Our local shop has a sew in night every month. One year they did a pizza party, were supplied with new, clean pizza boxes (kind of like the shoebox idea) and brought their own fabric for a quilt. They drew numbers and passed the boxes to the next number (one gave her box to two, etc) that person made a center square of whatever size they chose. Then the next month the box was passed to the next number and that person added a border (could be pieced or not), etc. At the end the quilt was finished or nearly so. I think they were able to add additional fabrics if they wanted. The recipient got to see it at each meeting, but had no input! Every one was pleased!