It’s April. You picked fabric for that BOM you signed up for in December or January, and maybe you cut the pieces for the January block. Then life got in the way. It happens to the best of us! I’m sharing my best tips for planning to stay on schedule with your BOM and what to do if you get behind.
Define Keeping Up
This is important. On a scale from most on schedule to least stressful, you should define what keeping up means to you. Are you going to finish your blocks every month, no matter what? For some, keeping up means being active in the community and making new friends, even if they don’t sew many blocks. Knowing that the 2025 BOM isn’t finished until 2029 can be liberating for others! Decide on the pace that makes you happiest and stay on that path.
Staying on (Your) Schedule
Your calendar is your friend. BOMs usually take about 2-4 hours of work each month. Put some dedicated BOM sewing time on your calendar every week or two so you can make consistent progress.
I look forward to the hour I set aside early every Saturday to work on the BOMs I’m in. It’s a perfect mix of quiet and productivity when it’s just me and a mug of tea before my husband wakes up.
If you’re doing the BOM with friends IRL, maybe you could rotate hosting a block-making session on the first Saturday of each month. I did this with friends when I first started quilting. The person with the most card tables hosted piecing days, while the person with the biggest living room hosted basting days—sewing on Saturdays with sisters. Not much else sounds as lovely!
I’ve Fallen, and I Can’t Get Up
This is where this post opened. You are so far behind, and it’s bumming you out. You really liked this design and were sure this was the year you would keep up. Now, you’re considering throwing in the towel and relegating this project to the WIP list. You stopped participating in the community because you’re ashamed, and you’re missing out on important quilty connections. Instead of throwing in the towel, plan to get back on track.
If you’re several months behind, forget about any block that isn’t this month’s. There’s something about the psychology of having this month’s block completed that makes feeling caught up so much easier. Then, you can plan to work on a block and a half for the next couple of months until you’re fully caught up. While using this strategy, always start your sewing sessions with this month’s block before you go back in time to work. I promise this will make catching up feel like an achievable goal.
Are you ready to jump into a BOM program? Then, welcome to Star Rise, my exclusive block-of-the-month program for 2025. Make 12 blocks in 3 sizes in this intriguing design with PDF pattern downloads delivered to our online portal on the first of every month. You’ll also have access to monthly video tutorials, block assembly demonstrations, live sew-ins each month, and an online community to meet your fellow Star Risers. Registration is now open, so join in with quilters like you as we build an out-of-this-world quilt together.
PS - This is part of a series on block-of-the-month programs. You can read more:
