2026 BOM [Border of the Month] Fabric Requirements & Calendar
It’s time!…we are kicking off the 2026 Coriander Quilts BOM [Border of the Month]. I’m also sharing the first block of the Sewcialites sew along. So many fun things today!
First up, let’s chat a bit about the In the Garden mystery BOM. Today I am releasing the fabric requirements and the calendar of release dates.
Download the Fabric Requirements and Calendar of Dates here.
This is a mystery sew along. The finished quilt size is 64″ x 64″. In today’s video, I am sharing information about choosing your fabrics for this sew along.
I’ve been piecing my quilt top this week and it’s been fun!…I look forward to sewing along with all of you again this year.
Let’s move right into another fun sew along…Sewcialites.
Sewcialites is a sew along hosted by Fat Quarter Shop. The blocks can be made in 3″, 6″, or 9″ sizes and patterns are being released weekly. I am opting for the 6″ size and I’ll be using my Fruit Salad fabric collection. Fruit Salad fabrics are currently showing an April arrival into quilt shops.
The first block of this Sew Along is Idyllic brought to us by Chelsi Stratton. You can download the Idyllic block pattern here.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Corey
Looking forward to the Border of the month qal! A nice change up for us!!
I think it will be fun! I’ve really been enjoying working through the patterns.
Good Morning Corey! OK I’m going to do this…. it is WAAAAAY outside my comfort zone. I am THAT person that reads the pattern all the way through and then cuts…. A mystery project is soooo scary to my brain . but here goes! you might get a few panic filled texts from me… Just say’n
Mary Jo
I’m happy to have you joining along! Mystery projects can feel scary but they are fun!
My quilt club meets the 5th of March. I’m going to share this challenge with them. Who doesn’t have a layer cake laying around?
Happy to have you all joining in!
I loved last year’s mystery. I have it ready to quilt. The thought of a border mystery has me intrigued. Count me in. Off I go to explore layer cakes.!
Have fun choosing!
Hi Corey. I look forward to quilting with you on this mystery BOM. I can use one of my many layer cakes. I do appreciate you going over the layer cakes and matching fabric ideas. I always have a hard time picking my matching fabrics. Thanks!
We’re going to have fun!
I love when you show lots of fabric! And I truly appreciate your suggestions on how to pick out fabrics. I always struggle with that when it’s a mystery BOM.
Oh my goodness! I have a Tilda Sanctuary layer cake just waiting for this!! Any advide you could share as to the contrast fabric would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for what you do, because of you I found my love of sewing again after 25 years!!
Just sharing my experience. I used Sanctuary for the MBH6 QAL and found The companion Mira Blenders were a must. For the background I chose Tilda’s warm sand. Enjoy. 😊
Thanks so much Lisa for giving this suggestion!
I am planning to join in this year. I know I have some layer cakes. I have only made 3 quilts, but hopefully I will do yours justice.💖
Thanks for the ideas about fabric choices. Coordinating fabric is so hard for me. I am so excited to get started. I am glad it won’t last a whole year. I am glad it will finish before the end of the year. To long to wait for me. Thanks for all you do.
Your hair looks so cute!! Thanks for doing this SAL I’m almost finished with last years lol will there be a finishing kit?
Most quilt shops, if they have the fabrics, are very happy to put together a kit for you. =)
Can’t wait for your Fruit Salad fabric collection! And I agree, your hair looks adorable!
Thanks so much!
I struggle with choosing which layer cake. I have plenty. Is there a minimum amount of different colors you would recommend?
Not necessarily….In the Garden has a wider variety of colors which allows for some fun options but a more limited palette would work as well.
Corey – I’m thinking about finally using my layer cake of Buttercup and Slate. (I also have a fat quarter bundle and a jelly roll – I think I must love that line!) I’m wondering if there will be enough color variations to make the mystery BOM.
Yes, that will be pretty!
