A Block of the month for 2009!

The Snowman Block of the month is no longer available as a free project in my Yahoo group. The complete pattern series is $12.00. If you are interested in the patterns, please contact me at stitchinglegacy (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks!

There are loads of Block of the month projects out there so it occurred to me to wonder if there is a need for another one. But here I am and I am going to share these patterns that I designed for my friends who joined me at my church for Hearthside Quilters. We had so much fun that it would be enjoyable for me to go back through the blocks and recall some of the fun we had as I share the blocks with all of you.
This block of the month series is one I offered in 2003. I cannot tell a lie...........I never finished my blocks. Family health issues kept me hopping that year (as they did for much of 2000 through 2008) but getting together with my friends once a month was an escape from worry. For many in the group it was the same thing - an escape to do something we love - quilting and getting together!! For some it was the release of stress from work, kids, husbands, and for some, it relieved the worry of loved ones serving overseas. I would draw the blocks and got many started but it wasn't until this past year that I finished all the embroidery on the blocks. Now I am ready to sash them and put them into a full-size wall quilt.
If you decide to do the blocks perhaps you'll share photos as you make them. I could set up a Flickr group so that we can all see how differently we stitch and embellish each block.

The block for January is, of course, a snowman. My kids loved to make snowmen. Living in Minnesota there was, and is, almost always an abundance of snow. I got to wondering about who might have invented the snowman and so.......I googled it. Lo and behold, someone did "invent" the snowman. A dear man, Mr. Vernon Paul of Eau Claire, Wisconsin (another state with an abundance of snow) made a snowman for his daughter, Yetty Paul, that would frighten away the Boxing Day elves. This all took place in 1809. Believe it or not, the New York Times dispatched a writer to check out the "snow people" being made in the town and so the humble Snowman was born and provides us with an eternal sign of winter fun!!

Note: There is a reason for the words "Let it Snow!" on the pattern page. I'll tell you what those are for when I post the February block and give you more details on the quilt top.

At the first of each month, I will post a scanned photo of my block and the two pattern pages. As with other patterns that I post, if you cannot save the pages to your computer, just e-mail me and I will send you a pdf file. I would like to start a list of those that would like to receive the blocks and then each month, I can just send you the appropriate block. I will still post here on my blog but that way you will have the right file from the start. Please leave a comment on this post, with your e-mail address, if you would like to have the patterns e-mailed to you each month.

Well, I must close for tonight. I appear to finally be getting over my cold am consuming fewer cough drops, sneezing less, etc. I apologize for being late with posting about this block of the month but the cold just kept me in a fog and I really couldn't think well enough to put together the thoughts I've just shared!!

Time to turn out the lights!

Sandi