I had often wondered how quilters found out about free online Blocks of the Month programs and accidentally stumbled upon the Just Takes 2 red and white mystery quilt just 2 days before it was set to start on Jan 1, 2012 and I actually had enough fabric in my stash to start it that day. This ambitious project was a response to the Infinite Variety quilt show held in New York City a few years ago. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty_XgIbH1hQ
I chose to use different colours from the Jinny Beyer Pallet that I had purchased several years earlier when they were on sale for half price and I bought a half yard of every colour, about 135 of them.
This was an opportunity to make individual blocks from both simple and complex patterns. 100 of them no less.
That winter I was taking 3 courses to complete my masters and looking forward to the release of the new blocks twice a month was a fun way to reward myself for getting homework done each day. Turns out that this was a good way to manage the ADHD. I had colour coded all the reading and writing assignments on my calendar and after I checked off completed tasks, I spent an hour cutting out, or stitching up the next block.
In seminary we were expected to read through the entire Bible at least once every year. The day I made the feathered star, which is my favouritest block, I listened to the 12 minor prophets and the entire New Testament. I had not done much paper piecing before taking on this project but Brenda Papadakis told us that what we do most we do best so I started to do more paper piecing. What I did best was un-stitch. I redid one of those star points 7 times before getting it just right, then the next one went in perfectly first try.
Problem is, I eventually graduated, ran into a glitch on a couple of blocks and started on another degree without deadlines. All these blocks got put into a neatly labeled box and are on the shelf with many others awaiting completion. I think there are about 12 blocks left.
Chris
(2018: I call this Serendipity. It is still not finished and is on my 12 ufos for 2018 list. Since then, I have started several other BOM's from Sentimental Stitches like Ben Biggs, Beyond the Cherry Trees, 1857 Album - now being quilted, and Dear Daughter. But I have gotten pretty comfortable with foundation or paper piecing. This whole pattern is still on sale for only $10.)
I chose to use different colours from the Jinny Beyer Pallet that I had purchased several years earlier when they were on sale for half price and I bought a half yard of every colour, about 135 of them.
This was an opportunity to make individual blocks from both simple and complex patterns. 100 of them no less.
That winter I was taking 3 courses to complete my masters and looking forward to the release of the new blocks twice a month was a fun way to reward myself for getting homework done each day. Turns out that this was a good way to manage the ADHD. I had colour coded all the reading and writing assignments on my calendar and after I checked off completed tasks, I spent an hour cutting out, or stitching up the next block.
In seminary we were expected to read through the entire Bible at least once every year. The day I made the feathered star, which is my favouritest block, I listened to the 12 minor prophets and the entire New Testament. I had not done much paper piecing before taking on this project but Brenda Papadakis told us that what we do most we do best so I started to do more paper piecing. What I did best was un-stitch. I redid one of those star points 7 times before getting it just right, then the next one went in perfectly first try.
Problem is, I eventually graduated, ran into a glitch on a couple of blocks and started on another degree without deadlines. All these blocks got put into a neatly labeled box and are on the shelf with many others awaiting completion. I think there are about 12 blocks left.
But this is not going to stop me dreaming about starting the next Just Takes 2 - The Benjamin Briggs Quilt - set to start Jan 1, 2014. It will run for 25 months. It will be free each month until the next block is released, then it goes into the online shop. I have enough CW reds and almost enough greens to use with a rest-of-the-bolt of unbleached muslin like fabric I bought somewhere last summer. Its going to be a very busy couple of years. http://sentimentalstitches.net/
Blessings,Chris
(2018: I call this Serendipity. It is still not finished and is on my 12 ufos for 2018 list. Since then, I have started several other BOM's from Sentimental Stitches like Ben Biggs, Beyond the Cherry Trees, 1857 Album - now being quilted, and Dear Daughter. But I have gotten pretty comfortable with foundation or paper piecing. This whole pattern is still on sale for only $10.)
Your Just Take Two blocks look beautiful, I hope you can manage to finish, or maybe you could just put together the ones you have done? I have also been looking at their new quilt for 2014 - very tempting!
ReplyDeleteThanks Carole. I took these pictures after completing each unit. Sometimes I have pulled out all the blocks and laid them out on the big bed in the white room and thought about what needed doing and how to approach that, then got distracted and eventually out them back in the box so someone could sleep in the bed.
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