"A Christmas Wish" BOM by Gail Pan

A few days ago, I shared a small photo of my blocks made from Gail Pan's designs (the series is titled "A Christmas Wish") and I promised a better photo would follow. Here it is...........

I loved the designs the minute I saw them and knew I wanted to make this to hang at Christmas this year. I printed them out but didn't stitch. Then a couple of weeks ago, I was at JoAnn Fabrics and I found this striped fabric that was perfect for the blocks. It has some rose color in it which allowed me to introduce that color in the blocks. I want to hang this in my favorite pink bedroom and it will look loverly in there! The fabric inspired me to "get stitching" and I really got going. I had a lot of "waiting" opportunities (translation - "waiting" equals "time spent waiting for husband to get home from work, finish his projects, etc. and come to dinner, plus time spent waiting for laundry and cooking!) so I really got busy stitching. My goal was to be done with all eight designs that she has posted so far and then I'll be ready to stitch the last one, number nine, as soon as it's posted. What a plan! The designs were so quick to stitch and if you want to do them, you will find them at Gail's blog. Just click here and you will find them! As I mentioned in my retreat posts, a discussion came up and we wondered what word will be on the final ninth block. "Comfort" was the word we think she might use and "Rejoice" was another choice. I'm thinking that if those aren't the words, I may make a few extra blocks of my own with those words and perhaps a couple others. I'm not sure yet if I will add the sashing or just how I will pull this all together. I have a space issue where I want to hang this so that will help me determine the size. Thanks go to Gail for sharing such a lovely, lovely design!!
Just a few more thoughts................I love BOM's. I know many of you do, too. Fellow blogger, Crispy, says she "collects" BOM's. I collect BOM's, too. :-) I also like to design my own BOM's and love to make the blocks. Sometimes my friends finish the actual project sooner than I do. :-) My friend, Laura, finished her quilt with the Seasons blocks long ago and mine are still waiting to be assembled. That was why I started the monthly Seasons BOM because I thought I might get it done if I had others making the blocks along with me. So what do I do? I add more block designs with my snowmen series and then I start more blocks in wool and woolfelt and now I have another project to sew together. Ah, I know I'm not alone in this situation! Laura and I are also working on a BOM called "Strolling the Block" (it was an HGTV project that is no longer available). She is way ahead of me! She has all her blocks fused and ready to do the embroidery and embellishment and I think her blocks are finished up through July. I'm just starting April. All my blocks are done for my own BOM but now I am doing them in wool and woolfelt so that's a whole other series to lay out pieces, cut and assemble and then have them ready for stitching. I tell you all this because I know many of you know this secret.........that if you have something ready to stitch, then time spent waiting isn't wasted anymore but is put to good use. Really calms the nerves, too. :-)
So, if I had a glass of wine (and I'm not a wine drinker so the odds of that are slim), I would toast to BOM's because they are such a fine bit of needlework that keep us happy! And we all know ..... if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy! Hope you are having a good Monday!
Sandi