How to Start a Quilt in the Box with Friends

What is a quilt-in-a-box? It's a group project that results in enough quilt blocks for each participant to turn into a quilt of her own. Every participant puts fabric in a box. The group switches the boxes between participants and makes a quilt block out of the fabric in the box. At the end each, participant receives the blocks made by others out of her fabric. The resulting quilt is a great way to remember your quilting friends. Read below to see how it works.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1.5 yards background fabric
• 2 yards main fabric (to be used in each block)
• 4 to 5 complementary fabrics (sizes can vary from .25 yards to 1 yard)
• Diary or journal (optional)
• Fabric pen (optional)

1. Find a group of quilting friends that want to make a new quilt. If you can, 12 people are optimal because you can set the quilt three rows by four columns. If you can't find 12 people, everyone agrees to receiving fewer blocks at the end or making more than one block for everyone.

2. Agree to a timetable. Realistically everyone should be willing to make one block a month. This way the project will take a year to complete.

3. Set a time every month to switch boxes. For example, switching boxes on the first Monday or the last day of a month or the 15th of a month.

4. Agree to the size of the finished blocks. A 12.5 inch unfinished (or 12 inch finished) block is recommended, because there are so many blocks that can be used.

5. Each participant should pick the block they will make out of everyone else's fabric. Do not tell the other participants what block you are making.

6. Choose your fabrics, following the material's list above.

7. From your main fabric cut three 4.5" strips along the length for the borders. If you plan to use the main fabric for sashing, cut enough fabric strips now. If you think you want a small inside border out of the background fabric, cut six 1.5 or 2 inch strips now. Store this fabric at your house not in the fabric box that travels.

8. Make your block out of the fabrics you have chosen for your quilt-in-a-box.

9. Prepare your quilt-in-a-box. A shoe box or unused pizza box are great choices. On the lid tape swatches of the fabrics and identify how you would like them used. For example, mark your background fabric and main fabric. You can even make comments like "Use this fabric only as an accent color" or "Use this fabric in every block" on the complimentary fabrics in your box. Place all your fabrics in the box.

10. If desired, include a fabric pen and ask everyone to sign her block. Be specific if you want the signatures on the front or back of the blocks.

11. Some people enjoy writing and reading the comments of their fellow quilters, therefore they place a small diary in the quilt-in-a-box. This is optional, but fun and interesting.

12. On the lid write the names of all participants.

13. Make your block out of the fabrics you receive in the box. Cross your name off the list on the box. Keep this block in a safe place.

14. Meet to switch boxes.

15. Continue meeting at agreed upon intervals for switching boxes. Make your block out of the fabric provided in the box until everyone has completed a block for all participants.

16. 
    Quilt blocks received at a Reveal Party.

    Hold a Reveal Party where everyone brings the blocks they've made. At this party, everyone will give the blocks they made back and receive the blocks that others made for them.

17. Sew the blocks together to finish the quilt.

Tips & Warnings

• For best results, all fabrics should be 100 percent cotton and washed and pressed before putting into the box.
• When choosing which block to make for everyone, pick a block that is interesting to you and not to complicated for you. The block will be made 12 times in different fabrics.
• Not everyone participating in the quilt-in-a-box will be of an equal skill level. Accept what was made. Sometimes blocks will have to be stretched because they are too small or puckered in because they are too large.
• Follow the special instructions with each box so that the quilt block you make will match the others.
• Try really hard to sew your block to the correct size.

Resources

• The website Quilt Block Galore has hundreds of 12-inch blocks.
• The quilt blocks section of the Wide World of Quilting website lists quilt blocks alphabetically and by size.