Guild BOM
Hi, Just wanted to take a survey. I belong to two quilt guilds. Each has a BOM. I rarely participate since I have had the experience of winning and having a horrible time putting the blocks together as they are always various sizes no matter how well they were made.
My question is about how your group or guild does BOM. The guild I have belonged to the longest has had the same person doing BOM for at least 20 years. She made up the rules when the group was less than a dozen members. If you win you are obligated to make at least six different blocks in the next 9 months. Until you fullfill that obligation you are not eligible to win again.
The other problem I have with her rules is that she picks the pattern and they seem to be getting harder and harder. This month's pattern takes 48 pieces in a 12 1/2" block. Last months had 54 pieces. It has gotten to the point where there may be 20 or more blocks in the drawing but only one or two people are eligable to win. The other thing that bugs me is that she picks the pattern, the colors and even provides some of the fabric, at the guild's expense of course. There are 100+ members in the guild so she provides at least 80 pieces of fabric and that many copies of the pattern each month.
Here excuse for the rules and the quild providing the fabric etc. is to help beginners etc. After 49 years of quilting I am not willing to take on a single block with 54 pieces. The only way I would use most of her patterns is to enlarge all the pieces enough to make a whole top out of one block.
Just interested in hearing your comments.