My mother-in-law taught me how to quilt, but block of the month programs honed my skills. Online block of the months in the early to mid-2000 were instrumental in teaching me different sewing techniques so I could determine my own preferences. I’ve found it harder and harder to find block of the month’s as I remember them – where each month you visited a different quilter to see what they picked and how they put it together. So in 2021, I’m bringing back the Old School Block of the Month.
On the 12th of each month, a new quilter will share a block with us. They’ll be bringing things back to basics teaching a variety of techniques from traditional piecing, applique, paper piecing, and perhaps more! This is a great program for beginners, but also fun for folks who know what they’re doing. It’s an opportunity to see someone else’s technique, try something new, and perhaps decide what works best for you.
12″ Mystery Blocks
Each quilter will share a tutorial making a 12″ finished block. The tutorial will be free for the month it’s posted – there may be a fee to purchase the tutorial later.
At the same time, this will be a mystery block of the month! Until the very end, I will not show you what the finished quilt will look like.
Choosing Fabrics
How do you choose fabric for a mystery sampler quilt?
Well – my plan is to pull 1-3 main colors and an accent color. Since most of my quilts are fairly scrappy I’ll pull about 2 yards (which could be 8 quarter yard cuts or an equal volume of smaller cuts) of each color, while making sure I have other fabric in my stash I could add if needed.
Schedule
January 12, 2021 – Kim Lapacek (Persimon Dreams) – Block 1 – Patched Friendship Star
February 12, 2021 – Nancy Scott (Masterpiece Quilting) – Block 2 – Variable Star Block with Autograph/Album
March 12, 2021 – Quilt Jane – Block 3 – Fussy Cut Mirror Block
April 12, 2021 – Missie Carpenter (Traditional Primitives)– Block 4 – Hexagon Block
May 12, 2021 – Natalie Santini (Sew Hungry Hippie) – Block 5 – Stripey Cartwheel Block
June 12, 2021 – Kerry Goulder (Kid Giddy) – Block 6 – Economy Pocket Block
July 12, 2021 – GoGo Kim
August 12, 2021 – Lee Chappell Monroe (May Chappell)
September 12, 2021 – Yvonne Fuchs (Quilting Jetgirl)
October 12, 2021 – Pat Sloan
November 12, 2021 – Katy Cameron (The Littlest Thistle)
December 12, 2021 – Sherri Falls (This and That Patterns)
Share to Social Media!
Be sure to share your blocks to social media using hashtag #OSBOM21
NICE. Love it.
I just stumbled across this and think it is brilliant! I have wanted to teach something like this locally but don’t have a space to gather quilters together. Great job!
Great Idea
How do you sign up for the Old School BOM?
No sign up needed! just make the blocks 😉
Looks like something to get my quilting mojo back
Sounds great!
Super! Can’t wait!
Sounds interesting! Looking forward to seeing the blocks. Thanks for planning and sharing.
Sounds interesting! I started the January 2020 Nine-Patch quilt project, but promptly got involved with quarantine quilting, so it has fallen to the wayside. I might be able to finish it by January 2021 but it’s not looking good. Are you still going to do Project Quilting?
definitely! Project QUILTING season 12 starts January 3rd!
Yay! Project Quilting keeps me moving forward on a project! There is nothing like a deadline to motivate me to finish something!
Sounds like fun.
Hi. This is my first BOM. Do I need to sign up? Where will it be posted?
Thanks
Beth
No need to sign up! I’ll post each month on the 12th right here on my blog where you need to go for each block.
Where do
I sign up?………
No sign ups necessary! Just stop back here on the 12th of each month to see the next block!
This is going to be great Kim. I’m in!!!!
So excited. I love learning new skills and being challenged. Thank you for all your work to put this together.
Just a quick question regarding fabric choice. How much for a background fabric
Since I’m not sure on what the blocks are I would say about 2 yards but make sure you have more of the same color value across the board. Mine will be scrappy. I’ll do a fabric pull and post it early January.
Would 30s fabric work?? I have a lot
sure!
How do i sign up to get the monthly blocks?
Any idea how much yardage will be needed for sashing, binding and backing? I think I will be using Mill Creek Gardens since my area fabric store finally got in and would like to get while they still have it. Thank you.
It depends on how big your planning on making your quilt. Just 12 blocks? Simple sashing? I’m leaving all that up to the creator.
Thanks Kim for sharing you’re amazing talent!
Sounds like fun!
Looking forward to a new challenge. These challenges keep inspiring and pushing my boundaries. Thank you (& A very Merry Christmas)
This looks interesting and easy.
This sounds great. I’m just finishing the first BOM I’ve ever done and it was so helpful. Will you have a FB page so we can keep up with the blocks and see other completed blocks?
Sounds like fun, I’m looking forward to joining in!
Will you be send out a notice in your newsletter?
I’m looking forward to sewing along. My daughter just moved back home and is enjoying learning to make quilts. So we will both be joining in!
Sounds great
Sounds like fun! I hope to follow along with it.
I’ll mark the date. Can’t wait for the Fun.
I think this will be a 2021 project for me . Love the variety different designers post. Thank you
Great way to start the new year!
I like BOM because I can do a few. Thank you.
So excited. I’m ready.
Can’t wait. I’m excited!
I’m excited. So happy to have a look to look forward to.
Should be interesting.
Hi ! I just finished a quilt météo 2020, and I like your challenge with different artists each month ! I would make it ! Thanks a lot.
Nathalie (from Déols in France)
I am looking forward to this!
Is there a fabric requirement list? How much of how many colors should I have?
I want to play, too, please. Looks like fun. TIA
Perfect way to start the new year!
Where are fabric requirements? I’m in
My mom and I are planning to join! We ordered Strawberry Fields from Rifle paper I hope that will work!! We are hoping all our squares combined will make a quilt for my daughter!!
Sounds fun!
Can’t wait. I have wanted to learn different techniques and this sounds like the perfect project.
Looking forward to doing this with my friends here in PA and South Carolina! Love seeing and learning different ways to do things!
This sounds like fun. Will be my first BOM with you. Time to rummage through the stash and get ready for the twelfth.
I think this will be fun. So generous to do this for free.
I love mystery quilts/blocks. I love to see something come together with the quilters in suspense! Thanks for this fun time!
I am a little behind signing up. Is it too late to start?
no sign up necessary! Just make the block!
Excited for this BOM! Just wondering if you know what the finished quilt size is? Thanks!
It will depend on what you want to do with sashing. If you just put the 12 blocks together in a 3×4 format it will be 36″ x 48″.
Thank you!
I love to do the different blocks once a week or once a month, along with everyone else. Keeps me accountable and I get a quilt finished. Great idea Pat.
It’s so much fun to see what everyone else is making.
Thanks for the fun!
Am I missing something? There is no block from Jan 12th.
yup – it’s posted on the blog on a separate post here – https://kimlapacek.com/2021/01/patched-friendship-star-block-1-of-the-old-school-bom.html
Thank you so much. I’ve sewed for years but am just starting quilting and I need this! so excited to get going.
Perfecto!!!!. Unida desde España 🇪🇦!
Muchas gracias por el proyecto!!
I just came across this at Troll Brothers Quilt Designs and it sounds intriguing. I have been doing another Murder Mystery Quilt for a couple of years and have learned a lot of new techniques there. It will be very good to learn other ways of doing the same blocks, and bonus! I will have another completed quilt top by the end of the year.
I am ready for a new challenge! Off to make my first block now.