Block-a-Long

Block-a-Long Sneak Peek
Block-a-Long Sneak Peek

I finally decided that I would commit to posting block designs and instructions so we could do a Block-a-Long. What is a Block-a-Long? It is a project to make blocks. Hopefully, they will turn into a quilt, but that is a project for another day.

The blocks pictured are some of the blocks that we will be doing. Each block is 6″ finished. I have designed 40 blocks so far. All of them, so far, are straight line sewing – squares and rectangles. There won’t be any curves in the project, but there may be some triangles.

I don’t plan to give you step by step instructions on how to put a block together, though in the blog post, I may give you some tips and tricks to help you along.

The directions will be from EQ7 and will include a picture of the block, what pieces to cut to make the block and that’s it. Of course, if you have questions, you can leave them in the comment field.

First task: go and choose your fabric. Choose some colors that you enjoy. Select a fat quarter pack you have been saving. Choose a theme such as dots or stripes. Go buy yourself some new fabric (FabricWorm has some great fat quarter and half yard packs that they have put together). Use some color combinations that you have always wanted to try.

I’ll wait about a week for you to gather your fabrics.

I selected my fabric a couple of months ago when TFQ was visiting. I am hoping to use each fabric 3 times in the quilt.

Sorbet Fabric Palette
Sorbet Fabric Palette

Yes, there are a lot of fabrics in my group. I want my quilt to be really scrappy. You don’t need to have this many. You can always add more later.  This is a great project for scraps, so you could just pull fabrics out of your scrap bin. A two color quilt will work well, too, I think, though you may want to use different fabrics of the same colors

I know you have seen the blocks below before. These are some of the first blocks you will be doing. The point is not to make you miserable by posting difficult blocks to struggle through, but to have a little fun and, perhaps, work with color. Have fun!

Sorbet Blocks
Sorbet Blocks

Author: Jaye

Quiltmaker who enjoys writing and frozen chocolate covered bananas.

2 thoughts on “Block-a-Long”

  1. I do read the blog when I have time, and while I do like the idea of a blockalong, I can’t commit. However, I do plan to make random blocks when I have some free time to augment my orphan block collection to one day be jumbled together into something fun. I’m so behind in projects, that one of my king sized quilt tops has become a duvet cover because it was waiting to be quilted for over a year.

    1. Dear Frank,
      I am so glad to see you comment and to know that you read! Thank you for your thoughts on the Block-a-Long. I understand about having many projects and hope you will make one when you have a chance. I have a lot going on right now, too, so I can sympathize. I have been thinking of making patchwork duvet covers, but haven’t sat down to work out the details. I also send some of my quilts out to be quilted. Not only does it get them done faster, it saves my body for the really important projects. I do have to save up, though. Thanks for reading and for commenting. I appreciate it.

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