Office Party - A Challenging Comedy of Errors

This is the block I designed for Modern Quilts Unlimited's monthly block design challenge, Everything Old is New Again.

I thought this curvy design, my interpretation of the traditional Bow Tie block was rather festive, so I called it Let's Party.

If you like my block design, I'd appreciate your vote ...  even if you don't like my block ... you might want to click over and see what others did, starting with a bow tie for inspiration.

Modern Quilts Challenge Link

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If your reaction to this combination of fabrics is one of "what was she thinking?" then keep reading as I share the comedy of errors on the path of making the block.

This monthly challenge started last summer; a friend sent me email about it because–no surprise to anyone who reads this blog–I love challenges.  Each month a traditional block is chosen and published by MQU and you have to design an original 12-inch modern block design based upon it.  But I was reticent, for a number of reasons:

• Although I very much like and am definitely influenced by Modern Quilts, I would consider myself a Modernist, though not necessarily a Modern Quilter (with a capital M and a capital Q) and I feared the kind of reaction Laura Lang describes in her recent article about the Modern Quilt Police. It wouldn't be the first time ... and frankly, I already have enough grief in my life.
• The winner of this design contest is determined by a social media popularity contest and I have such a small social media footprint that I figured that I wouldn't have a chance, so if I played along, it would be simply for that reason, to "play" with the challenges. 
• For the first traditional block announced last summer, Flying Geese ... I had nothing in terms of a new interpretation. 
• Blocks (and the sampler quilt at the end of the challenge)  had to be made ONLY from fabrics from Michael Miller.  I never choose fabrics for my projects based on who made them and because my stash is one of a scrap quilter, I don't even always know whose fabrics I'm choosing and using.  

But even if I was personally uninspired, I loved following along to see the modern interpretations of the traditional blocks so far and when the November block was announced, inspiration struck and my design idea stayed stuck in my head and insisted I make it. 

I remembered the December 10 deadline, but for some reason thought it was the date that you could START entering your block ... not the absolute, drop dead, must be posted by deadline. Yesterday morning I saw a mention of the deadline and realized my error.  I also realized that I would have to quickly make my block based on whatever fabrics in my stash I could absolutely identify as Michael Miller fabrics. It's only the busiest time of the year ... no problem. 

Note to fabric manufacturers:  Please consider printing your name and fabric information on BOTH selvages so that those of us that buy fat quarters will somehow have a clue whose fabrics we have. 

So, that's why this block is made from some old (vintage?) Michael Miller yardage, Daily Grind, that I won at a quilt retreat at least a decade ago, a fat quarter of Stitch Circle that happened to be the side that had the name on the selvage and a sparkly fat eighth of Confetti Border that was acquired for the MQG Michael Miller fabric challenge. 

Using that office cubicle print as a background for my Let's Party block led to a story (in my head, at least) of office workers waiting for the end of day and the holiday Office Party. 

I am celebrating my quickly finished entry on these lists: 

Can I Get A Whoop, Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilt Shop Gal's Creative Goodness Linky Party

Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts