Over a year ago a BOM project was being offered by my LQS. It is a queen size quilt of twelve 12" blocks, border, and binding fabric to complete the quilt top.
The price for this top is $325. ( $25. fee for joining and $25. monthy for 12 months ). The backing fabric and batting would be an additional cost.

Is it just me or does this sound expensive. A 12" block does not require a lot of yardage. I understand that it also includes the pattern and the fabric has been cut for each month's kit, but still :?: :?: :?:

I value your opinions on this subject.

One of the LQS here charges 7.50 a month anf I though that was expensive.I don't know that anything was already cut for each block though. It seems really expensive to me.

Yes, I think it is expensive too. I only did a BOM one time and I decided that I will not ever do it again. I would rather choose my own fabrics and work at my own pace.

It sounds very expensive.

That sounds expensive to me. I have been searching online for free quilt blocks and just going to do that and will make it scrappy.

I jointed one at Fat Quarter Shop and just love it. I can look forward to something coming in the mail every month. The fabric is something i dont really have access to and it is not cut out for you, you still have to cut the pieces and they give you instructions with every block. I am doing this for me not for a gift and when I am finished I will have something nice for my bed. You can still do it at your own pace but you dont have to pick the fabrics and that is a big help to me. I will do it again if I find a sampler that I like.

That is way out of my price range...I would rather buy a pattern and pick out my own fabrics :D:D:D I could buy a lot of luscious batiks for that price :wink:

I think I would have to find a new quilt shop, $25 a month is way over the top. (No pun intended) You could buy a book of blocks for about $25 and make all of the blocks. Yes you would have to buy fabric, but a fat quarter bundle or two of coordinating fabrics to make your blocks and them some sashing fabric and you are on your way. Certainly not $325!

That seems like a lot of money. I would rather spend it on my own choice of fabrics.

There are many free BOM on line if you want to choose your own fabrics and cut them.

Check out: Just one of many, google "free BOM quilts"

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1118.asp

My LQS had one of these quilts hanging on the wall, so I was questioning the clerk about the program. The price is actually set by the pattern designer not the LQS (although of course they get part of the proceeds). The pieces are not pre-cut. What I meant was that all the fabric needed to construct each block is provided in the monthly kit, so for example you might get a 2" strip of green, a 6" square of blue, etc.
I asked the clerk if I could just buy the pattern, but she said no, that the designer will only sell the pattern to people who participate in the BOM project.

Suffice to say, I have not joined as this seemed like a real rip-off. I've seen McKenna Ryan BOM's that run $44. per month :shock:

Oh, thank you!!! I will check this out. :-P :-P :-P

I am doing a Thangles BOM, cost to join is a pkg of thangles for $5.,you get fabric strips and free pattern . YOu have to take the block in each month and you get next months free, but if u miss a month, you have to pay $5. again. it gets you into their shop and hopefully you purchase something else, Fun to do for me and at end of year i have 12 blocks for $5., of course then you need to buy sashing and borders/backing, but still good price i think. You can also quit anytime and use the block(s) for pillows or whatever.

I think this was the way it was done around here 8 years ago when I got started. I joined one, then life got in the way...so I didn't finish. I cannot get over the price of the Civil War one right now. I have found it online anywhere from 30-40 dollars a month. Even my own LQS has it for 35. I just cannot afford that at all.

LQS got rid of their pay 5.00 once BOM. The one they do now is 5 or 6.00 each month, which is considerably cheaper, but I just don't know if it's worth it.

I've been bookmarking every free BOM site posted. I've not seen the one posted here before. I LOVE IT!!! I'll be printing for hours!

Bom are definetly fun, but i do like the free or small priced ones incase i can't do them all. I too have a stack of them downloaded. applewood farms has neat ones, ahhhhhhh so many blocks, so little time LOL

Generally speaking when you join a block of the month club you are not just getting the material for a block. You are getting the asistance of the shop selling the item, the companionship of those who also purchased the block and you generally become a member of a group who has taken the time to complete a project.

If you go to quilt shows take the opportunity to see block of the month projects. They generally have the finished projects from the local area and sometimes they include online participants who have shipped their quilts there to be displayed as well.

So here was how I got started in a block of the month club.....

A very very frugal friend ask me if I wanted to do it. I was told the colors were peach, green and yellow. So sight unseen I said yes. Quite a few family members had those colors either in a bedroom of living room and I figured by the time I was finished it would fit someone somewhere as a lovely gift.

I should have asked how much! Instead I said sure just sign me up and pay for it and I will pay you back. Imagine getting a small bag and a note stating you owe me $349.00 plus tax. Ahhhhhh.....

Anyhow long story short it was awesome and well worth the money spent. Every month a new block was made and along with it came some of the best friendships I ever shared. Everyone used their colors differently and the amount of information, sharing and fun we had was priceless.

IMO, too much money!

often you can just buy the pattern - they also tend to be a little on the pricey side.

My LQS had offered a BOM for "Pieces of Baltimore" pattern by Pam Bono. Cost was $15 month for fabric and pattern, plus hints from class leader for that month's block. I have finally finished all the blocks, but have not got it pieced together as the border is also pieced and taking a lot of time. My avatar is on of the twelve 18" blocks. It was a little expensive, but I am not sure I would have stuck with this and gotten as far as I have. Maybe one day next year I will be able to post the finished quilt!

for 325 dollars you could get EQ6 AND quite a few of the extra CDs... AND the fabric to make your own BOM...

