At each month's meeting we have a block lottery. If you are new to the group or our blog, you can read the general information here. For the November 12th meeting, we are making the Snowball block using a red and green color-way with Kona Ash as the background fabric. The blocks will be 12.5 inches unfinished. This easy block has long been used as a filler block in traditional quilts, but this time we want the fabrics to be the focus. Although the Snowball block is a very traditional block, the use of modern prints and pale gray create the modern traditional feel. Please use red and green modern prints for your Snowballs and Kona Ash in the corners. If you are an active member and can not locate Kona Ash, please email Kira, or, leave a comment below. As always, use quilt shop quality fabrics in a modern print please. *Edited to add Kona Ash can be found locally at A&E Pharmacy in Pensacola and at Lynn's in FWB. This tutorial makes one 12.5" x 12.5" Snowball block and four bonus HST (half square triangles) which I'll talk more about later. Let's get started... You need one 12.5" x 12.5" square in the red/green color-way, and four 4.5" x 4.5" squares in Kona Ash for the corners. Using your ruler, draw a line diagonally from corner to corner on the 4 1/2" squares. Next measure 1/2" from that line and draw a second line. (The photo above shows the offset line). These lines will be your sewing lines. This is a neat trick so that nothing is wasted :) Next pin the 4 1/2" squares to the four corners of the 12 1/2" square. See the arrow pointing to the diagonal corner-to-corner line? It is towards the center of the large square and the 1/2" offset line is to the outside. That is how we want to place them. I put a pin in the corner-to-corner line to help keep me from placing it the wrong way. Now take it to your sewing machine and sew on top of both lines. Do this in all four corners. With all eight lines sewn, use your rotary cutter to slice in between each set of two lines. This makes the Snowball and 4 extra bonus blocks. Press towards the Kona ash. Now that sure was easy-peasy!! Please share your progress photos on the flickr page or the Facebook group. Design possibilities are endless!! Oh, you want to know what we are going to do with those bonus blocks? How about we have a second winner who will be able to enjoy those little HSTs?. :) See you at the meeting, and good luck!!! Kira ECMQG Block Lottery Captain