Layer Cake Block One with Gene Black

To start us off, we have a fun block designed by Gene Black.  I "met" Gene through the Jelly Roll Sampler Quilt Along.  Many of you also "know" Gene this way.  If you don't, you will.  He -- yes, he -- is very friendly and generous.  I was excited when he offered to design one of our blocks. 

Now from Gene,

Hi, my name is Gene Black. I live in Northeast Alabama. The town I live has the World’s Largest Office Chair as a “claim to fame.”

Everyone always wonders how a man started quilting. What I have discovered is that each man has his own story, although some are similar. My earliest memories of quilting go back to my early childhood. I sat on the porch under my grandmother’s quilt frame that hung from the rafters and played while “the ladies” quilted.

In high school, I took “Family Life” as an elective. We learned to cook, but before that we learned to sew and made an apron. That was my introduction to using a sewing machine. I liked it! A year after I graduated I got a used Kenmore sewing machine in avocado green. Yes it was the seventies! I still have that machine and it still works.

Fast forward 30 plus years. A co-worker had seen lots of my artwork and thought I should start quilting. She was teaching a class on Foundation Paper Piecing. She begged me to take the class. She even let me take it for free. I knew NOTHING about quilting or piecing. She told me that I would need an acrylic ruler with a quarter inch mark on it. Ha, I got a clear school ruler- not what she meant. So for the class she loaned me a ruler.

I made the block perfectly and was the star of the class. Everyone else in there was already skilled in quilting. So I signed up for the advanced class and made a table runner.

After that I started working on my own and reading blogs. I was already writing my art blog so it became my quilting blog also. I soon let my artistic head take the lead and designed my own ideas. What I have discovered is this: There is nothing really new that you can design in a block. What you have to do is add your own spin to it. This block is called the Alabama Spinner. It is a star type block that I added my spin on. I hope you like it.

I am happiest when I am creating. Besides quilting, I also paint and make jewelry. One of my desires is to use my artistic talents to design fabrics for the quilting community.

Blog -- http://www.geneblack.com/

Art Website --  http://artbygene.blogspot.com/

Thanks Gene!
 
CLICK HERE for the instructions to Block One designed by Gene:
 
Note:  From time to time I get an email saying there's problems with the file.  If you get mumbo jumbo when you click on the link above, try "right-clicking" on the link and clicking "Save Target As."  Then save the file to your computer and try to open it.  It isn't the file that is the problem, it's the download process.  If it doesn't work after several tries, just send me an email -- kluckau@moosequilts.com -- and I will email you the file.
 
It's called "Alabama Spinner Block,"  appropriate since Gene is from Alabama! 
 

Here is my version of Block One.  Notice that I reversed my medium and dark fabric.  I knew the pink was darker, but I thought there was such a good contrast between the green and the pink that it wouldn't really matter.  And I wanted a green center star!  Well, sometimes you get just what you asked for. 

I think I would like the block better if I had followed the directions.  Then the star would have stood out more.  It stands out more in the photo than it does in person.  Oh well, that's what happens you experiment, sometimes you like the results, sometimes you don't.  I love the block, and I love the colors, so I won't sweat that it could've been a little better. 

After you make your block, upload a picture on our new flickr group HERE.

Why do you want to post your picture? Because we all want to see YOUR block! Okay, another reason is because that picture enters you into the next drawing. So there is one rule about posting pictures:

Rule 1) Post only one picture of each block.

That's the only rule. Any blocks posted before the deadline will be entered into the next drawing. Any blocks posted after the deadline will be entered into the next drawing.

Are you ready for the first drawing?! I will post winners tomorrow. 

We have two great prizes for tomorrow (for anyone who has sign up to play along by today):

Prize 1) A couple Dandelion Girl charm packs courtesy of Gene.

Prize 2) A quilt book, Simply Charming Fun, courtesy of me.

Yeah! Start sewing today and stay tuned tomorrow . . . .