New Block Challenge

I have not done a Block of the Month since maybe...2007? It was time.  But, I was interested in trying something a little different.  I think I found it.

All of the BOM's I've done in the past were very prescribed, which was good when I was first learning to quilt.  They handed me the fabric and patterns and told me to cut here and sew there and make your block look like the picture, and like everyone else's in the group.  I learned soooo much about quilting from these get-togethers, but it was time for something new.

I've been looking on-line at some of the quilt-alongs, but they tend to move too quickly, and I struggle with keeping up, or getting the fabric in time. It also seems that the LQS's here don't do much of the BOM's anymore, or I miss them.

So, one of our shops, Quilters Market (awesome shop! Great fabric and people!) is hosting a BOM, but with a different approach. Basically, each month they give you two pieces of fabric that is not enough to complete the whole block.  They also give you a vague pattern/outline of how your pieces should be sewn together. They talk a little about construction and add a couple of tips, and then send you on your way to create. Everyone's blocks, consequently, come out very different.  Everyone gets to see their own pattern, design, and ideas in the fabric and pattern.

This Block Buster, Round #7, is called Aloha. The colors are tropical and the theme, for me, that immediately popped into my head was flowers. So...

My goal is to see flowers in each block pattern we receive. I immediately started thinking about how a flower could appear in this one.  Do you see it? There are actually two.  Maybe this angle is better...

I wanted to put the dark blue on bottom and lighter blue up above, but the fabric pieces we got wouldn't let that happen, so this is how it worked out. I added the green and the yellow, and I'm hoping I will have enough of each of those for all twelve blocks. I pulled from my stash; yeah for me, bad if I run out. The only thing I might change later on in the process is to add a little pink to the corners where the yellow "L's" are, just to break it up a bit.  We'll see what happens down the line.

Okay, I talked a lot. I am just so excited about this project! I haven't done anything like this in such a long time! I can't wait for the next block! My only glitch is what to do with 2 little ones while I'm at class. Dad might have to work a little over time for me...Mama needs to get her BlockBuster goin'!

That's just one of the projects I have going on right now. Lots of distractions. I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday. Can't wait to see what everyone else is up to.