February's project

Hello Ladies and thank you in advance for your help with my project this month. 

Before I start with what my project is about, let me tell you a little background...I have a best friend.  well, bestest friend really...we coined that phase many years ago...I'm sure of it.

Jessica and I decided to be best friends during a bathroom break in 3rd grade and we have never looked back. 

We have grown up together and we are the next best thing to sisters...although i have three wonderful sisters and Jessica has...ummm, I forget exactly how many sisters, but lots since she is the baby of 17 kids.

Jessica and I met for coffee this weekend and to catch up.  I meant to take my camera for a pic of us, but forgot...but here is my favorite pic of Jessica at around 14 years old. 

I love this picture...look at her determination...proving to me that she could indeed to the splits.

Here we are about 10 years later.  We left home right after college to go to London, England, find jobs and live for about 6 months.  Time of my life.

And here is where I should have a recent picture of us, but that doesn't exist.

ANYWAY...Jessica is the most giving of herself person you could ever meet.  For the second year in a row she has accepted the leadership role of planning our cities AIDS Walk.  Helming this event is practically and second full time job for Jessica, and I asked if I could help.  I asked if I could make a quilt for raffle.  She loved this idea...every year they bring several panels of the national AIDS memorial quilt to the walk so having a quilt to raffle seems like a good idea, huh?

HERE is a link to the web page giving more information about the fundraiser.

Here are a few blocks that I have made for the quilt. 

 I would like to do a cross block quilt, much like Lucia did here:

  Lucia made this quilt, with the help of Flickr friends to comfort a family friend with cancer.  She asked that we make the blocks wonky or straight just as long as they are at least 9 inches high. 

I would like the back grounds to be red.  Here is the stack I have from my stash to work with:

red red red.  No white back grounds...red.
Then the cross section of the block can be made with whatever fabric you like.  I am looking for diversity!
Here is a very simple tutorial for making this cross block.

short recap:
red background for block
cross section whatever you choose
no juvenile fabrics please             
each block to measure at least 9 inches tall
theme for AIDS Walk this year is Carnivale and Vive La Rouge is the event name.
I would be over the moon if you would all make a few blocks...I'm hoping to make a large quilt

PLEASE*** please pre-wash your fabrics!!