Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Ho Ho Ho . . .



It's beginning to look a little like Christmas . . . .

Sometime earlier this summer, the Fat Quarter Shop started "jollily jabbering " about their 2010 Designer Mystery Block of the Month program using Kate Spain's Twelve Days of Christmas collection.

I was a little intrigued, looked the fabric collection over, and gave it some thought. Two things stopped me from signing right up.

First, I didn't like the "mystery" part of the BOM...I'm not one for surprises, I like a plan, and I like to stick to a plan. So signing up for a year of "surprises" did not appeal to my "I like order" personality. Even though their list of featured block designers was very very impressive, I still thought, "I don't think so"...

Second, the blue in the Kate Spain fabric collection did not appeal to me, at all. I'm funny with my blues, I generally like blue, but not light blues so much.

So June rolled around and bloggers started posting pictures of the June block. I thought it was cute, but it was no surprise, it was the block that the Fat Quarter Shop had on its site for the program. And it had a big chunk of that blue fabric right in the middle, I wasn't even tempted, even though the block was very cleverly designed.

So for July, another block and more posts by those Type A quilters who sign up for a block of the month, and then, actually make the block....that month!! It was an adorable Santa hat designed by Bonnie and Camille, another clever pattern, some blue, but not overly blue.

Then came August, I'm guessing you see where this is going, a Christmas wreath block, too adorable for words and NO blue....which got me to thinking....what if I made all the blocks, but omitted the blue, it's a Christmas quilt, it doesn't need blue, it needs red and green...

So I decided to live on the wild side and signed up. I figured even if the remaining 9 blocks were a bust, which I seriously doubted, the first three alone could make a really cute quilt.

So I got my first three blocks in the mail and here they are, sans the blue fabric...


Block One



designed by Gudrun Eria of GE Designs.
(I swapped out the blue fabric in the center present with the green, and changed the outer presents to cream and changed up the ribbon fabric some)


Block Three


designed by Sandy Gervais (no changes, I made this one exactly as called for in the pattern)

Block 2


designed by Bonnie and Camille
(I changed up the fabric for every piece of this pattern.)

So here are the first three blocks....all done and I think looking pretty good, even with no blue.


If you would like to know what the original blocks look like in comparison to mine, check out Sherri's blog, at A Quilting Life, she posted a picture of the first 4 blocks on her blog yesterday.

Some clever folks are adding the sashing from the finishing kit to their blocks as they go. I would do that, but the finishing kit has a blue border, and if I learned anything from A la Mode, it's that you don't put sashing on blocks until you know, with 100% certainty, what size your outer border will be, and my border will not be blue....

This family of fabric also has an adorable panel that I plan to incorporate into the backing for this quilt.

It's not too late to sign up for this BOM, you too could throw caution to the wind, accept that maybe surprises aren't all bad, and make any changes you want as you go!


17 comments:

  1. I love the fact that you are making it your own!! Fabulous and I have to say that I like it without the blue too!

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  2. Your blocks are super cute and the blue doesn't need to be there, does it? Yours will look more "Christmas-y" using just the red, green and white.

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  3. Very cute glad you jumped on board!

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  4. Very cute blocks!!! I know you will love it when its done.

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  5. I haven't signed up for the BOM beacuse I did not like the blue! I adore what you have done. I may have to rethink my decision.
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  6. OMG! Sometimes it's disturbing how alike we are. The mystery in the BOM has stopped me many many times. I did a mystery quilt once... Once.
    That blue has also turned me off on that line. I love the letters and most of the other prints but that blue...
    Your blocks are wonderful without the blue. Never would have thought of it.
    Heard you're off to IL. Can I say I'm totally jealous? Have fun!

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  7. Even though I don't celebrate Christmas, I can appreciate how cute those blocks are. I do happen to like the blue, as well, but love your blocks the way you've made them. Great call on adapting to your taste! I think I'm too suspicious to commit to a mystery BOM - good for you for going for it!

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  8. You are killing me Thelma. I wasn't going to do any more BOMs. And now I am thinking I want to do this one.

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  9. You even change up BOM! I love how you make every quilt 100% your own! I felt the same way you did about this mystery block this year. But after seeing everyone post their blocks, I think I'm going to have to give in and sign up. Thanks for sharing yours, I love them!

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  10. I like the blocks much more without the blue. The "Christmas" seems to pop more, somehow. Well done!

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  11. Oh Thelma they are adorable and I like them much better without the blue too. That was the reason I didn't sign up! Have a happy day!

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  12. Glad you decided to join us..and fun that you are changing it up a bit. I didn't realize there was a panel..I might just have to put that in my backing too!

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  13. those blocks are too doggone cute and i actually went to the site (again) and put them in the cart (again) and then i remembered that
    i do not like MYSTERIES
    i do not like them here or there
    i do not like them anywhere
    i do not like green eggs and ham
    i do not like them, Sam I Am

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  14. I love the changes you have made - Your blocks look great!!!

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  15. I'm with you - no surprise quilts! But I do like what I've seen here, and I'm tempted!

    Hope you enjoy your weekend coming up, and I can't wait to read a post about it!

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