I was absolutely thrilled when Mary Lou contacted me to see if I would do a review and giveaway of her new book she co-authored with Melanie.
Once I received the book and started flipping through it, I got even more excited.
I am so inspired every time I look at it!
So I decided to test one of the blocks, the flower pot pattern, which is made of three sections.
I love the way the instructions are written up in basically two ways.
The first is a picture with written instructions on cutting your pieces.
The second is a picture with measurements in each section so you don't have to read the instructions! I love that! I'm such a visual person and too many words just make me confused and slow me down so much of the time.
Here's my block. I love the irregular dimensions (it's 9 X 31.5") of it and have already decided I'm going to either make a quilt top out of it, with the flower pot being the main focus, or I'm going to use it to back my "rooms of my heart" quilt.
**NOTE: I've been getting a lot of questions about what the name of the background fabric is. I used a combo of three newsprints, moda authentic by sweetwater (long out of print and hard to find), some Annie's seed catalog by Lakehouse, and a Japanese print with no selvedge info. The whiter print I used that is not a newsprint, but just has words, is from the wordplay line by benartex.
So if you'd like a chance to win a copy of "Out of the Box with Easy Blocks", leave me one comment on this post and I'll choose a winner on Thursday afternoon.
Good luck and happy Monday!!
~Penny
I love your block. Thanks for the chance to win the book!
Posted by: Tara | 15 August 2011 at 05:40 AM
What a lovely book! I especially love those polka dotted tea cups.
Love the text background you have used on your flower pot block.
Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Posted by: Lisa | 15 August 2011 at 05:40 AM
What fun! Thank you for the great review. I, too, like pictures with measurements and find too many words distracting.
Your review along with pictures you showed and the block you made certainly interest mr in the book!
Thanks for the chance to win it!
Posted by: Ida Lively | 15 August 2011 at 05:53 AM
I absolutely love this kind of piecing but have never had the courage to try - this would be perfect! Love your block, too!
Posted by: Melissa | 15 August 2011 at 06:01 AM
your block is lovely!I'm a very visual person too. And i would love to see this book. Thanks for the giveaway!
Posted by: cinzia | 15 August 2011 at 06:05 AM
Happy Monday to you! The book looks like fun and I'd love to win it.
Posted by: SewLindaAnn | 15 August 2011 at 06:06 AM
Isn't Mary Lou the greatest. Her new book looks wonderful. I would love a chance to win a copy.
Posted by: Kathy | 15 August 2011 at 06:07 AM
I've been wanting to learn more about free form piecing, this book looks like a great starting point, thanks for the chance to win it!
Posted by: Julie Avant | 15 August 2011 at 06:08 AM
I love your newsprint background! The whole block reminds me of making paper pots to plant my seedlings in. And doesn't that book look like a lot of fun! :-) After doing the summer sampler blocks QA, I think I've gained enough confidence to try new things, like free form piecing......
Posted by: Sariah | 15 August 2011 at 06:08 AM
I love Mary Lou's work - so whimsical and fun! I wouldlove to win a copy of her book - thanks for the chance!
Posted by: Jan-Maree | 15 August 2011 at 06:09 AM
What a fun book!! I love your block!
Thank you both for the giveaway.
Posted by: LauraJ | 15 August 2011 at 06:10 AM
oh please pick me penny, this would be so fun to have, heck, i'll just go out and buy it since my luck with giveaways is so crappy! ha. Hope you had a fun weekend!
Posted by: anna | 15 August 2011 at 06:11 AM
that book looks so fun ... especially the block you made from it
Posted by: Brandi | 15 August 2011 at 06:16 AM
I like your flower pot! I bet there is some room to grow with that block. I am imagining that block in a row with others and some with really long stems and extra leaves.
Posted by: Suzanne | 15 August 2011 at 06:17 AM
What a fun book. Looks like there would be so many ideas in this book to play with. Thank you for the opportunity to win. Have a sunny day!
Posted by: Jean Soderberg (JellyBean-Jean) | 15 August 2011 at 06:20 AM
Love the block! It looks quite complicated, so if her book can teach me that I'd love to have it! Thanks!
Posted by: Toni | 15 August 2011 at 06:20 AM
Your block turned out really nice! I've always wanted to try this, but was not brave enough to attempt it! Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy of the book.
Posted by: Donna | 15 August 2011 at 06:20 AM
Penny your flower pot block is fantastic! I LOVE the newsprint fabric for the back. You are just so talented and creative. :)
Fingers crossed about the book... that would be so fun!
