I won a set of TicTacToe January Block Lotto Blocks!

Which is very exciting, once I'd got over the initial shock.... I was relying on my total lack of luck in these things to practise making blocks and send them out of my house for quite a few months, rather than actually being a winner first time round!  Not surprisingly my friends found my naivety hilarious from the start and did warn me I was crazy to join in anything that had a risk of more unfinished projects arriving (bearing in mind my current mania for getting on with finishing them and not starting anything new or buying more equipment/stash etc until I have). Anyway, as I say, now I've got over the shock, I'm excited.  And slightly terrified. So -

I've done a plan of what I'm going to do with them.  Maybe.  Because I don't actually know how to do what I want to do - and usually when that happens it languishes for years & years in my unfinished projects pile, in fact everything in my unfinished projects pile is a result of big ideas and lack of HowTo knowledge....  But these blocks have been made by other people and it would be rude not to make an effort and learn how!  So, I'll be off to a couple of local libraries this week to see if I can find any books on patchwork/quilting, and I've asked the lovely Block Lotto ladies if they can recommend any as well.

I've also worked out the dimensions here and again asked the lovely ladies if I'm more or less in the right place with them. 

I've also bought sturdy card backed envelopes for sending my blocks off to the other winners, as having been the tardy one replying to the winners email from Sophie, I am determined not to be tardy on actually sending the blocks out...  otherwise I might be banned from the group and I'd be devastated!

The Block Lotto February blocks are words on the theme of endearments - pieced or applique.  And there's some gorgeous examples of what one might do with them here and here and here (not to mention the Block Lotto blog banner heading Sophie did), and I really really want them! After all I do need two quilts for my bed, one to use and one to wash....  So having initially thought I'd donate all chances after the first month (to negate the danger of incoming UFPs, perhaps I should have donated my chances from the beginning? chortle), my determination has crumbled after all... 

I've found a tutorial for letters here, I'm going to do a sample alphabet (for my burgeoning patchwork/quilting sample file), then some words by the end of the month, then hopefully win again - quite a few people are donating chances, so I might be in with a chance!  If not, I'll merely have to create my own UFP with word blocks instead of having one arrive all ready created for me (chortle).

The February blocks together with an Italian quilting sample that's finished but not mounted that I (re-)discovered during my clearout has rejuvenated my enthusiasm for the cushion I promised my dad years ago - it's word based and is his favourite Bible verse "For the Lord stood by my side and gave me strength" (II Timothy 4:17).  I've got the fabric ready dyed, I've got the verse, I've got the thread, the zip, the cushion pad, all I've got to do is to sort out a plan.... oh and actually do it!

So, those are my three aims for February, do a sample alphabet, do some February Block Lotto word blocks and work out a design for the cushion for dad.  That's in addition to the 365 Cards mammoth catch up (over 200 to go and under a month to do it - no way it's going to happen but will have a good go at doing as many as I can), jobhunting and studying for my Trust Law paper.  I wonder what will give first?

I've also been spending quite a lot of time at the Patchwork Times blog looking at the regular Design Wall Monday posters' blogs.  I never realised the sheer variety of patchwork & quilting patterns (nor how fast some people work!)  It's fascinating reading week on week seeing progress (or lack of it) and it's led me onto some very interesting websites on cloth/ quilting & crafts generally.   And generally enthused me to start sewing again which is a great thing.