Chunk of the month - preamble......................

 Like many guilds, the Mississauga Quilt Guild  hosts a Block of the Month program each year.  One or two people take charge of the position and basically can do whatever they want. (Tomorrow you will see why I have chosen these particular groupings of projects)

In 2001/2002 Mary and Karen hosted Block of the Month and each month was a stand alone block. Then in 2002/2003, Mary and Karen rocked the Block of the Month format and made a Canadian themed quilt. As was tradition, the blocks were handed in each month and a winner was chosen from the submitted blocks. However if you wanted to make your OWN quilt, the blocks formed a row by row Canadian themed quilt. It was an extremely popular program that year and I don't know how many quilts were made - I will dig up a picture as there is no picture in the block of the month history book. And yes - my quilt is NOT done. I think I decided to do mine in half size. DUH!!!!!!   OK - now I will be on a mission today to find that quilt.

(Now several hours later - I located my quilt and pictures of some of the finished quilts - here they are.........)
I have no idea whose is whose - so just enjoy them.  But notice that they are all different - whether it be colour, embellishments, choice of blocks or placement of blocks.

Love the colour of the Northern Lights and notice the position and colour of the Moon over the Mountain block

Gorgeous skies behind the Canadian geese

Notice the crooked tree - that is certainly a Canadian theme after the wind storm we had yesterday. 

Notice how they changed the mountain row

Must be a sailor in the house - lots of boats in this quilt

A lot of different blocks in this one - NO applique!!!!

This is a mini!!!!

This is Mary's - notice those geese are flying north, cool use of the Northern Lights for the border and look at that moon!!!!!

And just to be different - this is mine.  I know - nothing like the original. Did you also notice that it is NOT done!!!!!   Far from it, but thanks to this picture and a diagram - I know where everything is supposed to go.  I know what blocks are missing as well - THREE small blocks.  I put it up on the design wall..................    are you thinking what I am thinking??????   Maybe - just maybe???????

Then I took over the Block of the Month program (2003/2004). A HARD act to follow after that Canadian themed row quilt.  I used regular blocks, but the colour scheme was blue and white - so all the blocks returned were in various shades of blue with a white background.  People had many options - if they won the blocks - they could make a quilt, if they did not, they could make a sampler style quilt from each of the patterns or make a quilt using just one block pattern. I made a sampler quilt out of all the blocks as did many others.

I designed the block patterns in EQ, wrote out the detailed instructions and each participant got a copy of my Tech Tips.  Which by the way have been published and revised (with photos)  in electronic form and you can download part of them for free. Go to QUILTsocial  to download your own copy.

Anyway - here is that quilt

Blue's Clues ( it got that name when the Brampton Guild used it for their Block of the Month)

I have never used this quilt. And you ask why????   Well - I had someone quilt it for me and I wanted them to quilt the white sashing in BLUE thread.  I never liked it.   I call it an experiment gone bad!!!!

Sashing quilted in BLUE thread

I started to take it out and will re-quilt it with white.  I know - I MUST get it done soon. Checked the label - 2004. Oh dear!!!!!!

You know how blocks of the month can get weary and hardly any blocks get turned in - well have a look at this..................

YES - this is the number of blocks that were being returned each month. There so many blocks returned that there were TWO draws per month. 

Another month

And again

And again

And again - all months were like this - it was CRAZY!!!!!!

Some people made blocks with what they won

Another quilt from the block winnings

Make it bigger by putting in a plain alternative block (I think this one is mine - it is still in the pile that needs a backing and binding made)

Some made a block for the guild and one for themselves and then made a quilt

Some added more blocks to get a bigger quilt

This one was made with blocks that she made for herself and the border came from block winnings.   Very clever!!!!!!!!!!!

OK - so after all that and HOURS later. I am going to save the actual Chunk of the Month photos for tomorrow.   Sometimes I get carried away and that is what happened today.


Have an awesome day..................


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!