Block of the Month

A New Approach to Block of the Month

A New Take on Block of the Month

Maree is co-ordinating a "Block of the Month" exercise. It is a free online course where you create a modern take on a sampler quilt. This project is ideal for beginners who want to move to the next stage of learning but can be fun for all quilters.

The tutor, Amy Gibson, gives instruction on 10 specific quilting techniques intended as one block each -

You can go here and get started!

There is time if you get started soon, to get a quilt finished in time for the Exhibition in September next year.

Maree will work through the course and share her blocks at the monthly meetings. She says that if there is a need it might be worthwhile getting together some months to support each other along the way. 

Registration for this exercise is free - just email Margaret Atkins kcqclasses@gmail.com and send any questions about the course work to Maree at the same email.


Block of the Month April/May 2022 - Disappearing 4 Patch.

This is another simple block but will make a really attractive quilt, bag, cushion cover or whatever you choose.  Watch the video below.  You can hit the space bar on your computer to pause and restart the video or use the slider to move back and forth within the video if you need to review sections.

Block of the Month February/March 2022

This a very simple block to get the year started, and the challenge is to make your own log cabin blocks and arrange them in an interesting way.  You will be able to find lots of ideas for Log Cabin arrangements on Pinterest or Youtube or with a Google search.  Who will come up with a real beauty quilt/table runner/cushion cover or other arrangement for show & tell?  Jill is turning hers into a sewing machine cover.  Below Jenny from Missouri Star Quilts demonstrates a very simple log cabin block for those just starting out.

Block of the Month for November/December.  

Pinwheel Block

This is a really easy but effective block suitable for beginners and those with more experience.  It is an add on to the ever popular rail fence block.  Use three basic colours in a selection of patterned fabric and one single colour fabric for the pinwheels.  The easiest version of this quilt is made using a jelly roll (and Jenny talks about how you select your three blocks by colour strength rather than different colours) but you can cut your own 6 ½' x 2 ½"  blocks in order to choose your own colours and fabrics as in the orange quilt below.  I chose green, orange and rust patterned fabrics with a plain olive green pinwheel.  A stronger green would have been better to make the pinwheel stand out more.

Watch the Youtube tutorial here.

Download the help notes here

Block of the Month for September with variations. 

While we trial interest in having a block of the month via Youtube tutorials, we ask that you bring these along to either a night or day meeting before the end of year for show & tell, but we will not have a draw with one person taking all to make a quilt. This is really just your chance to learn a new skill and have some fun. You may like to get a colour theme going to make something out of the blocks later. You might even enjoy it so much you make a quilt using just the one block pattern. It’s up to you. During lockdown please send a photo of your efforts to Jill at kcqeditor@gmail.com or txt to 021344253

This month’s block can be found at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzt64xQco1Y

A paper pattern was sent with the hard copy version of the August newsletter but following the Youtube is your easiest option and will ensure that you don't make your stars too big so that they overlap.  You can also download the handout here.

The second photo is a variation on this block added to Kiwi Quilters Facebook page by Margaret Mason.  This could be a further challenge for those who are keen.  Sew 4 x 2 ½ strips of similarly toned fabric together and then add the contrast strips.

To add to the BoM in the second half of September, you could also add some applique to the blocks.  Jill has put two Youtube videos of simple applique on the Youtube page of the website and has prepared some help notes that you can access here.

Denise Bugden has her granddaughter, Cassie, in her bubble and while visiting recently, Denise got her working on the block of the month quilt pattern.  Looks like she's going to be another great quilter.  Well done Cassie.  We will look forward to seeing the finished quilt too.

Margaret Atkins has had a go and found it quite tricky getting the stars even - something we are all finding a bit tricky on the first few blocks.  Jenny's step of folding the plain block into 4 and finger pressing the half way marks is well worth the effort (as I learnt in hindsight.)

Clare O'Connor made this stunning block of the month quilt.

Jill started making the block of the month for a quilt for her niece's second baby.  She should have checked back on the video as she made her strips a little too long.  After making two she decided to carry on - different not wrong.  Also with just using what she had in her stash the effect was quite different anyway, so then she played around with layout and added appliqué in each block.  The appliqué stitching is on today's to do list.

Block of the Month 2020

November BoM

Pieced tulip block

Download the instructions here

October BoM

Round Robin from the late 1800s/early 1900s

Download the instructions here

September BoM

Strip Pieced Block Sandy has shown a few community quilts made from this block during Show & Tell.

Download the instructions here.

August BoM

Aunt Sukey's Choice

Download the instructions here.

June BoM

Flower Power Block 

download instructions here

May BoM

2. Twisted Log Cabin - download instructions here





1. Happy Scrappy Block - download the instructions here.

April BoM

1. Aster Block - download the instructions here




2. Simple Pleasures Block - download the instructions here

This one's quite a bit easier than the earlier April block.  If you haven't made half square triangles before watch this short video with Jenny from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  Don't be fooled by the ad - you can skip that after 5 seconds.



March BoM

Friendship Block - download the pattern instructions here