what is a Block of the Month?

After reading the newsletters and surfing fabric shops online, I got interested in this BOM concept.  Apparently it's a program where you sign up to do an entire quilt in a specified time (usually a year, but could be 6 or 9 months too).  Each month you would receive instructions (and fabric too in some) for completing a block for the quilt.  So it's like quilting on an installment plan.  

This intrigued me.  I started looking at my local quilt shop.  They have several BOMs but they had already started, so that was out for me.  I don't know if they have 'catch up' blocks.  Online was next.  OMG was there a lot to choose from!   Many of the quilt shops will ship to you each month.   Trouble was then to find a pattern I liked.  

I found a BOM that was free (a great choice for me) on Craftsy.  This BOM is available to anyone anytime and you choose your own fabric.  The quilt is a sampler of different kinds of quilting methods in a modern style.  I really liked it and signed up for it immediately.  I have a set of fat quarters that I got cheap at Big Lots, so it's not a good quality material, but it will do.  the fabric is a bit oriental in reds and greens.  I am hoping it will look good.

Then I started reading more and found out that the instructor of the Craftsy BOM is starting another BOM called Sugar Block Club in 2013.   And it's only $7.95 for the entire year!  YES another BOM signed up.  Check out the fabrics I bought on Ebay for this one: