A-B-C Challenge: Q & R

We are nearing the end of the A-B-C Challenge. It isn't to late to join the fun. The challenge is still going strong and in the home stretch! Bring your ABC Blocks for June to the June 2 meeting. These blocks should start with Q & R

Q was hard! Your editor found only one Q block in the Around the Block! Fortunately, if you need an easy one. Some examples of Q blocks are:

1. Quilt in Light & Dark, Around the Block Again, pg.99.
2. Quatrefoils is a great looking block. It is all squares except for a house shape that will prepare you for Jaye's version of the Swoon pattern. ;-)
3. Queen Charlotte's Crown has a great name. I'll have to look up Queen Charlotte sometime and learn her story. This 10" block uses some half square triangles.
4. Queen's Crown has a lot of pieces. They are mostly squares, but if you are doing a 6" block, I would look elsewhere for inspiration. The pattern makes a 15" block, which would be a great medallion for your challenge.
5. Quilter's Cache claims that the Quills & Arrows block is an original. Again, this 14" block has a lot of pieces and would make a great medallion. It requires a lot of half square triangles, so if you need some quick piecing tips for HST's check out the tutorial.

I didn't find Electric Quilt to be very helpful in locating blocks by name if I didn't know the name, e.g. by letter. I did search for "qui" and "quo", being the most likely starting combinations and was really only moderately successful. I need to contact them and find out if there is a way to only find blocks that start with 'Q' for example.

Some examples of R blocks are:

1. Rolling Stone - Around the Block Again, pg. 104
2. Rolling Squares is a slight variation on Rolling Stone and can be found, also in Around the Block Again, on pg. 103.
3. The Rail Fence block is a frequent part of sampler classes and is very easy. It is great for beginners and for those of you (everyone?) pressed for time. The pattern is for a 12" block.
4. Railroad Crossing includes four mini versions of our original charity block. The pattern given is for the 12" size.
5. Road to California includes squares and half square triangles. It is a classic.
6. Ribbons and Stars is another 12" block and will give you some practice on your Flying Geese.
7. Are you from Rhode Island? Making a quilt with blocks from all 50 states? The 12" Rhode Island block is for you. it is a great Sawtooth Star within an Ohio Star. The block is paper pieced, but it probably could be done, with care, using regular piecing.
8. Rally 'Round is very effective. It looks a lot harder than it is. The instructions make a 9" block.
9. Rainbow Wheel is a 7.25" paper pieced block that would make a wonderful color wheel for your studio.

Below are a few of the many block resources available to inspire you:

• 1000 Great Quilt Blocks by Maggi McCormick Gordon
• Around the Block with Judy Hopkins: 200 Rotary Cut Blocks in 6 Sizes by Judy Hopkins
• Around the Block Again: More Rotary Cut Blocks from Judy Hopkins by Judy Hopkins
• The Civil War Love Letter Quilt: 121Quilt Blocks Inspired by Love and War by Rosemary Youngs
• The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt: 55 letters and the 111 Blocks they Inspired by Laurie Hird
• Japanese Quilt Blocks to Mix & Match by Susan Briscoe
• Judy Martin's Ultimate Book of Quilt Block Patterns by Judy Martin
• Modern Quilt Blocks: 99 Quilt Blocks from your Favorite Designers by Susanne Woods
• Once More Around the Block by Judy Hopkins
• The Quilter's Album of Blocks and Borders by Jinny Beyer (out of print)
• The Quilter's Album of Patchwork Patterns: 4044 Pieced Blocks for Quilters by Jinny Beyer (2009) - you NEED this book if you don't have it.

So, go forth and make blocks. You can do it. Have fun, use great fabric. Enjoy!