Will it be a problem using one way print fabrics? Several of my layer cakes have one way prints
If you don’t mind if your prints aren’t all going the same direction, it’s not an issue using directional fabric. If you prefer everything to go one direction, it would be easier to choose a different layer cake.
Love the bird quilt in the background, is that one of your patterns?
Yes!…it’s the February $5 pattern of the month. I chatted about it in the last two YouTube videos…last Saturday’s video (February 14) included a tutorial for piecing the block.
I loved your explanations of the fabrics that would work with the various layer cakes. Yes, please continue to share your knowledge. I always look forward to and enjoy your YouTube videos!
Hey Corey, could you direct me where to find what moda solids go with your Beautiful Day collection? I’ve got a layer cake that I would like to use for this BOM, or let me know what solid you would recommend for the contrast fabric for that collection (would probably need to be a solid since that is an older collection). Thanks for all you do!
At the top of my blog, I have a tab “Bella Solids Matching Information”. That’s where you’ll find links to that information for my various collections. Here’s the blog post for Beautiful Day: https://corianderquilts.com/beautiful-day-quilts/
Thank you! So helpful!
Question: I just watched your video on the 2026 BOM! I’m so excited! I would like help with choosing contrasting and background fabric for Lori Holt’s Berry and Sage. Thank you!
What a pretty line of fabric!…I’d not seen that one yet. For the background, I would choose a cream colored solid that matches the cream/white in that line. For the contrast, you could use either the pinky red or the green/aqua. I wouldn’t choose the darkest shades in either of those colors but one of the medium shades.
I’m so excited. I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve only been quilting about 3 years. It should be FUN!
I really liked it when you showed what you would pick for a contrast fabric. It is very helpful. Thank you.
I do starch my fabrics, so can I get a fat eighth bundle instead of a Layer Cake? Thanks so much for your helpful hints about the contrasting and background fabrics.
Yes, you could purchase a fat eight bundle.
I recently finished my quilt your bom for 2025 and love it! My husband was amazed at the secondary star pattern and it looks great. I used a flannel backing and it is so cozy. I appreciate your videos and fabric selections. Looking to the 2026 bom!
Hi Corey!
Quick question about the BOM — would a fat eighth bundle work, or does it need to be a layer cake?
I’ve been saving my In the Garden fat eighth bundle and would love to use it for this project. Also, would a Thatched print by Robin Pickens for Moda Fabrics work well as the contrast fabric?
Thank you! 🌸🧵
Yes, a fat eighth bundle of In the Garden would work. And yes!…a Thatched print would work great for the contrast fabric. I would choose a color close to the dark gray from In the Garden.
Hi Cory, a couple questions please on the BOM. Some of my layer cakes have some large scale prints in them. Would those work or not good for this project. Also how may of the 10″ squares would you say we will use out of the 42? So that gives me an idea of not completely ruling out a layer cake if I have enough from it I could use. Thanks so much, excited about this BOM!
You will be using 40 of the squares. Large-ish scale prints are fine (if you take a look at In the Garden none of those were too large).
I am excited about the mystery sew along. I recently purchased American gatherings lll. Would this look good in the mystery? I want to do a red white and blue quilt this year. What do you think about this collection for the mystery?
I answered your question over on YouTube!
Hi Corey
Border of the month has me sold! Excited to join and thank you for all the wonderful patterns that always stay on your blog.
I have a layer cake of Wild Blossoms from Robin Pickens. I think a white on white would be great for the background but this layer cake has a lot of different colors in it. Would you be able to recommend a contrast color for me! I would so appreciate the help.
So many great colors in that line…I like that maroon shade or one of the blues.
Thank you! I appreciate your help!
I’m excited about the New BOM, I’m thinking of using Dandi Duo by Robin Pickens, I’m wondering what would be your choice for contrast and background? There are lots of good choices, should either of them be a solid instead of both thatched fabrics ? Or do I need a layer cake with more prints?
Answered your question over on YouTube! =)
Hello Corey – Ready to get started and picking my layer cake. Would a darker background with cream/white as the contrast work for this BOM also. Would love your thoughts on this. Thank you!
