Our last pieced block is 54-40 or Fight.
You can download the pattern instructions here. The block uses the same templates as last month’s Snowflake, but if you prefer to try foundation piecing you can download that pattern here.
Once more here’s a few ideas for different colours from EQ and from students – 
Next month is the final block – an applique design.
This is a really simple block but so many design opportunities. Just one Square-in-a-Square unit surrounded by small squares –
You can download the instructions here. Don’t forget to check out the Tutorials page for further details on making the unit.
This is what happens when you change the emphasis of the dark and light blues around –
And when you put them into a quilt –
Mix the two blocks –
Put them on point –
Use striped fabric –
or a completely different colour –
Our block for May is an unseasonal Snowflake.
The pattern for this can be downloaded here and the templates are on a separate sheet here.
Here’s a few ideas for other colours – first from EQ and then from students’ work –
What a difference a dark background or a strong contrast makes.
New Album is very simple block – a plain Square-in-a-Square block with a border. You can download the instructions here. 
The centre square is an ideal opportunity for ‘fussy cutting’ your print fabric (it doesn’t show too well on this snapshot from EQ) and you can do the same in the smaller cornerstones of the border.
Swapping the colours over gives the block a different look –
Or you can opt for something completely different using Autumnal batiks –
or in more muted fabrics so the centre square is not so prominent
And then put into quilts – first alternate colours, straight-set
and then on-point
And now let’s play around with the colouring a bit –
or blue –
or alternate with a plain Square-in-a-Square
make the background lighter –
Happy Easter! And welcome to Block six of our Block of the Month quilt-along. This month it is the turn of Card Trick.
This block relies on a clear difference between the colours used to create the illusion of interlocked squares. You can download the instructions for the block here.
Our alternative colourways could look like these –
And here’s some of the students’ blocks to give you an idea of how fabric choice can affect the look of a block, from the background to the contrast between colours –
This time our Square in a Square unit has pieced triangles around the centre square. You can download the instructions for the free block pattern, Right and Left, here. If you need help with the piecing you can download a free step-by-step tutorial from the Tutorials page or go direct to the pdf here.
When put together these blocks form a secondary pattern of Pinwheels at their junctions. You can have fun playing with the colourings of these triangles to create different effects. And, as with most of these Square in a Square blocks, the centre square allows you to play with ‘fussy-cutting’ large or bold prints.
Or you can turn the blocks on point, colour the corner triangles differently and make something like this –
March and block 5 of our Block of the Month quilt-along. This time it is the return of that perennial favourite – Ohio Star.
This block adds the Quarter-square Triangle to our repertoire of units. You can download the instructions for the block here. Our alternative colourways could look a little like these –
Students also played around with colour –
But be careful that your colours are not too similar
as you may lose the pattern altogether.
