Prizes. We have prizes. (or...What is a Craft-a-Thon, and why should I attend?)

Autumn in New England- my beautiful red maple

    Those of you who know me well,  know that there are no sports fans in this house. So, come Super Bowl Sunday, you know where you will NOT find us. Convinced I was not the only artist, crafter, sewist, stitcher, cake decorator, or what-have-you who wouldn't be watching the game, a couple of years ago I decided to create a Facebook event I called "The First Annual Superbowl Sunday Craft-a-Thon". I thought it would be fun for a bunch of us to spend Sunday evening working on our projects and sharing pictures of what we're making. It was so successful that I did another Craft-a-Thon that summer, and later a Second Annual Superbowl Sunday Craft-a-Thon".

     With the fall and winter holidays just around the corner, I decided it would be a good time for yet another one. This time I'm taking it to the next level. I decided to offer a couple of prizes- one or two of my patterns, and some lovely fabrics courtesy of Island Batik. "Hey", I thought, "If two or three prizes are good, wouldn't more prizes be better?" So I humbly asked shamelessly begged some of my small-business-owning buddies in the quilting world to donate a little prize and...every one of them agreed! They went above and beyond. As word got out, I had more people/companies offering to donate.
     So...we have prizes. Every day between now and October 26th I will feature one or more of the prizes, either on this blog and/or on Facebook. You must participate in the Craft-a-Thon to have a chance of winning. By "participate", I mean you must join us on Facebook that night.

     How do you win a prize? For being (just an example) the seventh person to log on, or the third to share a picture, or the first to mention you are in your jammies...you get the idea. I'm going to have a list of silly and not-so-silly criteria that will NOT be announced beforehand, so everyone has an equal a shot as I can give you. You won't know until you win. Some of you will be picked at random by my in-house "Bingo caller".

"Kiss Me Quick" pattern by Judabelle Quilts

Today's featured prize is a pattern, courtesy of Judy Damon of Judabelle Quilts, titled "Kiss Me Quick!" This lovely pattern can be made from a jelly roll or 2 1/2" strips cut from your stash. Judy often includes a bonus project in her patterns, and "Hugs and Kisses Table Topper" is the bonus in this pattern.

     What does one work on at a Craft-a-Thon? Whatever you wish. You have permission (not that you should need it) to spend a couple of hours of your busy life working on whatever craft fuels your passion or feeds your soul.
 
  How about spending the time making something for others?

Make a simple quilt or afghan for Project Linus.

Cut fabric for a Quilt of Valor.

Knit a hat or scarf for Christmas at Sea.

Make some small kennel quilts for The Quilt Pattern Magazine's  Kennel Quilt Team.

Make a batch of cookies to bring to the gang at work Monday morning.

Going over the river and through the woods for Thanksgiving dinner? How about a table runner or apron for your hostess?

Get a head start on your fruitcakes.

Make a "Frozen" Halloween costume, so your daughter or granddaughter or niece can be Elsa for the evening, just like 40,000,000 other little girls!

See you Sunday, Oct. 26, 7:00 pm, EST (or whenever I get on Facebook- time is approximate, but you can start the party earlier without me). We'll keep going until.