I’ve joined a few, and will be watching a few. Here’s what I hope to participate in:

1. One Block Wonders BOM Hosted by Sandy of UpStairsHobbyRoom.blogspot.com  This started in October of 2015, and has been a lot of fun. You can make just one block or any size quilt you like using the block pattern presented each month.
2. Facets Quit Along  Hosted by Christa of christaquilts.com  The Facets quilt is one of the quilts in Christa’s new book Machine Quilting With Style. This quilt along starts now with gathering supplies and then February 5th is the first week of sewing, but of course ladies are already busy piecing. You can see some lovely progress on the Facebook group page.
3. Tribal Block Club Hosted by Amy of 13spools.com Amy is presenting 6 blocks and 3 patterns over the next few months. Her tag line is “6 blocks | 3 quilts | endless possibilities”. I had the pleasure of testing a pattern for Amy, and do hope to play along some using several of her blocks!
4. And as if that is not enough, I also signed up for Machine Quilting Block Party Hosted by Leah Day of freemotionquilting.blogspot.com This is a BOM that is a quilt-as-you-go technique. The idea is to improve piecing and FMQ. There is always room for improvement!

I’m thinking I’m a sucker at this point! At least #1 and #4 are just one block a month. I’ll tweak the Facets quilt to my liking, and not sure what I’ll make during the Tribal Block Club.

Above is Block #1 of Leah Day’s BOM, pieced and ready to mark for quilting.

Here are a few Quilt Alongs I will be watching:

1. Quilt with Me Hosted by Katja of katjasquiltshoppe.com This quilt along is pieced hexies also constructed with a quilt-as-you-go technique. Plus it is English Paper Piecing (EPP) and Katja is using big stitching with perle cottons for the quilting. Lovely! You can follow along on her Facebook page. I think EPP and hand work is a lovely idea, I just don’t see getting to it this year.
2. Suzybee Growth Chart is also a FMQ Quilt Along Hosted by Karen of karensquiltscrowscardinals.blogspot.com Karen uses preprinted fabric growth charts to practice FMQ. She will be sharing tips for improving FMQ. I bought the growth chart, (hope it arrives in today’s mail! It did!) and will see if I actually fit this project in to my sewing time!
3. The Splendid Sample Hosted by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. There will be 100 – 6″ block patterns presented through out the year by many talented quilt designers.  There is a Facebook page too.  This one I’m watching! A friend sent me a link and asked if I would be joining. Mmmm, no! Not with everything else already planned!

Above, preprinted growth chart for FMQ along.

I finished the Dot-to-Dot top. Pattern by Sew Kind of Wonderful. I have fabric for the binding, and some pieces left over from the top. I plan to piece those and put into the back.

I used a Layer Cake pack of Horizon by Kate Spain and several tone-on-tone creams for the background. The top is 57″ x 76 1/2″.

How did I do on last week’s To-Do List?

1. Add border to my daughter’s quilt. ✔️Border attached and back made. Needs some longarm quilting.
2. Call customer to pick up her t-shirt quilt and pillow. ✔️She picked them up and loved them!
3. Work on Dot-to-Dot top. ✔️ Top completed!
4. Work on One Block Wonders January block.

This week’s To-Do List includes getting to those BOM and Quilt Alongs!

1. Piecing One Block Wonders January quilt.
2. Mark and quilt first block of the Machine Quilting Block Party
3. Decide on fabric for the Facets Quilt
4. Start prepping t-shirts for next customer quilt
5. Tuesday, Jan 26, Curvy Quilters Group, pick a WIP to take to work on.

Here I am using Scant 1/2″ Tiger Tape to make 3″ finished Half Square Triangles.

This is a project for Fabrics and Friends Quilt Shop, Roanoke, IN. Using Henry Glass ‘The Kings Arrival’ Christmas Fabric and Trifecta Block of the Month, Block #2.

I repeated the block 12 times and rotated the block for the layout.

Needs quilting and binding.

Here is my block using the 2000 Basket & Blooms Block of the Month Patterns by Joined at the Hip.

It just makes me happy!

And here are my blocks for the Craftsy Block of the Month program with Amy Gibson. Paper piecing was the theme for October’s lessons. Here is Friendship Circle:

And here is Circle of Geese:

Two more blocks that just make me happy! I really like how the Circle of Geese turned out in a color wheel kind of way!

Here is September’s Color Palette Challenge :

My block:

Joined at the Hip 2000 BOM pattern.

And one of two blocks for the Craftsy Free Block of the Month program:

I have the parts for the second block cut out, need to get them sewn together. September we used Marti Mitchell’s Drunkard’s Path Templates. She has a unique way to cut out the pieces, that I really like!

Craftsy BOM with instructor Amy Gibson. The blocks are star blocks this month.

I’m using Vicki Welsh’s monthly Color Palette Challenge when selecting the fabrics. Here is the palette for August:

And June – yes, I am behind.

I have NO grays in my stash! None! So I used tans instead. I’m pleased with the results.

And here are the blocks from the Craftsy BOM using the same fabrics as in the basket block. What a difference a pattern and color placement make!

My daughter says the blooms look like eggs. Eggs or not, I still love this block!

Chunky Chevron

Balkan Puzzle

Using the chevron block pattern, I enlarged it to a 16″ block and then added two more half square triangles to the sides to form a sqaure. By piecing three of these altered blocks in a row and adding background fabric to the sides,  I have created a 48″ long x 38″ wide baby quilt.

Here is the top waiting to be quilted and bound.

Thanks for the inspiration Craftsy and Amy!

I’m also participating in Craftsy’s BOM and here are two blocks for this month:

1. Christmas Table Runner – applique on words, quilt

2. Argyle Quilt Top – blocks made, piece together

3. Pie Safe Quilt – finish applique and piecing top

4. 3 Creative Studios BOM – blocks made, piece together top

5. Garden Lattice Quilt – fabric bought, need to cut and piece top

6. Journal Covers – fabric bought, need to make covers

7. Chinese Coins Quilt- finish hand applique vines, piece constructed strips together

8. Modern Chinese Coins with applique – fabric bought, start top

9. Fire Escape Quilt – fabric bought, cut and start piecing

10. Fairy Quilt Top – fabric bought, cut and start piecing

11. Wallet Pattern – pick fabric and make!

12. Purse Pattern – fabric bought, make!

I’m also participating in SewCalGal’s Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I’m very excited about learning to FMQ this year.  Maybe by the end of the year I’ll be using my new skills on the quilt tops finished in the UFO Challenge!

For the Color Palette Challenge I’m using  a Joined at the Hip  BOM I bought in 2000 but never made. And I also signed up for Craftsy’s BOM. I’ll use the color palette for that as well, and then use those blocks to practice the FMQ.

I’m feeling all set for sewing and quilting in 2012!