Welcome back to month 4 of the Piece and Quilt Sampler Quilt Along! As we move into July, our quilting journey brings us new challenges and beautiful blocks to create. The Piece and Quilt Sampler is the cover quilt from Celebrate with Quilts by Lissa Alexander and Susan Ache. Published by It’s Sew Emma, the Fat Quarter Shop’s publishing arm, this book is an asset for any quilter. The book contains patterns for 60 different quilt blocks with instructions for making each one in 4 different sizes. It is the perfect reference manual for any quilter. It also contains 13 quilt patterns.
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This month, we’ll be working on the Evening Hourglass and Dandy Star blocks. Let’s dive into the details!
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Celebrate with Quilts Book
The Celebrate with Quilts is a brand new book by Lissa Alexander and Susan Ache. Each of the 60 quilt block patterns have cutting instructions for 3 inch, 6 inch, 9 inch, and 12 inch finished quilt blocks. The assembly instructions for each block are so easy to follow either by the text or by the step-by-step pictures. I love a well written pattern, and I know if it’s done by It’s Sew Emma and Fat Quarter Shop, it’s going to be great.
Piece and Quilt Sampler Quilt
Here is a Quick Look at what I came up with for my fabric placement using Electric Quilt 8 to help me.
Related Post: Piece and Quilt Sampler Month 3
Piece and Quilt Sampler Quilt Along – Month 4
The fourth month of the quilt along features three quilt blocks from the Celebrate with Quilts book. The blocks made this month were as follows:
- 4 – 9″ Evening Hourglass
- 1 – 6″ Dandy Star
- 1 – 9″ Dandy Star
Using my Electric Quilt layout as a guide, I made the quilt blocks in the fabrics I already chose.
Evening Hourglass Quilt Blocks
For July, we start with 4 Evening Hourglass blocks, each measuring 9 inches. The Evening Hourglass block is a fascinating nine-patch variation. Its distinctive design features a small four-patch in the center, while the two opposite corners are made with half-square triangle units. What makes this block truly special is the potential for creativity in color placement. When you combine four of these blocks, the resulting pattern is so unique that it can be hard to recognize them from the original diagram in the Sampler quilt layout. I experienced this firsthand when I couldn’t initially locate the block in the quilt layout due to my unique color choices! You can see what I mean by looking at one quadrant of the photo below. With the print fabrics on one half and the white background fabric on the other, the quilt block has an entirely different appearance. With the four quilt blocks combined it makes a stunning star block.
Dandy Star Quilt Blocks
Next, we create two Dandy Star blocks—one measuring 6 inches and the other 9 inches. If the layout of these blocks feels familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it before! The Dandy Star block shares the same layout as one of the blocks we made in the first month of our quilt along. This block is straightforward yet elegant, constructed with half-square triangle units in the corners and a star block made with flying geese units in the center. The simplicity of the Dandy Star block allows for stunning visual effects, especially when experimenting with different fabric combinations.
Piece and Quilt Sampler Month 4 Reflections
I hope you enjoyed this look at my quilt blocks for the Piece and Quilt Sampler month 4. This month’s blocks offer a fantastic opportunity to play with color and pattern. The Evening Hourglass blocks, in particular, can transform dramatically based on your fabric choices. Don’t be afraid to experiment and let your creativity shine! If you find yourself struggling to recognize your blocks in the quilt layout, take a step back and admire how your unique vision has brought a fresh perspective to the design.
Celebrate with Quilts
Once again, I want to highlight how invaluable the “Celebrate with Quilts” book is for every quilter. The variety of block sizes offered allows for easy substitutions in any pattern, perfect for when you want to add a unique twist to your project. The Piece and Quilt Sampler pattern is also ideal for a scrap-busting quilt project, making excellent use of those tricky low-volume fabrics in your collection.
Join me next month for more Piece and Quilt Sampler quilt blocks.
Happy Quilting!
