More Clarification on Bah! Humbug!

Tonya here.  Deborah asked:

Enjoy seeing the words being made! How small is too small and how large is too large? Nothing like a vague question early in the morning:)

I'm trying to get everyone to finish off their blocks so that they finish at numbers divisible by 2. So the minimum size is 2" FINISHED. I don't actually expect to get any blocks that finish that small - although that sounds like I've just issued a challenge ;-)   Realistically 4" FINISHED is the minimum.

As far as maximum goes... I want you guys to dream and explore and play. To get something the way you want it, sometimes its gotta go big. I understand that, which is why I'm trying to not give you limits. The difference in sizes is some of what makes quilts like this and Slither Eek Boo interesting. Okay, having said that, be aware that I might end up making two quilts out of all the blocks you send me or maybe a two-sided quilt. I never know how this is going to turn out until I see what I have.

Is that a vague enough answer? heh heh heh. If you're unsure, just give me the specifics and I'll let you know.

On Slither Eek Boo (see above) I didn't end up using every block that was sent to me. That can happen with improvisation. I just put one of those leftover blocks into the new Letters quilt (I finished the top today!!!)  and I have several fabulous Boos from Brenda that will go in a Halloween orphan quilt or a boo quilt or I'm not sure what yet.  For Cake, Kim sent me a 4-letter word block that she knew was larger than I'd asked for - that big Baby block is in the Letters quilt too. Otherwise, all the 4-letter words were put in Cake.

I also don't know how many blocks I'll end up getting. Bunches of you have signed up, which I totally love. I know not everyone will end up making a block cuz sometimes life gets in the way. Everyone who wants to make one and gets it in the mail on April 1st or before will get to play with this. Yeah. I might get a LOT of blocks. Will be fun to see what happens.

If you can though, give me background/border around the outer bits rather than having your design go right near the edge. That helps a tremendous amount when it comes to putting it together. I think having the 2" limits will help with that rather than the free-for all of Slither and the names.

Speaking of making things easier for me.... I use a small stitch when I sew - not as small as I might do for paper-piecing but smallish (a 2 or a little bigger on a Bernina - 14 to 15 stitches an inch) and I don't have a problem with my seams coming undone as I sew my own blocks. I have had a problem here or there with ones that I've been sent by others... So check your stitch length pretty please.

To answer another question:

Does "bug" have to be interpreted as an insect?    

Absolutely not. Whatever bug intrigues you, use it. So long as it's noticeable. Like, if you want to interpret it as a computer bug that's cool. but don't just use an image of a computer. Bah Humcomputer.... not so understandable. Although now that I've written it, it's funny...

Remember, bug doesn't even have to be interpreted. you can ignore the double meaning entirely and just do straightforward letters. I like puns - but if that doesn't interest you, don't do it.

Sandra played off the word "hum" and it's very fun. Something I hadn't though of at all and it totally works.

You know how I said in the initial blogpost about Bah! Humbug! that I didn't want bah bah bah sheep?  I take it back. You want to play with that, it would be a hoot. Same thing as with the computer bug though, make sure if you improvise a sheep that it's recognizable as a sheep, not as a dog for instance. although there is such a thing as a sheepdog...

Play and have fun. Bah! Humbug!  - interpret it as you will. But it remains Christmas!!!

More questions? Fire away.