Originally Posted by
krisgray
The LQS buys the patterns and gets a shop kit that tells them what they need to cut each month. Sometimes it includes extra patterns like shams and table toppers to coordinate with the quilt. Rather than pass a lot of the cost onto the customers my LQS that buys these packages, it charges for the pattern and then the blocks are free each month when you return with a finished block. The owner has about 4 new kits in the shop for each BOM day and specials for the BOM'ers. She makes her money on the extras by getting people in the door, not the BOM program.
Yes! My LQS does this with the Thangles Buck a Block program. I decided to do that for 2010 (it started in August). The block is $1.00 each month. It is the center. You get the thangles and the two strips. If you want to make the twin sized quilt you can buy the setting fabrics and sashing. I bought the fabrics that they used in the sample butyou can pick any fabrics that you like. If you don't buy the setting fabrics you'll still have a small top that is really cute. It is very apparent that the BAB program is designed to help bring in business for the shop. Every month I've gotten my block, one the setting materials, then next month a little something else and so on.