My first quilty goal for 2009

Remember these round robin blocks? I posted about them during my second month of blogging. I loved the blocks, but needed to figure out a way to tie the blue block in the upper left corner to the other blocks. I read everyone's suggestions and pondered all the ideas. I finally tucked it away into a drawer. It resurfaced several times this year when one of my goals was for as many of my unfinished tops to become finished flimsies as possible. I achieved that goal, with the exception of several long-term applique projects. Except for this set of blocks. The last time I got it out I took out the basting stitches in order to remove the blocks from the round robin grid, and took the two bear paw blocks apart. I played around with them a bit and then put them away in a drawer once again.

My design wall looked too bare after the double four patch was removed - I needed to fill it with something. So I removed these from the drawer and started playing. Suddenly I think I may be getting somewhere. This is the first time I've found an arrangement that's started to please me. I always knew I'd have to add some filler strips and a few more blocks. I decided the blue block would make a marvelous label for the back, on which I can list who made which blocks. I'm starting to get inspired.

So . . . my first quilty goal for 2009 is to make this into a finished top by the end of January and a finished quilt by the end of March. Doable? I think so!