For 2011 - Blocklotto, Free Motion Quilting, Stashbuster Ugly Fabric Challenge, and Friday Block Party

I've really enjoyed the monthly BlockLotto challenge.  With this challenge we send our blocks to other people if our name is not drawn.  We sew the same block up to ten times, following the detailed and helpful directions posted each month.  I intend to continue playing the BlockLotto in 2011.

I also intend to ramp up and continue on my free motion quilting, but even with that, I think I'm ready to do more sewing this year!  I'm thinking of joining two other challenges...

The weekly Friday Block Party has been going on for some some.  Each Friday she posts a new block to make.  Once you make it you post the photo to show the others in the group.  Some of the ladies do it all scraps, some select a color way to use.  I'm going to use scraps (probably the left overs from another project but I'm going to have grey as my color to tie things together for that challenge.  We'll see if I can produce a block at least every other week and keep up with my other plans too!

The other new project I'm thinking of joining in the monthly Stashbuster Ugly Challenge.  I don't like the name especially, but the idea is to use a fabric we have that we do not really like to practice a new block construction.

Last year all the blocks were to include some pink.  Each month they were going to have a beginner pattern and a challenging pattern - but after a few months one of the two volunteers couldn't continue so they didn't exactly do that.  It's a really good idea to have two different blocks.  (The previous year the color was yellow - but I can't find the files on that project so I'm not sure how it was organized.)

All the blocks have straight seams, the more challenging ones had more pieces... 
These are the images of the blocks from the directions that were posted to the Stashbusters' site.

 The list owner has selected a new person to do the challenge this year.  I think it will be fun to follow along.  I had stepped forward to head it up or be the alternative, but with all the emails going back and forth, my email wasn't read until the new person had been selected. Guess we were supposed to write to the group and not just to the list owner to step forward to volunteer.  (Or it could be my email was deleted in error as the list owner wrote me asking if I had written her about something else - that she had deleted a message and thought it was from me.)  Added:  She wrote me a nice note regarding this.

My ugly fabric is stuff I bought to be backing for quilts.  I still could use them for that,  but think I might go ahead and join the challenge that the new person will be working on.  Hopefully the color she selects will be something I have in my stash - if not then I'll have to pick another color and just be consistent with using it in the monthly blocks she posts.

I'm hoping between the three  challenges there will be lots of variety and fun!

I've been making very good progress on going thru cupboards and drawers.  I'm going to reward myself for all the organizing and clearning*, by fitting in time to sew next year!  Another change for at least early Spring 2011 is that I will be learning Italian and attending yoga classes!  But it will take a while still to get thru everything in the house and garage... but it's actually been a nice experience so far.  I've done the dining room, living room, kitchen, van, and part of guest/mom's room and master bedroom.

* clearning = cleaning and clearing out!