DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 10

Block 10

These are Winged Square blocks from a tutorial by Amy Friend of During Quiet Time. My thought is that calling it the WHOA HSTs Block would be more fitting.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 9

Block 9

We continue on to what I call the checkerboard cross block. The point of this block is to work on precision piecing and strip piecing.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 8

Block 8

I don't even know what to call this block... Double star? Works for me. The point of this block is to work with different sized HSTs in the same block. The baby quilt version is highly simplified and adds an optional snowball block instead of the center HSTs.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 7

Block 7

This is the Plus Banner Block. I can take no credit for this block, this is the brain child of Yvonne from Quilting Jet Quilt. She came up with it for the Stash Bee and you can see her original tutorial for a 14" block here.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 6

Block 6

This is the first of the theme blocks. I'll be showing you how to make a pineapple block (farmer stand) and a ship block (travel).

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 5

Block 5

Up next is the church dash block. This block has been around for a while and is incredibly versatile. It has gone by a multitude of other names according to Quilting in America, including but not limited to the following: Broken Plate, Double Monkey Wrench, Double T (published in Hearth & Home), Dragon's Head (published in Woman's World), Fisherman's Reel, Hens and Chickens, Hole in the Barn Door, Indian Hammer, Joan's Doll Quilt, Lincoln's Platform, Love Knot, Ludlow's Favorite, Old Mill Design (published in the The Farmer's Wife), Picture Frame, Puss in the Corner, Quail's Nest, Sherman's March (published in Capper's Weekly), Shoo Fly, and Wrench.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 4

Block 4

I like to call this block Japanese X and Plus Block, because it was first made popular in 2011 by Setsuko Inagawa in Japan (I would love to link to a picture of the original quilt, but unfortunately it seems to have been taken off Flickr). I've also seen it referred to just as X and Plus Block. Here's one belopminata made.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Block 3

Block 3

Our next block is made up of what I like to call four partial snowballs (seems fitting for snowzilla), I've also seen them called half snowballs.

DCMQG 2016 QAL - Blocks 1 and 2

Blocks 1 and 2

We will be starting out with 4-patches. This is your time to make sure you're using a scant quarter inch seam allowance and see if your blocks will come out the right size.

DCMQG 2016 Quilt-Along - Introduction

Welcome to the DCMQG 2016 Quilt-Along (which I offered to host in a moment of stupidity weakness).

I made a button and everything (now if only I could figure out how to give people the code so they can post it to their blogs). But I think I'll need to create a landing page to link it to first, and that's not up yet.

So, I created a sampler quilt that combines some easy sewing with some skill builders. On the docket are basic patchwork, HSTs, precision piecing, triangles, improv, sew and slash (my term, I think), flying geese, QSTs, mitres, HRTs, diamonds, applique, easy paper (foundation) piecing, hard paper piecing, and curves. I even have an optional EPP project in the applique section.

The quilt has 32 blocks, ranging from 4"x8" (finished) to 32"x32" (finished). The finished quilt will be 96"x96" and I will also add instructions for a 48"x48" baby quilt. The baby quilt has to be simplified in a few places, otherwise some of the patchwork would become miniscule.

I will be adding suggestions on where and how you can incorporate some additional improv into the various blocks, either by linking to tutorials or listing out options.

So, without further ado... here is the sampler (please note that not all of the blocks are finalized, or I couldn't get them to look exactly right in EQ7, some of them are just placeholders for the actual pattern as I'm making this quilt right along with you all, just a few weeks ahead so I can iron out the instructions, but this is the general idea and this will be the layout and the block sizes):