Sew Let’s QAL, Block 5

I’ve been really looking forward to the release of Block 5! This is such a fun block, designed by Abbie at Sparkle On. Download your version now from her blog. There are so many fun ways to personalise this block and I can’t wait to see your versions!

Before you begin. . .

As with the last couple of designs, Block 5 has quite a number of pieces but it is easy to sew together. I didn’t use starch this time and I had no problems with any distortion. Incidentally the eagle eyed among you will notice that I changed my mind about the roof fabric. In this photo, it is white with pink spots but in the finished version it is pink with white spots. I decided there wouldn’t be enough contrast with the pale grey background if I had stayed with the white roof.

Constructing the Block

The awning fringe is made from small flying geese units, stitched together and then joined onto the main roof pieces. Sewing with an accurate 1/4″ seam allowance will help you get perfect little points to your triangles! (Although should a couple of those points end up being a little blunt, that’s all good too. There’s no quilt police here!) For help on checking your seam allowance, read my guide here.

Whichever way you chose to press your seams, to take the time to ensure they are lying as flat as possible as it will make things much easier when you come to quilt your block.

The rest of the block comes together very easily. I didn’t use the pinwheels for the windows as I liked the way the burgundy colour brought out the specks of burgundy in the main fabric and balanced the lighter pink of the roof.

Embellishing the Block

Once you have constructed your basic block, you can move on to the best part, embellishment! Abbie has provided the applique patterns for the little trees, the shop sign and the open sign that she used in her version. You could also fussy cut or draw out your own additions to applique onto your block.

Rather than a quilt shop, I thought of my Block 5 as a humble cottage. I wanted to hark back to quilting’s roots as a craft carried out through necessity by the poor folk of Europe. Check out my ‘Oohing in Omagh’ post to see some of the antique Irish quilts on display in the Ulster American folk park.

My ‘sidewalk’ became a lawn and I added some violets growing around the side of the house. I know Abbie loves cats so the farm yard cat made an appearance in my block too!

I will add in window panes when I quilt the block and maybe even a smoky chimney. You can see the quilted block and my suggestions for what to do with your blocks so far here.

I’m so excited to see what you will do with Abbie’s building and how you will make the design your own.

To see more of my work, you can find me on Facebook and Instagram or sign up to my blog to see my latest patterns and tutorials.

Hosts

As you can imagine with this block, we all created very different versions, check out the posts of the others in the ‘Partners in Designs’ team below!

April @JANDA Bend Quilts
Becca @Pretty Piney Quilts
Bobbi @Snowy Days Quilting
Jennifer @the Inquiring Quilting
Karen @Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Kathleen @Kathleen McMusing
Sandy @SandyStar Designs
Sherry @Powered by Quilting

Join the Quilt Along

Block 5 is the last of the blocks released in segment 1 but don’t worry if you’ve only just found us. All the patterns will be available free until September 24th, 2019. You can access the links to the patterns from our Facebook group and do tag your friends, if they’d enjoy it too!

Through the group, you will get access to the patterns as they are released and you will be able to see all the different interpretations of the blocks.

Giveaway

It’s so exciting to be at the finish of segment 1!

To be entered into the giveaway, take a photo of your five completed blocks and either tag us #sewletsqal on Instagram, OR upload your photo to the ‘Sew Let’s QAL’ Facebook group OR submit your photo to any of the linkys on the hosts end of Segment 1 posts. The deadline is midnight on 21st May, 2019, after which we will announce the winner of the following prize:

• A Large Folding Cutting Kit from Omnigrid® including an 18″ x 24″ folding cutting mat, a 45 mm rotary cutter, and a 3” x 18” Omnigrip ruler.
• A 20 piece 2 1/2″ strip pack from Timeless Treasures Tonga Treat Strip Jr. “Orchid”.
• Two Shabby Fabrics Vintage Blessings printed table runner patterns and a packet of Sunflower laser-cut appliqués.
• And not one but THREE PDF patterns of your choice from our ‘Partners in Design’ designers.

Sponsors

As always a big thank you to our wonderful sponsors for providing the prizes!

Bluprint
Dear Stella
Everything Mary
Island Batik
Paintbrush Studio Fabrics
Prym
Shabby Fabrics
Timeless Treasures
Warm Company