Block Seven with Terry Griffin

While I'm not expecting to see too many of these stars this week, our seventh star is here today for you to work on when you get a chance!   Our block today is by Terry Griffin of Thankfully Sew!

Here's Terry!

 It is so surreal to look back over your life and see that you have come full circle.  I grew up in a small town in the south-west corner of New Mexico.  The little town of Virden was a farming community. My dad ran cattle,  grew alfalfa and fields and fields of cotton. 

I remember going to the farm and seeing the huge cotton picker go up and down the rows of cotton to take the cotton off of the stalks.  After loading the cotton into 18-wheel-trailers dad would take the load, and if we were lucky he would let us jump in the truck, to the cotton gin to have the seeds and bolls seperated from the fiberous cotton.  Dad would sometimes let us jump in the seed trailer after they were seperated -- pure fun!!  Just as today he and other farmers, now in this industry the fabric manufactures, worried about cotton prices and making sure their efforts resulted in the best products. 

The end result of the cotton picking would be Grandma and all my "aunties" (all the women in town)  gathering at the church and setting up as many quilt frames as they could and quilting, by hand, a season of quilts.  Us kids would play under the quilts until Grandma got tired of us poking the fabric with our fingers and feet.  Then we would be sent outside to play.  Good times!

In 2005 my son, Ryan, was critically injured resulting in a move to Utah.  Since he needs 24/7 care, I needed something to keep myself engaged so I started sharing my love of quilting thru Thankfully Sew, LLC.  I am the very proud wife of a fantastic husband, mother of four beautiful children (two sons, two daughters), two magnificent son-in-laws, one suburb daughter-in-law, and nine wonderful and brilliant grandchildren. 

Now it is my turn to show my grandkiddos how to use a needle and thread.   My two oldest grandkids, Tristen and Chase -- both boys, started these masterpieces -- we will finish there "blocks" and make a pillowcase the next time they are at Grama's.

Check out all of our patterns at thankfullysew.com.  And, visit with your local shop to get your favorite pattern or patterns from new designers from Patterns Gone Digial -- check us out at patternsgonedigital.com.

Thanks Terry!

Here's Terry's block called Twinkle of Hope.

Here's my version of Terry's block.  It looks like mine turned out to be a Christmas Star!

There are two things to keep in mind with this block.  First, read the directions.  I know that's a give, but sometimes, well, you know!  Just because there is a pinwheel in the center of this block, doesn't mean you actually make a pinwheel.  The pinwheel is a secondary design.  Don't start making half square triangles -- like I did.  It even says all this in the instructions!

Second, make sure you find in your printer settings where it says something about scaling.  A lot of printers are set to "scale to fit."  You do NOT want the pattern scaled.

If you do those two things, you will be surprised how nicely the block will come together.  Really!

Click HERE for the link to the instructions.

What happens next?

The drawing will be from the flickr group. The drawing tonight (first thing in the morning really) is for any blocks posted since my last block was posted. The drawing is technically for block 6, but any blocks posted will be in the drawing. There will be some of you who are quick and will get your blocks posted.

This block is "due" in two weeks. I say due, but it really doesn't matter. Post your block when you get it done, and it will be entered into the next drawing. If you make one block, post one picture. If you make two blocks, post two pictures.

What's up for grabs this time?

Terry will be giving away a Fat Quarter Bundle (16 Fat Quarters) by Emily Herrick with crazyoldladiesquilts.blogspot.com.  Emily designs for Michael Miller.  The Hall of Fame collection was released at Houston Market 2011, but will not be in shops until January 2012.

This fat quarter bundle will be split between two winner, so each winner gets 8 fat quarters! 

I will add a pattern book to that, so there will be three winners tomorrow!

Happy Quilting!