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Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Glorious Autumn Block Party With Prizes!

This week is our week on the Glorious Autumn Block Party and I share the week with Sandi and Faith and many wonderful sponsors.  Please make sure you take the time to visit each of our sites on our perspective days.

Tuesday, Oct. 30
Richard and Tanya Quilts
Wednesday, Oct. 31
Sandi - A Legacy of Stitches
Thursday, Nov. 1
Faith - Fresh Lemon Quilts


Today we would like to share my block Richard's Star.  Richard is a fan of star's and created this using the quilting program Electronic Quilt 7 or EQ7 for short.  When I created this pattern, I wasn't quite thinking it would involve such small blocks.  As it turns out, the 9 patch in the center is under 2 inches per block and my hands are a tad big.  My wife (Tanya) laughed at me working on my little blocks and she told me that maybe I should have made my block a little bigger.  If you spend any time poking around Richard and Tanya's quilts, we try to have a little fun.  So what did I do?  I went bigger.


I made it a little bigger.  Its hard to tell the perspective on this with just the single block, but the above block is a 45 inches by 45 inches.


To put the blocks into some perspective, I had my daughter Rebecca  hold them up together.  Now I don't suggest that every one do it this way, but with my wife laughing at me about my small block I could not resist  going big!


I have created a PDF with instructions on my star and also give you a easier version if you want to save yourself from all the little tiny piecing in the middle.

Please download my PDF and if you make one of my stars don't forget to link up at on the flicker group.

Glorious Autumn headquarters:
http://quiltinggallery.com/quilters-fun/autumn-block-party/

Flickr group:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/autumn-block-party/


It is now time for prizes.  Regardless if you make my block or not, if you put a comment on this post you will be entered into a drawing to win a charm pack "French General Favorites" from  Fat Quarter Shop one of my sponsors.  If you need a idea to talk about, Tanya would love to know your favorite fall activity and she promises to answer every comment personally! (I will also)  This drawing is open until Tuesday, November 6th. 

Please remember to thank our sponsor by visiting their store at http://www.fatquartershop.com/ their blog http://www.fatquartershop.blogspot.com/ and Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/FatQuarterShop


89 comments:

  1. Thanks for the great giveaway. Over here in New Zealand Fall is more commonely known as Autumn and for us currently that is a few months away as just coming into summer soon

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  2. Love the block. Will look great in a throw. -- Thanks

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  3. I will try out your block, it looks great!
    My favorite fall activity is sewing and quilting, which is also my favorite for the rest of the year.

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  4. Thanks for the block pattern. My favorite fall activity is getting together with my Dad & my 3 sisters. We used to live in 5 different states (CO, NC, PA, TN, TX) & would get together at my Dad's house in October. But my Dad moved in with my youngest sister this summer, so we're getting together at her house in TN this weekend. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  5. Your giant block is great. I think you should use it as the center for a medallion quilt. You could do a solid border around it and then put smaller stars and then another solid border. (sorry about the grammer on that disaster of a sentence, but I think it makes sense.)

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  6. I agree with Gene, good start on a medallion quilt! I love being outside in the fall/autumn as it starts to cool down and much less humidity, however when I am inside I love doing handwork while comfy cozy under a quilt. Barbie in NC

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  7. I love star blocks and this block will now become part of my Autumn Block's quilt. Thank you for the chance to win the charm pack and for joining in the Glorious Autumn Quilter's Block Party. I just love the fall colors. I can cook hearty dinners in the crockpot while staying warm and quilting.

    Sandi T.
    sandit1@sbcglobal.net

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  8. Cute block! I love that you made it a little bigger:) ha ha!!!
    My fall fav thing to do is bake and have the family all together:)
    Thanks for the block!

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  9. I love how you solved the tiny block problem. I am not good with tiny piecing either. I do think your design is great. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Great block!
    I love bonfires and kicking through the leaves in Autumn

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  11. Great block Richard! I am definitely going to try that one.. my favorite fall activity would be horseback riding in a forest if freshly fallen leaves..

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  12. haha! Love the "big block" ..glad you have fun!
    my favourite fall activity...making big pots of soup!

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  13. I love the block! Fall activities are baking and thinking about quilting projects. I don't usually start too many in the fall but prefer to start after the holiday season is over.

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  14. Great block! I love enlarging single blocks to quilt size.

