Block of the Month Challenge for November 2015

Block of the Month Challenge for November 2015: This is a very busy time of year, with major holidays coming up soon (I am going to be very PC and not name them so I can be sure not to leave anyone out). Regardless of when or how you celebrate, there will be lots to do, so I am only going to post one Block of the Month this time.  You can always make it after the holidays, if you wish.

Members of the Amoskeag Quilters Guild will start making charity quilts with these beautiful blocks in the spring and finish up in the fall.

This block is called"Hannah's Square and Star". It is a bit tricky to piece but makes up into a really pretty block.  I made mine in two colors but this could be made in more than one color, if you like. Let me know what you think.

I will post photos of blocks that I have received in the next week or two. (Did I say this is a very busy season?!)

With Thanksgiving so near, what are you thankful for?  I am very thankful for my husband (married more than 47 years!), my many friends and, of course, my family; I am grateful to be able to live my life as I wish, creating, designing, writing; and for so many other things - I have a very long list!

Best Wishes to each of you who visit here.

Block of the Month Challenge for October 2015

Here are two more blocks to challenge and hopefully entice you to make one or both of them.  Follow the general directions below and remember - if you want one or more of your blocks to be featured in my forthcoming book on the quilts that might have been made by a fictional 19th century quilting bee or a contemporary (modern) bee - please e-mail me for my mailing address.  somethingsewfine at comcast dot net. All blocks that you send will eventually be used in making charity quilts by members of  the Amoskeag Quilters' Guild, Manchester, New Hampshire (USA) If your block(s) appear in my book your name will be listed under credits and you will be entered into a drawing for a free copy of my book when it is available.  (Don't hold your breath - it will likely be at least a year before it will be ready to go to press.)
If you prefer not to send any actual blocks to me, I would love to see photographs of some of the blocks you make and/or quilts (or quilt projects) you complete using these blocks.
I can't wait to see what you choose to send me! I will begin posting photos of blocks that are either made by my fellow guild members or sent from the Internet via this blog.

I would also enjoy receiving any comments or questions you may have related to this Challenge.

                                                                            ENJOY!

Disclaimer: these block designs came from QuiltPro, which is the software I use to design my own original quilt patterns.  However, these designs are traditional and are, therefore, in the public domain.

NEW: Block of the Month Challenge for 2015-2016

Aargh!  Somehow I managed to delete this post by accident.  I am reposting  it below.

I am in charge of Block of the Month for my quilt guild this year (Amoskeag Quilters Guild, Manchester, NH, USA). .  I thought it would be fun (and interesting) to open this BOM to any of my Facebook quilting friends who might be interested.

The goal is to make charity quilts with these blocks, both traditional and contemporary. We will “kit” the blocks and will have one or more group “Sew-A-Thons” to complete the quilt tops, either at a regular guild meeting or on a Saturday. Stay tuned for more on that. Our guild has given away literally hundreds of quilts over the years, to worthy organizations and individuals in need of comfort.

I have a second purpose for these blocks. I have written a novel about a 19^th century quilter named Hannah, titled “After the Storm”. I am planning a companion book that will feature the quilts Hannah and the members of her quilting bee “might have made”. I want to include photos of sample blocks and completed quilt projects “of the period”, with written instructions for how to make them. I also want to take some of these traditional blocks and present them in contemporary or modern settings in bright colors to show how traditional quilting can be brought into the 21^st century.  If one or more off your blocks are featured in my book you will receive recognition and credit for your work.

If this interests you, there are the instructions for how to participate at the end of this post.

General Instructions:

1. There will be two blocks offered each month. You can choose to do one block or both. If you are feeling really ambitious, you could do both blocks in both color options (see below),
2. There will be a choice of two color “styles”:
1. Traditional/Reproduction fabrics. Think 19^th century or Civil War era. NO 1930’s era, please.
2. Contemporary/”Brights”. Think Modern, “kid pleasing”, "playful", "happy".
3. Please use one very light background fabric for each block you make.
1. For Traditional, use an off white or ecru print.
2. For Contemporary, use a white on white or very light print with a white background.
3. All other color choices are your own. 

4.      You are encouraged to make as many of these blocks as you wish to use in your own quilts. It might even be possible to get one of your quilts featured in my book!

5.       Each block must finish at 10” square (10.5" when you make it)

If you want to participate, please send me an e-mail to somethingsewfine at Comcast dot net. You can also message me through Facebook or contact me through my website www.somethingsewfine.com 

There is no minimum number of blocks to make. You can make either type of block at any time, and you can start or stop whenever you want. NO PRESSURE! 

Join the fun!..

Block of the Month Instructions - September 2015

Here are the instructions for two BOM blocks.  Follow the instructions below for color choices. You may make as many (or as few) blocks as you wish. Don't forget to make some for yourself!

Please mail the block(s) you make to me each month or you may send several month's worth of blocks together.  I will post photos of some of the blocks that have been made in the coming months.  Keep in mind that ALL the blocks I receive will be used in charity quilts. I may also ask permission to include one or more of your blocks in my forthcoming book, a companion to my novel "After the Storm", due sometime in late 2016.

Please e-mail me and I will send you my mailing address:  somethingsewfine @ comcast dot com.

Something Sew Fine: Uh Oh - Catching Up!

.If you read through my earlier posts you will quickly discover I am not very good at keeping to a schedule on my blog! There are so many aspects of living the Creative Life That I am easily sidetracked. Oh well - I will try to catch up here and then on to some new and exciting things in my next post.

Most of this past year has been taken up with researching and writing my novel - After The Storm. This is a story of a courageous 19th century quilter who faces and overcomes many challenges in her life.  I have really enjoyed every aspect of working on this book until the last part where I have been  bogged done in the editing and finishing details.  Being a complete newbie at writing a novel I had no idea what to expect, but finishing and letting go of my manuscript has proven SO much harder than I anticipated! I flip flop back and forth between thinking it is a really interesting, well written story AND thinking it is a piece of you know what. By holding onto my manuscript and not allowing it to continue through the publication process, I guess I am holding off on the inevitable - finding out how my book is actually received once published and distributed.

Luckily I have discovered that almost every new author (and even some that are well established), feel exactly as I do before their books reach the public. Only those who are so self-confident as to to verge on arrogance do not shake in their shoes before their book is published. Knowing that makes me feel much better!

At any rate, I have been consumed for much of the year finishing writing and editing my novel. (How do you know when you have really finished writing?? Ideas keep coming, I add a new story-line or more details...) I do hope I can send it off to the publisher for the final steps soon.  Will keep you posted.

I am about to embark on a new project - actually two:  I am planning a companion book to my novel  which will include quilt projects and complete instructions related to the novel.  I am being deliberately vague, since this is still in the early stages of development. Related to this - I volunteered to be in charge of Block of the Month for my guild for 2015-2016 and I am opening up this same BOM to my Face Book friends.  It should be a lot of fun - Stay tuned for more details, coming SOON!

As if all of this was not enough, my DH and I are in the midst of planning a major renovation of our house (tearing down and moving walls, a totally new bathroom and upstairs laundry)  One result will be a much larger studio for me!  Hooray!

I am busting with creative energy - just have to learn to channel it better.

Have a lovely fall.  I will post again SOON.  I promise!.