Block Party Basic Directions

Skill Builder Block of the Month 

Adapted from “The Modern Quilting Bee Block Party” by Alissa Haight Carlton & Kristen Lejnieks 
Approximate finished size: 65” x 90” 

Fabric requirements: 
Background fabric: 6 yards, solid or low volume 
Fabrics for the designs: 2 ½ yards of assorted scraps 
-or- 10-12 fat quarters 

Cutting: 
Background: 
  • 6 fat quarters (blocks 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12)
  • 1 @ 16” x 16” *
  • 1 @ 14” x 14” *
  • 1 @ 11” x 11” *
  • Borders for all blocks: 23 @ 2 ½” x WOF (1 5/8 yd)
* These equal about a 1/2 yard all together

Piecing fabrics: (these are approximated) 
  •  10 @ 2 ½” x 22” (wonky log cabin) & (no background fabric) 
  •  6 @ 2 ½” x 22” (quartered log cabin) & (no background fabric) 
  •  2 @ 12” x 12” (wonky 9-patch) & (no background fabric) 
  •  6 @ 6” x 6” (wonky triangle) & (FQ background fabric cut to 14” x 18” ) 
  •  15 @ 3” x 5” (string x block) & (11” x 11” background fabric) 
  •  7-10 @ 3” x 22” (wonky Roman stripe) & (FQ background fabric cut to 17 ½” x 17 ½” ) 
  •  20 @ 3” x 6” plus 5” x 5” for center (modern Dresden plate) & (16” x 16” background fabric) 
  •  6-12 @ 4” x 4” to 6” x 6” (polka dots) & (FQ background fabric cut to 17 ½” x 21 ½”) 
  •  10-15 @ 1" to 3” wide x 8” long strips (uneven coins) & (FQ background fabric) 
  •  6-15 @ 4” x 4” to 10” x 10” (hexagons) & (FQ background fabric cut to 15 ½” x 18 ½”) 
  •  assorted 4” long scraps (wonky stripe) & (14” x 14” background fabric) 
  •  8-12 @ 1.5” x 1.5” to 6” x 6” (confetti) & (FQ background fabric) 

Tips & Ideas for choosing fabrics:
  • Always cut with a rotary cutter and ruler so that your seams will be flat 
  • Save all your scraps from each block to consider adding into the next block 
  • Skip a block if you don’t like it, double up on a block if you like it a lot! 
  • Use www.design-seeds.com for color inspiration 
  • For the background, choose a solid or mostly solid fabric 
  • For piecing fabrics, choose 4-6 each of solids and prints for at least 10 different fabrics 
  • Avoid piecing fabrics that contain your background fabric color 
  • Vary the scale of the prints you choose: some each of large, medium and small scale prints 
  • Choose within a color temperature zone (warm colors or cool colors), then add a neutral 
  • Add a “pop” of color by adding a contrasting color to an analogous palette 
  • Pick a focus fabric you love, then choose other fabrics to coordinate 
  • Choose all your fabrics from one color family, such as all reds 

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