Dancing Blocks quilt-along – the final

It’s time to find all the blocks, the wadding and the backing and put the quilt together.

It is up to you whether you put it together first and then quilt it or whether you quilt each block – Quilt-as-you-go.

The instructions allow for either of these techniques but do not describe them in any detail. Border and binding instructions are given and the heart quilting in the border uses the heart template from the applique design last month, adapted to fit the space.

You can download the quilt completion instructions here.

This is the quilt displayed in the shop where the pattern was first taught – The Corner Patch.

And here’s a few different colour ideas from EQ using the ‘random recolor’ button (such a brilliant idea!)

We hope you have enjoyed stitching along with this quilt over the last year. There will be another quilt-along or Block of the Month coming soon.

 

Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

Our final block is applique hearts

This one is machine appliqued but there is no reason why you can’t hand-stitch, or use glue if you prefer. The instructions do not include applique details – there are plenty of tutorials available for you to choose your own favourite method. Download the templates pattern here and the placement instructions here.

And a few colour ideas from EQ

No student’s blocks to show, sorry – not quick enough with the camera that month.

Some students preferred not to make an applique block and instead substituted a pieced block of their choice.

Next month – how to put it all together.

Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

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.

 

Simple Blocks – Susannah

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 –

Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

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.

Simple blocks – New Album

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 –

 

Dancing Blocks Quilt-along

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 –

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

block-6-card-trick