Block lotto and levels of giving

Like many guilds, our guild does a block lotto.  For the uninformed (which I was until a few years ago) a block lotto is where a block pattern is chosen.  The quilter pays a small fee (50 cents at our guild) to purchase the background fabric for the chosen block.  Then the quilter makes the block from fabrics in her stash.  She returns the block, and her name is placed in the hat.  One lucky winner will win all the blocks that were returned.  I decided to participate in a recent block lotto where the pattern was called "Scrappity-do-Dah".  I entered twice, and I won!

In a recent guild newsletter, the president gave a synopsis of the children's book "The Quiltmaker's Gift".  She spoke of three levels of generosity.  Level 1 is where we give away what we no longer need.  Level 2 is where we give things we still like and want but we don't really feel any loss when we give it away.  Level 3 is where we notice what others need and offer them a gift that is truly useful to them but still means a lot to us.

So, why am I interjecting this in a post about block lotto?  Well, here is the finished top that I made!

I obviously don't do scrappy very well!  Some of the fabrics are obviously level 2 fabrics.  I recognized some of them and have them in my stash.  There were a few level 1 fabrics, but in saying that, it is all in the eye of the beholder!  I used some level 3 fabric in my blocks.






But put all together, to me, this was a level 1.  I have donated the top to Project Linus.  I could have made it a Level 2 by quilting it. But it was given as you see it!

Circle of Life is home!

Circle of Life is home!  I sent it off a couple weeks ago to Columbus, Ohio to compete in the National Quilting Association quilt show.  She came back unadorned of ribbons.  But here was what the judges' had to say:

Dramatic presentation
Smooth color gradations
Piecing is well done.
More control needed for machine quilting for smooth curves and remaining in ditch.
Binding is generally good.

Good and fair comments.  I didn't get to go to Columbus to see the show, but I did have a TQS (The Quilt Show) friend take a picture and put it in her TQS blog.

I don't know why the bottom is waving.  I blocked it, so I know it was square.

This is what was included with my quilt!  An entrant's ribbon, a copy of the show book, and a label that I can put on the back of Circle of Life that says:

Exhibited at

The 42nd Annual Quilt Show

The National Quilting Association, Inc.

June 16-18, 2011

Columbus, OH

The next stop for Circle of Life is Danville, IL for entry into the Vermilion County museum quilt show!  This is a great show, that hangs the entire month of July!  Danville has a strong Lincoln history, so if you are a Lincoln buff, it is doubly worth the trip!

Irish Quilting challenge

On Facebook, Irish Quilting is running a challenge.  They want people to post pictures of what they currently have "under the needle" on their site, and have people "like" their site and the person's project!  The one with the most "likes" will get a free subscription to Irish Quilting.  Okay, I say, I am up for the challenge!

This is Shazam, which is the cover quilt from Colleen Granger's "Circle Quilts".  I guess I am still in a circle mood after Circle of Life!  Some of the batiks are left over from that quilt.  Yes, I did "have" to buy a few new ones!  This will be set on a black background and made into a small medalion quilt.  Watch this space for further posts.  And go to Irish Quilting's Facebook page and like them and my post!

New accessory for my featherweight

Yesterday, June 1, was my Aunt Zola's birthday.  It also was the day in 1964 when my baby brother John broke his femur when he was three years old, but I digress!  As my long time blog readers know, I named my Featherweight Singer Zola Mae after my Aunt Zola.  I thought there would be no better way to honor my aunt than to make an accessory for her namesake on her namesake!
I found a cool pattern for a Weighted Pincushion Organizer, http://www.sewmamasew.com/store/media/blog/SMSPincushionOrganizer.pdf.  I had fabric leftover from making the case cover for Zola Mae, so I decided to use these to complete the ensemble!

I set Zola Mae up in my sunroom.  It was a bright, sunny day yesterday (it is currently raining!)  What a great place to sew.  The robins have been chirping. 

I have made several different types of these scrapbags.  This one was one of the easiest that I have ever done.  It didn't require purchasing anything that wasn't already in my home, which is always a big plus!

I really like that the bag can be detached easily for emptying, or to just use sitting on the table.  The pincusion is certainly big enough to hold lots of pins!  And the handy little pockets to hold small rulers, marker, seam rippers is also a plus!