Yes, that would work. =)
If I decide to change backing to coral should I change the contrast and binding colour? If so what would you recommend? Thanks!
Background or backing?
New to your blog but not new to block of the month. BORDER of the month is confusing me as you refer to “the quilt”. Is a complete quilt top derived from one layer cake?
You can print out the fabric requirements in the blog post above…you’ll need the layer cake plus background and contrast fabric to complete the quilt top.
Hi Corey I am excited about your next BOM, especially since it sounds like it will be a medallion quilt.
Question: I bought on sale 2 fat eighth bundles of your In the Garden fabric before you released the fabric requirements for the mystery BOM. Will I be able to use the fat eighth bundles in place of the layer cake?
By the way loved how your hair looks in your latest video and your blue shirt. You looked wonderful!
Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks, Jean
Yes, you can sub an In the Garden fat eight bundle in place of the Layer Cake. And thanks so much for your kind comment!
Oh boy, I see where you sneaked in that “don’t pre-starch.” You’re really going to tear my sewing skills on this one aren’t you. 😂😂😂
Kimberly Jolly mentioned your new BOM today and showed 3 pages you can print out – fabric requirements, release dated and cutting guide. I see the first 2 pages, but cannot find the layer cake cutting guide. where can I find this? Thank you.
The cutting guide doesn’t come out until next month. It releases with the first block. You can see the list of block release dates in the PDF above along with the fabric requirements.
Hello. On the fat quarter shop video dated 2/27 , Kimberly had a diagram as to cutting the 10 inch square. I did not see that page with the fabric requirements on your blog. Where can I find it?
The cutting guide doesn’t come out until next month. It releases with the first block. You can see the list of block release dates in the PDF above along with the fabric requirements.
Are cutting instructions out for the BOM 2026?
You probably saw the answers above but just in case…no, they haven’t come out yet.
Even though I don’t really like the mystery aspect of mystery QALs (usually save all the files and start after it’s over and the final is revealed), I really love a medallion quilt and the idea of a layer cake medallion sounds great. I’m definitely going to collect patterns and sew along at the end but I’m curious why you advise against prestarching the layer cake. I do it almost automatically as I get immensely more accurate cutting and sewing results when I do.
Hey Sarah!…answered your question where you asked over on YouTube. =)
Looking forward to quilting along with your BOM! I have many layer cakes and look forward to using one of them. Thanks!!
Can’t find cutting guide for layer cake for 2026 mystery bom.
Looking forward to the BOM. I have a question. I just ordered the fabric from FQS but went with a Fat 1/8 bundle because i like to starch. After I hit the order button, I realized that won’t work if you use an entire 10×10 piece at one time for anything. Do you ever do that? I always think of things after I hit the order button!
You’ll be just fine with a fat 8 bundle!
I am using a layer cake called Middleboro Road. I was wondering if you could help me in choosing an accent color and a background. I have searched myself but am stuck. Thank you. I can’t wait until Saturday’s video!
Really looking forward to this even though it is scary not to know everything at the beginning. I’m going to step out in faith and trust that you have it all figured out. Thanks so much for all you are doing for us.
Do we know if there is a modern or traditional vibe to the pattern?
I’m using Joanna’s Fresh Figs for the BOM. I have a cream background but can’t decide a coordinate fabric color. Soft blue of the green. There are a few black prints in the layer cake too. Any tips appreciated. Loved the video where you talked about color selection.
Hey Corey,
I thought you were going to post about how you cut the pinking off of layer cakes. I’ve probably just not found it.
Thank you for all you do!!
I shared how I cut my layer cake over on YouTube in this video: https://youtu.be/59PG5NRKmD8
Hi Corey,
I would like to use an older layer cake I have Eliana by Whistler Studios do you think it would work with your design? My question arises as this layer cake is base mainly on 4 colors only and compared with the revealing of the center block my fabrics are not as colorful!
Your suggestion would be greatly appreciated
Thanks
Yours in quilting
Lalita