I don't think anybody is worth that much!

Because of the high prices is why I have not joined. Some were very tempting, but I just can't do it.

Smiling here, I too think that is a rather high price to pay for a block of the month quilt. I am not that savy, but that seems like a quilt of gold!

I have an anxiety related illness

choosing my own fabrics for a block is often enough to put me in bed for a week....not good when I'm supposed to be the designated quilter in a weekly craft group

a BOM means that I get a little fabric each month, for a set cost

it usually has a color picture, so I don't have to worry where each piece goes

a bit like color-by-numbers, but sometimes, that's all I can do

I have seen some beautiful ones advertised in quilting mags but I am afraid they are way over my budget!

Gal

Our LQS's bom was $5.00 for the first month. As long as you took in the block from the month before (on time!) you got the next block (fabric and pattern) for nothing. If you skipped a month you had to repay the $5.00 but then continue for free - you were given one 'free' month if you couldn't make it. If you wanted to pay a $5.00 a month you could get the fabric/pattern for a second block each month (Making the total 24) (12"). At the end they gave examples of layouts... if any sashing was added you had to pay for it and the backing/binding. But for less than $100 you had a quilt at the end of the year (If you did just the one bom)

I have never done one, but that does sound high to me.

Everyone is talking about the cost but there are a lot of quilters out there that spend that and more on fabric from a LQS. There was one quilters the other day that spent 700.00 in one day. I feel to each his own.

I think it was said best above - to each his own. I guess if you really really love the pattern and the fabrics it is worth it. It is a little steep, but I have seen quite a few BOMs out there for that price and even higher. I am doing the Civil War BOM at my LQS and I think that is running me $25 per month, but I love love love it. I don't have a joining fee and my LQS throws in a coupon for a % off of the backing too.

It helps the hit on the pocket book that I don't buy it all at one time. $25 a month I can handle and when I know I have to spend that at my LQS I am less likely to buy other stuff when I go to pick up my BOM.

I'm doing a BOM from local quilt shop for only $1 per mo. We needed 1 pkg of thangles (which I did purchase there). There is also an option to purchase finishing kit. If you miss purching one of the BOM you can stll get it for a $3 charge.
Your story makes me realize how fortunate I am!

Yes I saw that post, but she bought a ton of fabric- it was piled high on the table, not for just one quilt! You are right though, to each his own.

I have a problem with handing over a high sign up fee. The cost of the fabric and pattern has a profit for the shop so the sign up fee is what? pay the shop for the privilege to buy the BOM? If there is a high sign up fee I just buy the pattern and do one block a month on my own.

I noticed the quilt I wanted to make was 240 dollars as a block of the month thru online shops. It was 199 for the kit thru Hancocks of Paducah. So it seems to cost quite a bit more as a block of the month.

The first bom I did was $20.00 to join and $5.00 a month for the fabric and block, you had to cut your own fabric from the piece they gave you. I thought it was an ok price untill I was told the price of the finishing kit was $225.00. I never bought the kit, and just finished it on my own for a lot less.

I agree.

I agree that BOM quilts solve the problem of choosing the best fabrics for the project and maybe approaching a quilt one block at a time keeps one on track for completing a quilt. A couple of you said you enjoyed the friendships and assistance that came from enrolling in a BOM project and I can see the real benefit of these things. My LQS's don't have get togethers for these programs.

I guess my real gripe is that one pays a pretty high premium for these "kits". I always buy premium LQS fabric for my projects so I am not averse to spending money on fabric.

I was just looking through a past Keepsake Quilting catalog (Summer Update 2009 page 42) and they were featuring McKenna Ryan "Out and About" kits. There are 9 different pattern/kits. Each measures 12" x 12" and they cost between $44.99 and $59.99 each. I just cannot see how anyone could justify upwards to $59.99 for a 12" x 12" finished square.

Okay, I'll climb down from my soapbox now.

Check out the wool block of the month club in the latest Keepsake catalog - $69.99 per month for first 12 months, 149.99 for the 13th month and 3.99 shipping per month. I was talking to my DH about it yesterday but he couldn't get past the lingo and didn't really know what I was talking about. lol

Each to his/her own, certainly but I do wonder how many people will buy that one.

Yes it is expensive. I won't make a BOM for that reason. I can usually make two or more quilt tops for the same price as one BOM.

yes, and you get to pick what fabric you want.

I have done several BOMs w/Fatquartershop.com. The average membersip fee is $9 and then about $25 a month including shipping for a total of about $310. and that has always included the pattern and the finishing kit. In addition, you receive about 25% more fabric than the pattern recommends due to the monthly mailing of quilt parts (I assume that factors into the increased cost). So, it is more expensive (but not as expensive as what your LQS is charging) than just purchasing the fabric and pattern, but the service with this company is amazing. They are so helpful, if you get stuck on something, they have already assembled the quilt there in the shop (verifying the instructions are in fact complete and correct) and can walk you through any problems. Also they have a box of scraps and if you make a mistake they will send you out the replacement fabric.