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| The advent box is now used for holiday storage. |
Last year (2023), I bought into an advent program sold by a quilting company – a pretty box of gifts for the quilter, numbered one to 25, a gift to be opened every December day until Christmas.
I love the advent countdown, and even though I just dabble in quilting, I reasoned that I would enjoy the “gifts,” so I splurged and paid the price – $185. After all, I don’t ask for much in the way of anything at all. And, for that matter, Mike and I have given up trying to please one another with gifts. So YEAH!! I wanted that advent box, and I ordered it.
A rather large box filled with the wrapped “gifts” arrived a month early and sat in the living room waiting for December 1. I was obedient to the plan. I admit that I peeked inside the box, but I didn’t begin to open the gifts until Dec. 1.
As
a part of the program, participants could join a Facebook group and watch as our
provider opened and explained each daily gift. For instance, Day 1 was a
project to make an “ugly sweater” wall hanging and included a pack of 5” fabric
charm squares and a cute little sweater template. However, weighed against my
current plan of action – “I can, but do I want to” – I quickly decided that I
didn’t want to make an ugly sweater wall hanging. I love to make sweaters for
dolls (I refuse to call them ugly), but this wall hanging just wasn’t my thing.
Furthermore, I prefer to select my own projects and do quite well on my own,
thank you!
The general plan seemed to be that we would actually hop to and make this project (or any other project included in the box), and I was amazed when in the next day or so, these quilting gals were showing their finished products. Didn’t they have other things to do, like decorating the tree, baking holiday goodies, finishing gifts, wrapping packages – or even those mundane tasks, such as dusting, fixing meals, or walking the dog? How did they make those wall hangings so quickly? Hmmmm. You don’t suppose they opened the gifts early in order to get a head start, do you? I wouldn’t put it past them!
And another thing. You’d have thought from the Facebook comments that these were personal gifts from the seller, who is clearly revered by many. Make a critical comment and the group might pounce on you – and believe me! They did! They were even critical of each other’s creative efforts! Further squabbling ensued when the program concluded and participants started offering to sell or trade the “gifts” they didn’t want.
As
far as I was concerned, the best thing about the program was the box itself and
the unique wrapping paper and sacks. To be fair, it cost something to put all
this together and still make a profit.
Well, I was underwhelmed with the whole project. You know, I could spend $200 on something I really want and have better value for the money.
I wonder what I want. KW
LOL! I, too, wonder what you want! Look around--you'll find the perfect thing. I'm not good with other people picking out my projects either, although I did enjoy an every other month package from Kansas Troubles for a while. There were several I'll never make, but the fabrics included will definitely be used. I've made a couple (the autumn wall hanging I'm working on is one) and others will be brought out and made over time. I've loved her fabrics for years and each collection blends with the older ones so all can be used. I love your suggestion that projects may have been started early. :-)
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean when you say the fabrics will be used. Probably ten years ago, I subscribed for a "Simple Whatnots" program of small quilt patterns and fabric, and that's when I learned that the sew-along doesn't work for me. I'm not focused enough with my sewing. I have another use in mind for the fabric, but obviously I haven't done it yet. And as you point out, the fabric in this line tends to coordinate from year to year.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't cost much to order a little fabric now and then. I just like the inspiration of something new and different and something to be delivered..