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  15. Great looking "block" (in quotes since it's practically a full quilt just by itself!).

    I love changing the sizes on patterns.

    Great giveaway (that fabric would be a great addition to the postage stamp quilt top I'm working on--my first quilt!)

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  16. Thanks for the chance to win, thats a beautiful star, I love the big block.

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  17. Nice block - perfect for Autumn :) My favorite part of autumn is the changing colors and cool crisp air, and my favorite activity is elk hunting.

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  18. I the big and little star you created. My favorite fall activity is just playing with the kids in the yard and getting our fun in before the cold winter shuts us indoors for a few months. Roasting marshmellows would be a close second.

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  19. Wow I love the contrast between the 2 blocks. And the versatility it provides. nice job

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  20. Your giant block is great, but I am partial to the smaller one. Either would make a nice start to a medallion quilt. I love everything about fall, and I use those colors a lot in my quilts.

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  21. Great job Richard. Nice to see both of you enjoying your quilting so much ; )

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  22. Love your block! Especially like the way the blocks make a chain diagonally in the center section :*)

    My favorite fall activity is to visit with my family at Thanksgiving. We live far apart so it is the one time a year when we all get together. Thanks for the great giveaway!

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  23. My favorite Fall activity is getting together with family for Thanksgiving dinner! My favorite holiday. I like the big block, it looks like an easy lap quilt to whip up. Thanks for the giveaway. Vivian

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  24. Lovely block. You are funny to have made such a big block but I liked it too. My favorite fall thing to do is watch NBA basketball on TV. Thanks for the great giveaway.

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  25. I am really enjoying the variety in the Glorious Autumn block party. Having just come from my fall weekend at Quilt Retreat, I would say that is near the very top of favorite fall activities!

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  26. Love your block and nice to see both.Great job.

    My avorite fall activity is cooking and go to the swimming pool.Thanks for the chance!

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  27. I like your star block, very nicely done. My favorite fall activity is walking! The summer is so hot here we can hardly step out doors so we long for fall and its cooler weather!

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  28. Your blocks are great. My favorite time of autumn is cooler weather and lots of pumpkins. Especially homemade pumpkin ice cream. Thanks for sharing.

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  29. Wonderful star block , I love star blocks and this one is great! I love getting out for walks in the fall with the leaves crunching under my feet and the smell of the fall in the air. Thanks for the chance at your giveaway as well as the pattern .

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  30. Hey Richard, bigger is better, great way to show off your favorite Fabric designer/print. thanks for the pattern

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  31. I just love watching the leaves rain down from the trees in the fall.

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  32. Thank you for the great giveaway. I just discovered the French General line last week and am looking forward to trying it out. Like your block, don't think I will do it in the extra large size, but maybe somewhere in between (I have trouble with big fingers too and have trouble with small pieces)

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  33. Love the style of your star block. The big one is awesome. 4 of those and you have a whole big bed quilt!! Also a great way to show off favorite fabrics.

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  34. Great idea to Go Big! Thanks for the giveaway.

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  35. I love star blocks too. thanks for sharing your star pattern.
    During fall I like to go to the quilt shows around our area and take a day trip to the mountains to see the leaves.
    thanks for the giveaway.

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  36. I like your block especially the colors. I like to do any kind of needlework in the fall. thanks for the give-a-way.

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  37. Love the blocks. I just made a big block from enlarging a small block pattern. It's fun to see the block in such large pieces of fabric. Thanks for the giveaway. My favorite thing to do in fall is walk through the leaves.

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  38. My favorite fall activity is going to the pumpkin patch with my grandchildren. There are hay rack rides, a petting zoo, a place to buy snacks, and lots of deorations to see.

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  39. HI! FALL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS BON FIRES TO ROAST HOT DOGS AND MARSHMALLOWS ARE SUCH A FUN THING FOR OUR FAMILY TO DO! ESPECIALLY ON VERY CRISP CLEAR NIGHTS AND YOU CAN SEE THE STARS FOREVER!
    HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO YOU BOTH!
    THANKS FOR A CHANCE AT A VERY NEAT CHARM PACK TOO!

    msstitcher1948@yahoo.com

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  40. Love the block. It is so intricate. I'm a sucker for star blocks and this one is great. I love how the air turns golden on our "Indian Summer" days of which we didn;t get too many of up here in Canada this year. We started getting snow in mid-Oct and it looks like it is here to stay this year. last year we went well into mid-Nov before seeing the white stuff. It was great. Thanks for the opportunity on a great draw
    bonnielarson58@gmail.com

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  41. My favorite fall activity is making pumpkin pie. I love shopping for the perfect pie pumpkin, scooping out the seeds, baking the pumpkin, and then mixing the pie together. And then, of course, comes the best part... the eating! ;)

    Thanks for the giveaway and the tutorial!

