Sarah Jane will be awarding one lucky winner from the Quilting Gallery a one-year membership to the site My Quilt Patch. Sign up for the free trial, (enter the referral source as Quilting Gallery), before the end of October to be entered in the draw. More info…

What does quilting mean to you? Answer this question, in the comment section of Chris Dahl’s guest blogger post and you will be entered into the random draw to win a free class at Quilting Weekly. To be eligible, submit your answer/comment before the end of October.

Congratulations to Sharon Schamber for winning the Best in Show at this year’s Houston Quilt Festival for her quilt The Spirit of Mother Earth. I’d also like to say thanks to Sharon for posting such detailed photos on her web site. It is a real treat to be able to see so closely the gorgeous stitching.

Here’s a great way to use up some of those string pieces of holiday fabric and make a lovely Christmas Tree Skirt.

Once the piece is sewn together and quilted, you’ll cut a circle opening for the tree, and bind. As always, Amandajean’s instructions and photos used in this tutorial are excellent.

Please note: This contest has nothing to do with the Quilting Gallery web site, I just thought it sounded like fun.

The winner will receive a $15.00 gift certificate to Flamingo Island Designs web store. Here’s how it works:

1. Go through your stash and find your ugliest fabric, you know the one that when you look at it you say to yourself, “What was I thinking?” Dig deep and find that turkey! It will surely not be a lovely flamingo fabric, but who knows what you may find hidden in there.
2. Cut 2 – 8″ squares and put your name and email on the back.
3. Send the squares to:
   Floozies Ugly Fabric Contest
   Flamingo Island Designs
   8165 25th St
   Vero Beach, FL
   32966 (USA)
4. Your squares must arrive by Wednesday, November 26, 2008.

The winner will be chosen by a random drawing from all entries on Thanksgiving Day. In addition to the Gift Certificate, the winner will receive a set of the turkeys we collect. The second set of the turkeys will be donated to the Sunbonnet Sues Quilting Guild in Vero Beach, Florida and will be used in a charity quilt.

Here are the first 14 submissions for the Falling Leaves Quilt Show Photo Contest. You may click on a photo to see the larger version. Submission deadline is November 15, 2008; read the complete contest guidelines and see the three great prizes.

UPDATED: Photos have been removed from this post. See link below to view all submissions.

• View the Falling Leaves Photo Contest Submissions