-thing-quiltmakers-100-blocks/#comments

In other news, I've made progress on the urgent deadline quilt and now have all 16 blocks together.   Next up putting the blocks together and piecing the border together so it can go on.

Gratitudes:

1. Gum is finally healing after the extraction on Monday.

2. My warm house and running water with the winter storm that is headed this way tonite or tomorrow.

Progress

I've managed to make progress over the weekend on the quilting front.    First up was two blocks made for the wedding quilt.  Used cream and tan TOT's for the background triangles.   Like how the blocks look much better with this color in the background than I did the COC that I used for the first block.  Net result is that I have a new orphan block....lol.

So far I've been paper-piecing these blocks.   Love how I get perfect points and everything matches up.   But have been debating at the moment if I want to keep making the blocks like I have been these.    I'm thinking about strip piecing the geese, and then using the pattern to add the background triangles so that everything lines up and the points end up where they are supposed to be.

I also made progress on the quilt w/the urgent completion date.   All block centers have been made in spite of the double pinwheels giving me fits part of the time.    Ended up frog-stitching one section 3 times before I finally got it together correctly.    Have cut all pieces for the sashing/setting, and that means I'm ready to start putting the blocks together since the sashing is a part of the blocks.     Will work on this more tonite when I get home from the store.  

I even managed to get three piles of homework graded over the weekend.   Coming next week - a big push to get the urgent top together, and a quilt onto the frame so I can get some practice before quilting the urgent project.

Gratitudes:
1. "Warm" temps in the 40's.
2. A good time over Thanksgiving with friends and family.