Who's started their blocks?

I have to confess, I'm still mulling over what pattern I'm going to pick out! LOL! I WANT to do a "tree of life" block, because this surgery is giving me back my life--BUT, I did one of those for a "Bible block" swap once and ALL THOSE LITTLE TRIANGLES!!! I can't bear it! So, I'm still looking. My new "Keepsake Quilting" catalog arrived in the mail today and I have about a dozen pages turned down! UGH! I guess you can never have too much quilt "stuff" around. I know at least one swapper is working diligently and must be close to finished with her blocks already!!! WOW!!! Way to go Stacy!!! She and Jacquelyn have been getting together to make blocks--you guys are so LUCKY!!! It's so fun to quilt with a friend! So, how is everyone doing so far?

I have one block finished. All the other blocks just need to be assembled and then they will be finished. I just keep looking at things and tearing out seams because they aren't perfect. I'm not doing it anymore...I spent a lot of time on that first block and it just isn't perfect. So I'm taking the Amish phrase as my 5th amendment here...."Only God can make a perfect quilt" Sorry guys I'm going quilting! Jacq

I PICKED A PATTERN!!! YEAH!!! I found one called "Turkey Giblets" and since I'll be one year out on Nov. 14th, I'm really looking forward to Thanksgiving this year--not for the food, but for my fabulous new body It's a paper pieced block--my favorite kind! I have to go to Kinkos and have the pattern printed on thinner paper than I have around here...48 copies! I'll be chain stitching for several days!!! Jacq, you guys are phenomenal!!! WOW!!! I'll post mailing instructions soon and you can mail when you're finished or wait until April, either way is fine. I have a file box ready to hold the blocks until swap day. Anybody else working on blocks yet?

OK, I'm talking to myself I have been browsing online ALL DAY trying to find my fabrics. I've had a friend's kids so can't go shopping, and the block I've chosen is a two-color block, so obviously one of the colors is tan...very limiting!!! I found the absolutely perfect fabrics at BearPawQuilting.com but apparently they don't have much else and there are a few other things I'm needing. So it's back to KeepsakeQuilting.com--the fabric is more expensive at KQ, but they definitely have everything else I need. But before I buy, I'll be checking out JoAnn.com as well. They're having free shipping if you spend $25 or more--and I've never gotten out of a quilt shopping trip for less than that minimum!!! LOL! This really is a very slow board, isn't it??? Anybody home?

Like you, I'm still in the mulling stage. I keep looking at blocks and then discarding them as being too ambitious for now. Most of the blocks I look at are less that 12 inches. The blocks I have made previous to this have been smaller and I wonder how the pattern will look larger, if there would be any difference. However, that's not going to stop me. That's why they made Electric Quilt! Now a block AND a story... that might be the difficult part. Would anyone mind if mine started "once upon a time..." I'm back to surgery tomorrow for a hernia repair. I'll take a quilting book with me. Mary P

We should make a mailing list of everyone in this block exchange because I for one never think to come here...lol It's a very empty board. You probably recruited most of us from the main forum. I'm all ready to finish my blocks today. However, I'm not satisfied with them. I used this muslin I got from an estate sale and it's old and probably not the best quality. My instructor had told me it would be fine once I washed it, but I think she'd change her mind if she saw it. There is enough time for me to redo all 12 blocks but I don't know that I can fit this in because I have to get my next project started for my mother in law's Valentine's Day quilt and a pillow for my mom. Guess we will truly have an "old fashioned" looking quilt block. When you get time, send me mailing instructions. Stacey and I will mail ours to you together, we decided to do that last night. Happy Quilting! Jacq

I finally decided on my block - card trick - last night, so went up to the quilt shop to look at fabric. Got a fat quarter of 5 fabrics and sewed up a sample block to see if I'd like it. Not bad. Had thought maybe doing it small and putting it on point, but did it the full 12.5 inches. Think I would have liked it better. Went up late PM and got more fabric to finish the blocks. The quilt guild that I went to years ago, is planning a retreat at a local motel, was to be either this week or next, so took both weekend's off work to guarentee that I'd get the day off. (But it's next Friday and Saturday.) So got to sew all day today, but the wife was home sick. Tomorrow I'll get to go to my daughter's district speech competition, so it is something I would not have been able to get to if I had worked. When I had WLS in August, the last month before I returned to work, got sewing again, so plan to join the guild again. Probably only have about 10 quilters come and go different times. There is no set project, sew on what you want. I'd picked up a Christmas quilt kit in Canada in December, so will work on it. Just got done with supper - made chicken strips in the oven. Had tried making them earlier and my daughter said she wanted me to try making them again. Used a coating of Bisquick and Parmesan cheese. Besides quilting, I like to cook and experiment with dishes. Yes send where everyone is from - I'm from Algona, IA, only 35 miles from the Minnesota border. We have 2 quilt shops in Algona and only 30 miles from Country Threads at Garner. Fabric designed Sandy Gervais is also from here. Several other towns also have shops close. It's been a couple years since I've been to Country Threads, but that was where I took my first quilt class. I've picked up a lot of scrape fabric from them over the years. Need to get back sewing and watching TV with the Mrs., so will check in again from time to time. Bob PS - if I'm lucky will be at or above 100 pound since surgery soon, this morning it was a 98.5 pounds lost since surgery. (About 123 from the heavest in June). Think I was at a platuea the last couple weeks.

Hey, Robert! I'm compiling a list of everyone's email addresses so we can all stay in touch. I think there are very few of us that are actually checking out the quilting board so it was suggested that I put this together so we can at least stay in touch through email. I didn't get to send you or Stacey an email earlier b/c the OH website limits how many you can send out at once. Looks like I'm back in now You sound just like my DH. He LOVES to cook and experiment with foods and tastes, which has been both a blessing and a curse now that I'm post-op. He made the most delicious homemade broth for me just prior to and following my surgery and mixed all sorts of soft foods for me. But now, I'm on solids and eat half a piece of chicken and 3 green beans and I'm done so he hasn't been making the gourmet meals that he used to. I would love for him to do it, but the kids (2 and 7) are still so picky that he knows it'd be mostly him eating his own creations. I'm hoping and praying that he'll have wls himself so we'll be on the same page again. OK, email me your email address and I'll add you to the list. Congrats on finding a block! I spent all afternoon checking my stash to see if I had enough of anything to make my blocks without shopping--alas, no. I must shop. Ah, well. You do what you have to. Blessings, Teresa

I finished on Friday night but have no clue about the story part. Is there a specific question list or general basic please include this info that we could use to write the story? Stacey finished her blocks last night and she too was wondering about the story part because she just started to consider WLS. Blessings, Jacq

No story, just tell why you picked the block you picked. For instance, I chose the "Turkey Giblets" because I will be 1 year post-op in November and am really looking forward to my new body by Thanksgiving, 2006 That's it. Nothing much, just let us know what was your inspiration.