Posted by: Jennifer at Ellison Lane Quilts | 15 August 2011 at 06:24 AM
Love the block! (and the whole book looks like fun, too).
Thanks for the chance at getting a copy...
Posted by: Ella | 15 August 2011 at 06:25 AM
ooh! that looks like a fun book. The flower pot block is just too cute... But I zeroed in on the coffee/teapot and cups. I've been dying to do a quilt using teacups.
Posted by: Jean F | 15 August 2011 at 06:38 AM
Penny that block is just gorgeous! I love the mishmash of text print and colour, and oh yes, do count me in for the giveaway!
Thankyou!!!
Posted by: Laura Jane | 15 August 2011 at 06:38 AM
Looks like an awesome book, I am so in love with the bird on the cover!
Posted by: SoozeM | 15 August 2011 at 06:43 AM
Very cool book, and it sounds great for the beginner quilter with all the great visual instructions. Thanks for the review!
Posted by: Liz Petrella | 15 August 2011 at 06:45 AM
I definitely NEED this book!!
Posted by: Ali | 15 August 2011 at 06:48 AM
Sounds like a fun book!!!! Love your block!!
Posted by: Ktquilts | 15 August 2011 at 06:53 AM
Oh how fun! I'd definitely like to try that!
Posted by: Jaime | 15 August 2011 at 06:54 AM
oh, the book looks fantastic! love the tea pot and cups and I'd love to win it!
thanks so much for the giveaway and how generous of Mary Lou!
Posted by: elsa | 15 August 2011 at 07:04 AM
your block is adorable....the book looks very inspiring!
Posted by: karenkay | 15 August 2011 at 07:05 AM
I would love to win the book. Your background fabric is great.
Posted by: Pam | 15 August 2011 at 07:07 AM
Thanks for the chance to win. Looks so much fun!!
Posted by: Mollie | 15 August 2011 at 07:15 AM
Looks like an awesome book...your block is so cute. Thanks!
Posted by: dawn | 15 August 2011 at 07:17 AM
This book looks so fun, and right up my alley! Thanks for the chance to win it.
Posted by: jill | 15 August 2011 at 07:19 AM
What a cool book - and a great block you made! Love that newspaper print fabric.
Posted by: P. | 15 August 2011 at 07:20 AM
What a fun book and adorable block! I would love to win one :)
Posted by: Tanya | 15 August 2011 at 07:20 AM
How gorgeous! I've just started pictorial piecing, and I need a bit of a nudge to start going free-form, but I know that's the direction I want to go!
Posted by: Bellgirl | 15 August 2011 at 07:23 AM
I came across this book the other day in blogland and I NEED this book. It looks fabulous. I love your block and am wondering where you get your newpaper looking fabric.
thanks julie
Posted by: julie | 15 August 2011 at 07:29 AM
The blocks look like loads of fun!
Posted by: Kris | 15 August 2011 at 07:29 AM
i love it. i need to start paper piecing!
Posted by: nicke cutler | 15 August 2011 at 07:32 AM
I would love to win this! It looks like a lot of fun!
Posted by: Deserae Fiedler | 15 August 2011 at 07:34 AM
Easy is good....easy is fun!!! Love the newspaper print fabric.
Posted by: Betsy | 15 August 2011 at 07:42 AM
That looks like a really fun book. The newsprint flower is darling.
Posted by: Mary | 15 August 2011 at 07:48 AM
I love this book and would love to do the coffee pot.
Posted by: Ferne | 15 August 2011 at 07:50 AM
I would love to win the book. I like the newspaper print background used in the flower block.
Posted by: MarthaB | 15 August 2011 at 07:50 AM
I love your block and I love free piecing!
Posted by: upstatelisa | 15 August 2011 at 07:55 AM
Your block is fabulous. I would love to win a copy of this book. Thanks!
Posted by: Frieda | 15 August 2011 at 07:59 AM
That sounds like a wonderful inspirational book! And your block is great too!
Posted by: Monika | 15 August 2011 at 08:02 AM
This book looks like so much fun. I love the flower pot block you made, it is so cute! Thanks for the giveaway.
Posted by: Sandy | 15 August 2011 at 08:03 AM
Your flower pot is amazing and I would love to have a chance at winning the book.
Posted by: Mary on Lake Pulaski | 15 August 2011 at 08:09 AM
I love how you're potting in the house on the open newspaper :)
Posted by: Angela | 15 August 2011 at 08:11 AM
Swoon, I love this book! I want to make the purple cow and add high heels to it!
Posted by: Bailey | 15 August 2011 at 08:13 AM