The Big Announcement

Hi Everyone,

I can now tell you something that has been in the works for a while now.  Do you remember early this year when I was making Monique Dillard's free Block of the Month, The Blogger Girls BOM?

Here it is, in case you forgot.  It was a really fun quilt to make as each month we got a new block pattern and then made it twice, altering the fabric placement to get two completely different looking blocks.

For example, this is one set of blocks.  You can see how different you can make them.

Well, if you follow Monique's blog, you may have read where she announced that she is doing it again, beginning in January.  This time, she asked me to be one of the featured blogger girls!  Nothing like this has ever happened to me before and I was thrilled and pleased that she would ask me!  I thought it over for a few seconds and then agreed. 

This time we are still making a block two ways, but it was up to us Blogger Girls to pick a block and Monique designed the setting.  Also, the blocks are only going to be 6" finished instead of 12."  The finished quilt will be 59" square.  I hope that some of you join in!  I think it will be lots of fun.  If you don't, though, I hope you don't mind reading along.  I'm sure that Monique will be putting out the fabric requirements soon, and when she does, I will share a link. 

While I didn't think anything else could be as exciting and amazing, it turns out that the wonderful Moda Lissa--Lissa Alexander from Moda fabrics, is going to provide some of the fabric.  I get to use the fabric that I've been drooling over for several months now.  It is out in January and is none other than the new Minick and Simpson line, Grant Park!!!  I think it is the prettiest fabric I've seen for ages and I have saved the money I made working the election to buy a fat quarter pack.  I'm not kidding, either.  It was my plan all along, so whenever I dealt with any persnickety people at the polls, (and when my alarm went off at 4 AM that morning) I whispered "Grant Park" to myself. 

I made the this year's version out of fabric that I had on hand (except for the background--the quilt required more than I had on hand) and I loved the result.  This time, using such wonderful fabric, I know this quilt is going to be a stunner. 

Oh, and just a tip:  If you ever get completely excited and text your husband, "OMG!!  I think I'm having a heart attack!  I feel like I just won the quilt lottery!!!"  You may expect an immediate phone call asking if you are okay or need to go to the hospital.  I guess since I'm over 45 now, I need to leave off the whole "heart attack" thing.  But really--while I wasn't exactly jumping up and down, I was doing a lot of bouncing around.  I was so wound up that I couldn't settle to doing too much, so I began making a few more of Lori Holt's portable design boards.  I love them!  You can find the tutorial here or watch a video here. 

Have a great day!
JoAnne