* As with any Lottery (Lotto) it is a place where you have a CHANCE to "Win" enough blocks to make a Child/Lap size quilt, table runner, pillows, etc... You practice and then make at least 2 blocks or more (always your choice) that you send to me for the monthly drawing. Depending on how many Pals join and how many Blocks I receive we could have anywhere from 2 winners up to 5 winners. The more blocks you send the better your odds are of winning and the more winners we have. The more months you join the more FUN you will have and if you make a sample block for yourself each time you join you could stitch together a quilt sampler FOR YOU at the end of the year.
* You sign up in the beginning as a way of communicating to me that you are interested in joining us this month. We all know that life can get in the way of Cotton Therapy. Family, work, etc, always comes first over the Lotto. We emphasis FUN while practicing our skills in stitching the right size blocks so that when you wish to join a Swap you are ready for it.
* You send $2/3 with your blocks to help pay the postage on the packages to the winners UNLESS I state that it is a FREEBIE MONTH
* MAIL WITH TRACKING. If you mail early you can use 1st Class with tracking. If you mail late then use priority with tracking.
* FOLLOW THE BLOCK GUIDELINES I always try to set guidelines that are do-able for everyone. For example: If I ask for Fall colors as a background, please don't send me white or light cream. As quilters it’s important that you stay within the guidelines for fabric, color and block pattern. The winners are always thrilled with the blocks they receive, but rule-breaking blocks really do tarnish the effect of the end result.
* FABRICS: BE VERY PICKY about what fabrics you buy and where you bought them. Lately I have come across fabric at Walmart that is better quality than the fabric at the LQS. Please DO NOT use flimsy fabrics. This is not the place to use that fabric you want to get rid of. Fabric is to costly to buy the wrong one.
* PRE-RINSE ALL FABRICS USED FOR THE LOTTO: I speak from recent personal experience when I say it’s heart-breaking when fabrics from even one block RUN and RUIN a wonderful quilt. Even pricey good quality fabrics will run. I test mine first in a bowl of hot water to see which fabrics run or not run and I can put together in the wash.
* CHECK YOUR SEAMS Regardless of the pattern or technique you use, all your seams should be between a scant 1/4" to 1/4 inch. Re-check the seams of the blocks to be sure they are going the right way and the measurement of the block before you send them to me. Make sure that a seam in a block has not pulled apart. Consider what’s going to happen when a block like that is sewn into a quilt. If it survives the quilting it will go through the washer and dryer many times in it’s lifetime. Check your seams and don’t send a block that will not last.
* MEASURE YOUR BLOCKS: Your blocks MUST ALWAYS be the CORRECT SIZE. If you send a too small block, you make it almost IMPOSSIBLE for the winner who receives it to use in a straight setting, sashing or no sashing. This is a place to practice your block at home to find the right seam width to get the right size. DO NOT SEND a block with the WRONG SIZE, PLEASE.
PLEASE send me your thoughts or any additions/changes that you would like to see which would make you want to join in the FUN!!!