I’m going to sound like a broken record soon but WOW! Once again so many fantastic entries for this weeks challenge. I am continually awed and amazed by what so many can come up with and accomplish within just one week!

I’m here now to announce the first batch of winners – the Public and Judges Choice winners.

First I will announce the Public Choice winner – taking home 32 of the 199 votes (or 16.08%) is…

Marcia’s Crafty Sewing and Quilting

Marcia will be receiving $10 to SpiceBerryCottage AND a Novelty Square Set from QuiltingDiva

Moving onto the Judges Top 3:

In 3rd place with an average score of 8.99 is…

Besty H!

Judge 1: I think this piece is adorable. I love your color choices and the whimsical look of the guy and the girl.

I am a huge stickler on the rules. I think your piece breaks the rules by using so much traditional red in the valentines in the air. I LOVE THEM; I just think they are a rule breaker. Sorry, I am being picky. Otherwise, I love the piece.

Judge 2: Cute, cute, cute. This is a great design. You should be very proud of it. Love the heart musical notes.

It doesn’t appear to lay flat. That’s especially important when we only have pictures to judge.

More information about your technique And design process would really add to your story. It looks like the appliqué edges were outlined by zigzagging over a cord of some kind?

Judge 3: This is a really great design. I love the way you used the piping for the lines, couching it with the zigzag stitch. The color choices and whimsical fabrics work perfectly together. The red hearts aren't entirely "outside the box," but they aren't the main focal point. It's also interesting how you quilted the background by following some of the flowers and butterflies.

Judge 4: This is such a fun quilt! I love the improv nature to the sidewalk and their clothing, and those heart-shaped notes are brilliant. I would love to know more about your process as you constructed this top.

Taking 2nd in the Judges eyes, with an average score of 9.4 is…

For Quilts Sake

Judge 1: This piece is what Project Quilting is all about. You took the challenge and put a very unique spin on it. I felt a lot of the pieces this week just looked like different colored ordinary Valentines. Yours isn’t like that. I love it!

The yarn around the outer edges reminds me of moss or ferns. I like the beads holding the pieces together. This was a great use of a fabric that was already printed.

Good job. I am impressed with this piece.

Judge 2: Wow. He is a romantic, isn’t he?

This is a very special piece with special meaning to you. Very well designed and well constructed. Great use of embellishments. I really like the furry edge.

Judge 3: This piece is excellent on all levels. The concept is beautifully personal and your idea for the wall hanging sections is a great way to interpret the lyrics of the poem stanzas. It's wonderful that you interpreted the poem with relevant embellishments, and created panels that represented the poem without being entirely literal. Your skillful techniques in construction and finishing, with the great beadwork connections, do justice to the excellent inspiration source.

Judge 4: I love all the different techniques and embellishments added to this! The sentiment behind it is beautiful too. The fur is my favorite part I think - gives it a mossy feeling.

Taking home 1st place and the winner of

$10 to FabricsNQuilts AND a Pattern & Notecards from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

with an average score of 9.62 goes to…

Dashasel!

Judge 1: Bingo! You took this challenge and created to absolute perfection for the challenge. You followed the few rules and make something so different and so unique it just makes me smile. Congratulations on a job so well done!!!!

Also, on rereading your story you mentioned you didn’t want the quilting to distract on the back. I think your quilting is just right for your project. I also don’t like the messy back look on something that will be exposed all the time.

Judge 2: You are so creative. This is a wonderful valentine for your baby. I love the way you related each letter to Valentine’s Day.

I think your 2-step method of quilting works great. I often stitch my appliqués down before I add the batting and backing and my logic is similar to yours.

One suggestion. Because a baby is going to use it and love it and (probably) chew on it, I’d make sure every piece is stitched down.

The use of different textures is perfect to stimulate a baby’s senses.

Judge 3: This is one of the most ambitious pieces I've seen on Project Quilting. Each section is creative and balanced with the other complementary blocks. I'm impressed with the way you carried design elements of the text block styles and the whimsical illustration styles throughout the blocks. I especially like that not all the blocks looked like a cookie-cutter style, but instead it looked like you expressed yourself differently with each section as it moved you.

Judge 4: Adorable! I'm sure your baby loves his valentine! All the details are well thought and well done, the bright and fun color palette is very appealing too. As for your processes, I think what works best for you is the right way in terms of appliqué and quilting. Well done!

Congratulations to all of the public and judge winners this week! Enjoy your prizes!

I’ll be posting later with the random drawn winner and the Public Comment winner.

Robots In Love Funny Women's Black Alternative Apparel T-Shirt from happyfamily

Another round of great projects. Congratulations to all of you. You are all winners in my book. Kim and I had a discussion yesterday and she says I'm the Simon Cowell of Project Quilting. I have made it a point to include all the thoughts I have about your project. Some you may agree with and some you may not. That's Ok...it's only my opinion. I love to see quilters grow, both technically and artistically. and we have seen much of that here.

This week’s PRIZES!

The winner of the JUDGES vote will receive $10 to FabricsNQuilts AND a Pattern & Notecards from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilting

The winner of the PUBLIC Choice will receive $10 to SpiceBerryCottage AND a Novelty Square Set from QuiltingDiva

FOUR randomly drawn participant will receive either In the Studio with Judy Murrah by Judy Murrah from UniquelyNancy OR $20 for Machine Quilting Servicesfrom QuiltsbyBarb. OR Downloadable Quilter's Cookbook 2009 from the QuiltingGallery OR $10 to Dye Candy

This week’s Judges!

Diane Lapacek

Barb Raisbeck

Lisa Penny

Amy Ellis of Amy’s Creative Side founder of the Bloggers Quilt Festival

Now for the challenge…

Challenge 3 – Be My Valentine

12 Heart mini pottery trinket dishes from firecat

Now, to mix things up a bit. I am hearing lots about Valentine's Day on the radio and in the ads, so decided we'd work with it for Challenge 3.......with a few twists, of course. After all, anyone can make a Valentine quilt. In Project Quilting, we want something more.

1. The inspiration is Be My Valentine.

2. The main colors of your project will be something other than red or pink. You can use small amounts of red and pink, but the overall color should be something else.

3. You cannot use the word "Valentine" on the front of your project. You may use it in the name if you wish.

4. POST your entries with a description of your creative process, including where you are (ie, I create in Madison, WI) and the size of your project by Sunday, February 13, 2011, at noon, CDT, to this flickr group – Project QUILTING with KimsCraftyApple: http://www.flickr.com/groups/1401824@N21/ OR email a picture/description of your completed project to lapaceksorchard@gmail.com with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line.

5. If this is the first Project Quilting challenge you've participated in, please email Kim atlapaceksorchard@gmail.com with PROJECT QUILTING in the subject line so that Kim can send you feedback from the judges and keep you updated on the behind the scenes going-ons.

Remember, these challenges are intended to help you Think Outside the Square. Be creative. Take a risk. Do something no one else will think of doing.

submitted by Diane Lapacek