So a few years later I finally review this thread and I noticed all your good will and good advice. Carolyn, I greatly admire your work and would have loved some seeds from you but I guess I got too busy with work during the deployment to check this thread. Since the tomato experiment never resulted in a fruit, this is a little off topic but here are a few snaps of the end results of my gardening experience in Iraq. This was my largest tomato plant. Had some pretty flowers and decent vigor but when this was taken in March, it was already getting too hot and the blossoms would just drop off. My watermelon vines. The most successful plants I had over there. Impressive, right? LOL They actually tasted better than they looked. The cilantro grew well in February and early March. I would chew a few leaves when walking to work in the morning. I later learned that someone else in my unit was growing a few plants. Sunflower, cilantro and I think a few other herbs. Cute little setup. A few local Iraqis did maintenance work around our living area. Nice guys. This was in front of their building. Arugula. They gave me some seeds and I gave them some snap pea seeds that they planted in soda bottles so the house sparrows didn't eat the seedlings. Clever fellas. A cold frame the locals built. Sunflowers and arugula. Hope those guys were ok after we left. Some of the contractors got heat for working on an American base. I am growing both varieties in NY now as a living memento of my time in the sandbox. COB Basrah was known in Southern Iraq for taking a few rocket attacks so I named the variety of arugula Basrah Rocket. If anyone would like some seed, I will have a limited quantity at the end of this season.

Tuesday - Yeah, that's what I thought. I'll see what JCP's customer service people say. Nanny - Originally I was going to use the plaid fabric for the sheets and attempt to make them myself with a relative on standby. :) I changed my mind and made a new sew crib skirt out of it and figured I'd buy stock sheets. I think the elastic is what scares me about it, ha. If you wouldn't mind sending me some instructions, I'd appreciate it. Thanks! I didn't even think about using full size sheets! Totally - Thanks for the feedback. The other curtains I'll end up going with if these don't work are the Linden Street ones but they're a cotton twill fabric and lined. I really hope whatever curtains I order are a deeper blue. There really doesn't seem to be much variety out there - at least not in my budget. As far as crib sheets, I can't picture any other color or pattern (maybe if the plaid were larger in scale) with the skirt. I don't want to use red since it's the main color in the plaid. There's a lot of tan going on in the room already (tan fabric on chair, BM Manchester Tan walls). White is too stark. ... And as far as curtains, I want the room to grow with the baby so I thought navy seemed like a safe color. Hmm...

As Beverly mentioned, Quilter's Cache is a great place to start. I've attached a link to their basic 9 patch block that finishes to 12". If you look on Page 2, there's a photo display of how Ruthie made her block. What size do you want your quilt to be? Is it a baby/crib size, lap or twin, or full/queen? That'll help determine the size and amount of the blocks. Also, I found these instructions for a nine patch, checkerboard pattern (colors on white background) Instead of making a template, though, I would rotary cut strips 4-1/2" and then into 4-1/2" squares like in the Quilter's Cache instructions. This will give you a 12" finished block. A nice crib sized would be 3 blocks across, 4 blocks down, to give you an idea. http://www.essortment.com/all/makingquilt_rtbb.htm Here is a link that might be useful: Quilter's Cache 9 patch block

Jenna - "I am very impatient when it comes to stuff like that." Oh my, me too! It was really hard waiting so long for the dresser. I wanted to get everything finished up and in place. Foxespad - Ha, thanks! Yeah, I really like foxes for some reason! Hobokenkitchen - Congratulations! Hey, who knows...maybe we'll give birth the same day. :) I hope you'll post some photos of your finished room. Thanks and good luck to you too!