Block a Day Challenge & Eventual Giveaway

I plan on making the GIVEAWAY for this to be ALL of the 31 blocks in my challenge. I love the blocks, but I have to be realistic: If I haven't done anything with them in 11 years, what makes me think 2013 is the magical year? I would like to make it magical for one lucky winner. Read down to the bottom to hear about how you can win these and the remaining companion fabrics!

I pulled out a box of blocks I had made in 2002 when I got really motivated to make a block a day (gasp! yes, a block a day). Of course, I wasn't traveling and teaching then, though I was working part time and taking computer certification classes. But, hey, there's always time for sewing. Here are a week's worth of blocks and some notes I had taken while I was working on them. You can read the original story with tips on how to create your own challenge here:  Block a Day Challenge

January 1, 2002 (yes, 2002!) - 5” Album Block

5" Album Block - Can you see the little fairies?

Already had chosen a grouping of fabrics - the Fairy Collection from Benartex from 2000. Had small pieces to begin with, mostly fat eighths that I had already cut patches from. The first block is a 5” Album Block using lavender and yellow. Simple. Quick. Done.

January 2, 2002 - 10" Sister's Choice

10" Sister's Choice - Scattered flowers in greens and lavender

Must have been too early in the morning. I mis-cut squares for my triangle units. So, I set them aside to be used for a future block. Sewed Sister’s Choice block and set aside. Decided to cut out patches for an entire future block so I can grab and just sew. (Found Monday’s Child in Judy Martin’s Ultimate Block Book. Cut the following patches: center square is on point, cut 4-3/4”; setting triangles, cut two 3-7/8” which will equal four triangles; cut two 4-1/4” squares which will be recut into four triangles each (total of eight triangles).)

I also discovered that I can keep parts of blocks, pre-cut units, pre-sewn units, patches for entire blocks in envelopes. Grabbed some old envelopes from husband for this purpose. Labeled each so I don’t get confused when I come back to them later. (It's not good to confuse a quilter.)

  January 3, 2002 - 10” Dutchman’s Puzzle

10" Dutchman's Puzzle - Added 3rd color in center for a secondary pinwheel

Made a 10” Dutchman’s Puzzle by cutting the following patches: one 6-1/4” blue square to be recut into four triangles; six lavender mini print 3-3/8” squares with each being re-cut into two triangles for a total of twelve triangles; two pink 3-3/8” squares to be re-cut into two triangles each for a total of four triangles.

 January 4, 2002 - 8” Untitled

8" Unnamed Block - I captured a little fairy in the center,  dancing on a flower

Wanted to fussy cut a central square with a fairy. Inspiration came from a novelty tin can in my hall bathroom! Central square is cut 4-1/2”; outside mini print squares (4) cut 2-1/2”; eight 1-1/2” x 2-1/2” lavender strips and eight 1-1/2” x 2-1/2” green strips.
I also cut out units for a 9” Anvil; Cut out patches for 10” Single Irish Chain.

January 5, 2002 - 6” Flower Bud

6" Flower Bud - Simple, quick, done.

 Had nothing to say on that day!

January 6, 2002 - 9” London Roads

9" London Roads - Tiny pink sprigs on a blue background

Sliced and diced a few more units to put in envelope for a day that I need a quickie block. For the London roads I cut the following: two light 4-1/4” squares to make eight triangles; two dark 4-1/4” squares to make eight triangles; one light 3-1/2” square; eight dark 1-1/2” x 3-1/2” strips and four light 1-1/2” x 3-1/2” strips.

 January 7, 2002 - 12” Album

Yesterday, I cut out patches to make the corner pieced squares. Centered a lavender fairy on point as the central motif. The purple swirly print goes well with the lavender, pink, and gold plaid. Fun block. END OF THE FIRST WEEK!

Observations: make some more matching sized blocks so that I can group them. For example, make a few more 6” blocks so I can group them either by 2’s or 4’s. Make some more 5” blocks for the same reason. I like symmetry and that’s what makes me feel comfortable.

The Giveaway

OK. You've come this far for the blocks for the first week of January. How can you win all of the 31 blocks (including these first 7)? Each week I will post about another 7 or so blocks; vote for your favorite block in the group, only once. You can come back the next week and vote for the second batch, and so on. The final week I will have a drawing from all the comments. You get to put your name in 4 times for 4 chances to win. (No more than 4; I will purge the list.)

You MUST be a follower. If I draw your name and discover you are not a follower, I will pick another name (it's my party and I make up the rules).

Next week I will show the companion fabrics that will go along with the blocks. You get the whole thing!