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  42. Thanks for the fun quilter's blog. I really enjoyed reading about your start at quilting and about your promise to make all the quilts for your family members.
    I am excited to try this new block. Thank you for sharing!
    Candy

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  43. I forgot to tell my favorite fall fun. I like to walk my dog, Leia Lab and stomp on the leaves together!

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  44. Love you get it done attitude. Great block!

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  45. I love French General fabrics! Thanks for the great giveaway! I enjoy watching football in the fall.

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  46. Actually, I quite love your block. It does make a nice baby quilt in the large size, too. Favorite fall activity? Probably all the canning that goes on - all the jars of applesauce that wind up in food storage, and the slices for pies and cobblers, and the peaches, and ... and ... and!

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  47. Great blocks and love the big one!! Thanks for sharing and I love bonefires in the fall.

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  48. What a great block!

    One of our favorite things to do as a family in the Fall is visit one of our local apple growers for cider and doughnuts. Delicious!

    Lisa
    sewlisa14@a-znet.com

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  49. Thanks for the star block pattern. I like to go the the farmers market and get apples, squash, cider and other yummy fall produce. Thanks for a great giveaway. French General is one of my favourites.

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  50. Well, my comment totally disappeared. So I like the block, and the big version makes a great baby quilt. =)

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  51. Tanya, remember to use your adjectives! a Little bigger or a Wee Bit larger LOL Of course, we all know that a family that laughs together has more fun :)

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  52. I laughed so hard at the "big" block... but at the same time, it is a fun idea to make one huge block for baby quilts... In the fall I love crunching through leaves and drinking hot apple cider, yum!

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  53. Love the block! Thank you for the instructions in making one. Nice work on the big one :-)
    My favorite activity in the fall is probably still walking the dogs and maybe sitting by the fire when the weather turns cool. Thanks for the sweet giveaway!

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  54. I love your block. My favorite fall activity is baking, especially apple pie.

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  55. I am working on a quilt using 25" blocks so can understand your making the giant block. i like your pattern so I Just downloaded it.
    My favorite fall activity is getting to cook comfort food and having the windows open because of the perfect temps.

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  56. The second quilt I ever made was with 30" blocks--6 blocks = fast XL twin quilt!

    I really like the hourglass effect in the background of your block. I hadn't noticed it at the guild meeting. Nice work!

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  57. Great block. I especially love the big one! I really enjoyed your post over at Michele's Quilting Gallery.

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  58. I love your block pattern in the big and the small version. The piecing in the middle makes it so interesting. Thank you for sharing.

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  59. Thanks for shering your patter! I will use it later in a smaller project! I love the solours in the nature at autum, and often get inspireted from the norwegian nature to make quilts!


    Gunn Torild from Norway!

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  60. Nice star! Thanks--so why didn't you include sizes to cut for the big one? Love it! thanks for chance, love that line

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  61. I like your block, big or small doesn´t matter. I think I´m gonna use it in a tablerunner.
    Gun, Sweden
    gun@lapp.se

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  62. Muchas gracias por este bonito diseño.
    Mi actividad favorita de otoño? Pasear y admirar los colores que el bosque nos ofrece. Se respira una paz...
    Besos desde Manresa (Barcelona)

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  63. Hi Richard I also agree bigger is better wow love them

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  64. I love attending quilt shows in the fall! The chilly weather puts me in the mood :-) I like the large block with plain center because I love to embroider on quilts or add free motion quilting. The large center space would allow for a very nice star shape fmq-thank you for the block and the chance to win beautiful fabric!

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  65. haha! I love the super-sized version! I love jumping in the leaves with my kiddos - raking the leaves, not so much :) dipping homemade biscotti into hot pumpkin coffee is high on my list, too :)

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  66. French is my daughter's married name. I can picture a small quilt for the Frenches and sometimes I think she is a general.

