In 2018 I joined the challenge from
Jo's Country Junction to finish up a BOM project. That was just the kind of challenge I needed. I had a partial set of BOM block precut kits that had been my sister's when she thought she wanted to learn to sew better. That didn't happen so I got them.
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| Starting point - January 2018 |
Of the 12 months I think must have been in the original design I had 11 months and 2 of those were duplicates. So I was starting at a disadvantage, but that did not slow me down.
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| Month 7 |
I faithfully made the block(s) each month. They were painless since they were precut.
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| On the design wall |
I figured out that the duplicates would still work to make up for the months that were missing since they were the same size. But that still left me with missing blocks, which were the chain blocks for the center, and also missing fabric and instructions to put it all together. Then I got a new job and it all got left on the design wall for another day.
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| Plan A - The original layout. |
Fast forward to this summer. I am trying to finish things and use up what I have. The BOM blocks were flashing like a neon sign from their prime location on the design wall. Nothing like a good challenge! I figured out the chain blocks without any trouble at all. I had fabric that would work. It was a relatively scrappy design anyways, so what were a few more fabrics added to the mix! I also had stash fabric that would work to make the border around the center blocks. I liked it so far and even did the math to continue the layout as shown in the photo, but the more I worked with it, the less I liked it.
On to Plan B. Leave out the 8" blocks and incorporate the 6" blocks in another type of border. After auditioning a few other ideas I thought the blue strip could serve as additional borders without having to sew all the borders strips. I got the borders and blocks sewn on two sides. Nope.
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| Plan B - Horizontal Stripes - Not liking it. |
Something was not right, so I put it aside to think on it. It was laying in such a way that the blue striped fabric was sticking out from underneath it with the stripes looking like a piano key border. BINGO!
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| Plan C - This is more like it. |
That is what it needed. So I unsewed again and used the stripes vertically as a piano key border. Since the blue striped fabric was scraps and not yardage this was tricky, but oh so worth it.
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| Plan B vs Plan C |
I really like the finished product. It is not perfect, but it is a flimsy and that is one step closer to being finished and in use. I'm good with that.
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| BOM - Plan C |
Then the orphan blocks. These was one of the months that had a duplicate so there were 4 blocks to work with. I was not going to tuck them away to languish for another year.
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| No orphans today! |
All the right colors were laying all over the room, so I just dove right in and built up a smaller quilt. I just added each round of borders depending on what fabric there was enough of and what was pleasing to the eye. I really like the way it turned out.
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| BOM - Plan "O" for Orphan! |
The blue striped fabric scraps were from my mother's stash. I had no idea what to make with it. I had seen a few quilts made from triangles cut from striped fabric or strings. In the back of my mind I thought I'd try something like that. Well, I had my chance with the corners on the small quilt. No thanks. I know that working with scraps made it more difficult, but I think I have that idea out of my system after just four blocks for the corners of the Orphan Quilt. I like the look, but the technique is just not for me. At least not with limited scraps.
TA DA!!!! Just like that, the BOM blocks are something useful. They still need backings and quilting, but there are much farther along and I have reclaimed the section of the design wall that is most easily within reach.
