FREE QUILT ALONG BLOCKHEADS 2018
BLOCK 1
Stellar Star

Quilt pattern printed, new sharp blade inserted, cutting table cleared off! Eager to start with the first task of Blockheads round 2.

If you want a quick overview about the free quilt along project and what materials are needed, you find this information on my previous post here.

Lynne Hagmeier starts the new season with the first quilt block. I can only show my virtual block, since I didn't get the hands on my choosen fabrics so far. But it's a piece of cake to make that patchwork block:
Everyone can do a 9-patch and with the flip-and-stitch method explained in the downloadable quilt block file you can easily make the trapezoids pointing in all four directions.
I used a light and dark from the same shade so I achieved a kind of dimensional effect.

Hop over to Lynn's Blog and see, what she is doing with this block.

BTW: When sewing all the blocks for this project, the instructions will refer to some basic techniques, which will be used again and again. Sewing half square triangles, curved seams, flip and stitch technique, etc. You can download and print this sheets with the basic instructions.

Instructions for Block 1 (on Lynn's blog)

Download the Basic Instructions file

I made the little star in the middle pop a bit by using graphite background fabric instead of white.

Blockheads? Ever heard of? Well, it is a year long Quilt Along hosted by Moda. Last year the first quilt along was started, grew and succeeded immensely with a Facebook group of over 22.000 quilters taking part and sewing the project. So what could be more logic than making a second round of the success story?

So this year we are starting the summer with a free quilt along
MODA BLOCKHEADS 2018 ROUND 2, beginning at the 6th of June.

As last year we have these well known Moda designers on board: Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles – Betsy Chutchian – Jan Patek – Jo Morton – Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings.

Actually BLOCKHEADS is a kind of mystery quilt along, since you don't get a picture of the finished quilt in the beginning. All designers are sewing along with you, so they can reveal their finished quilt only next summer. But of course, all start from the same point, so I give you a quick overview of what Moda revealed so far:

"Layout. We have one. A few of the parts can be moved around but we have a setting and a plan. We’ll share part of it by the end of the year, but the full reveal won’t be until March of 2019 when the last block is published. You do not have to follow our layout! But I think you’ll like what we’re doing. And there will be a few options for turning this “big” project into several smaller ones. This layout will not need additional fabric for sashing, alternating squares, setting triangles, etc. Unless you want to change the setting, then you’re on your own.

Size. The finished quilt will measure 72″ x 78″. If you’d like a bigger quilt, that’s easily done with more blocks and borders.

Blocks. While there are 6″ finished blocks in this quilt, there are at least three different sizes of blocks. And 6″ finished is the smallest.

Fabric Requirements. This is where it gets a little less precise. It all depends on whether you use a single background for all the blocks, mixed backgrounds – light or dark, or a variety of light, medium and dark fabrics for the “background” of some blocks. So these estimates are rough. Generous. But rough. The yardage calculations are also based on a “traditional approach” of an allover light or dark background with contrasting prints for the block parts.

One Background & Asst. Lights/Mediums/Darks.
Asst. Lights, Mediums & Darks for Blocks – 30 to 32 FQs or scraps to total approx. 8 yards
Background – 4-1/2 yards
Multiple Backgrounds & Asst. Lights/Mediums/Darks.
Asst. Lights, Mediums & Darks for Blocks – 30 to 32 FQs or scraps to total approx. 8 yards
Asst. Prints for Backgrounds – 18 to 20 FQs or scraps to total approx. 5 yards
A Mix of Lights, Darks & Mediums.
Asst. Lights, Mediums & Darks for Blocks and Backgrounds – 48 to 50 FQs or scraps to total approx. 13 to 14 yards
Will the quilt work with a single background? Yes. Will it work with a dark background? Yes.
Timing. Block 1 will be posted at 8:00 am CST on Wednesday, June 6. The last block and a few finished quilt tops will be shared on Wednesday, April 17.
A couple of other changes coming…
We will be here every Wednesday, sharing our version of each new block.
The link to each new block will be available on that week’s Designer blog, and if they don’t have a blog, we will link to the block here.
There will be an Archive of blocks updated weekly.
Some of the Block Heads will be blogging every week, others will only blog for their blocks.
Blocks will be posted every Wednesday by 8:00 am, CST."

Hier auch noch mal in Deutsch:

Größe. Der fertige Quilt wird 72″ x 78″ groß sein.

Blocks. Es gibt Blocks mit 6″ fertige Größe, das sind die kleinsten. Darüber hinaus gibt es noch größere Blöcke von mindestens drei verschiedenen Größen.

Stoffbedarf. Hier gibt es weniger präzise Angaben. Es hängt davon ab, ob du ein und denselben Hintergrundstoff für alle Blöcke nimmst, verschiedene Hintergrundstoffe auswählst (wie in meinem Beispiel), z.B. auch ob du hell, mittel und dunkel für den Hintergrund mischt. Die Schätzungen hier sind ziemlich grob. Großzügig, aber grob.

Ein Hintergrund und ein Sortiment von hellen/mittleren/dunklen Stoffen als Kontrast
Sortiment von hellen, mittleren und dunklen Stoffen für die Blöcke – 30 bis 32 Fat Quarters oder Scraps, zusammen circa 7,5 m
Hintergrund – 4 m
Verschiedene Hintergrundstoffe und ein Sortiment von hellen/mittleren/dunklen Stoffen als Kontrast
Sortiment von hellen, mittleren und dunklen Stoffen für die Blöcke – 30 bis 32 Fat Quarters oder Scraps, zusammen circa 7,5 m
Sortiment von Hintergrundstoffen – 18 bis 20 Fat Quarters oder Scraps, zusammen circa 4,5 m
Insgesamt ein Mix von hellen, mittleren und dunklen Stoffen (so wird das Beispiel am Ende im Mysteryquilt sein, ich weiß das schon, weil ich die technischen Zeichnungen dafür gemacht habe).
Sortiment von hellen, mittleren und dunklen Stoffen für die Blöcke und den Hintergrund – 48 bis 50 Fat Quarters oder Scraps, zusammen circa 12 bis 13 m
Wird der Quilt mit einem einzigen, gleichen Hintergrundstoff funktionieren? Ja. Wird er mit einem dunklen Hintergrundstoff funktionieren? Ja.
Zeit. Block 1 erscheint um 15:00 am Mittwoch, den 6. Juni. Der letzte Block und einige fertige Quilt Tops werden am Mittwoch, den 17. April veröffentlicht.
Und außerdem:
Jeden Mittwoch kann man auf dem Blog von Moda die Fortsetzung verfolgen.
Den Link für jeden neuen Block findest du auf dem Blog des jeweiligen Designer’s, der in der entsprechenden Woche den Ball hat.
Es gibt für die Blöcke auch ein Archiv, das wöchentlich auf den neusten Stand gebracht wird.
Einige der Blockheads schreiben jede Woche einen Post mit ihrem Nähergebnis, andere posten nur, wenn der Ball an sie geht.
Die neuen Blöcke werden jeweils Mittwochs ab 15:00 gepostet

My BLOCKHEADS 2018 Quilt Along

I will take part in this project and the fabric I'll be using should match my bedroom, which is in chartreuse and white. Quite scrappy. An assortment of Grunges to bring color in.

I’m starting with roughly 8 colors of Grunge, each 1/2 yard and for the bright background fabrics I will use my MODERN BACKGROUNDS PAPER (and MORE PAPER, coming soon). Maybe I have to add more yards of Grunge, let's see during the process.