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  67. love big blox! thanx! my favorite fall activity , now that i'm limited activity-wise, is going out with my sis to take pix of all our favorite places. she drives, i shoot! fall colors, migrating birds, wild and marine life ... always great shots!

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  68. Love your star block. I love walking in the fresh snow. While that doesn't sound like a fall activity, we tend to get snow before winter officially starts.

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  69. Great looking block Richard. I've never done one quite that large before.

    My favorite Fall activity is baking all sorts of things, usually desserts and for sure in the late Fall, lots of candies. I don't/can't do as many as I used to but my husband loves making them with me to help out (and get samples too I'm sure) but he takes them to work for everyone there so they aren't in the house.

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  70. Wow that's a big block! It wouldn't take many of those to make a bed-sized quilt. :)

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  71. I love the block. I'm going to make it for myself.

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  72. Love the block! Hmmmm...my favorite fall activity is driving through the Pocono Mountains in PA and looking at all of the beautiful colors. Kinda like quilts in the large!

    lindapawlak@verizon.net

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  73. Hi!! Great block!!! Love the big block and the story of it!!! That is more my size than the tiny blocks!!! It is pretty at any size!!!! It is great you two do this together!!! So much fun to have someone with the same interests!!! My favorite fall thing is taking the grand babies trick or treating and seeing all the little ones dressed up and so cute!!!! I also like hayrides when able to do that!!! Thanks for the fun!!!!

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  74. Thank you, I love the block. In the Fall, my sister and I get together for a quilt weekend. We have so much fun visiting, laughing, talking and of course, quilting! We have made many projects together. I love my sister!

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  75. love hay rides in the fall

    ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com

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  76. That was a fun square to share. I haven't seen it before. French General is my favorite fabric. I love the reds. Thanks for the giveaway.

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  77. Favorite fall activity is drinking hot cocoa. Hopefully this year will actually be cool enough to sit by the fire pit and do that. Oh that sounds like a good activity for tonight.

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  78. What a great givaway! I love to bake cookies with my girls, feeling the winter coming... )

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  79. That's a lovely fabric for your giveaway! When the weather starts to cool down, that's my cue to get out the crochet hooks and wool!(although it's supposed to be spring here the weather is almost cool enough to keep crocheting!)

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  80. Richard and Tanya,
    I found your blog threw the Block Party. I enjoyed on how the two of you got started. I had a chuckle about the small block you made Richard and then made it bigger. I did this as well when I first started quilting. Found a block that I liked but just had such a hard time sewing the smaller pieces together. I gave a shout out to my quilt group I belonged on on AOL at the time that I needed help with the block and one of the ladies actually made it to be a 12x12 for me OH so much easier to sew after that lol. It would be nice to win something threw a blog give away sense I do not have any material left after my home was broken into while we were moving. Everything in my sewing room was packed so they really did not know what they were taking. Be nice to add this to what little bit I had to go and buy just to have something to sew with ha ha.
    Be nice to try out some Moda fabrics sense I have not bought anything from that line as of yet.

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  81. You guys are wonderful!! Your quilting has come such a long way. Thanks for the giveaway

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  82. Thanks for the great giveaway and the block. Currently my sewing room is packed in boxes, recently moved and awaiting the flooring to be refinished prior to setting up my new sewing area. Then...I can start getting some of the lovely blocks made!
    CathyC in BC
    cathyc1950@gmail.com

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  83. I just got power back today!!! I miss reading everyone's blogs! I spent most of my days English paper piecing hexies! Don't need power for that! Loving the Autumn block party!

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  84. I'm experimenting with making standard blocks into HUGE one or 4-block quilts. LOVE the look! (squeegeatc@aol.com)

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  85. i realy like your block isent EQ great? im having lots of fun designing stuff on it to.i Love moda fabric thanks for thr chance to win.

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  86. Thanks for the giveaway. I like the giant sized block.

    senstrings at yahoo dot com

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  87. Star blocks are a favorite of mine, so thanks for your block and pattern. I like both sizes of it!!

    My favorite thing to do in the fall is shop for fabrics in the lush fall colors that are so plentiful at this time of year.

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  88. My favorite fall activity? It would have to be eating, followed closely by walking outside.
    I love your block!

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Thanks in advance for leaving a comment. I love to learn from the kind words of others.