Category: QUBE

Snail’s Trail Quilt with Block Layout

Someone asked yesterday for the block layout on the Snail’s Trail virtual quilts that I posted yesterday. It’s especially hard to add the block layout on the Storm at Sea quilts because the sashing and cornerstones are actually the Storm at Sea shapes and EQ doesn’t give me the option for dark outlines. However, if you look closely, I think you will see them. You can also click on the pictures to see a larger image.

I know many want a “pattern” but this takes so much time in writing and testing that it’s not something I can do for free. The individual block patterns can be done fairly quickly, and I am happy to offer the information for constructing a block as a printout (see the Free Patterns and How-to list on the right). And I will work on creating patterns using AccuQuilt dies and the Qubes for a couple of these at a later time as many seem to want a pattern.

Snail’s Trail with Storm at Sea Sashing and border.
Snail’s Trail with Storm at Sea Sashing set on point
Storm at Sea with Star Blocks – set on point

  
 

Snail’s Trail Quilts with a Twist

Last week I uploaded some instructions for creating the Snail’s Trail blocks using the AccuQuilt GO! BOB Snail’s Trail as well as instructions for making the Snail’s Trail in any size using the AccuQuilt GO! QUBE system. There are so many fun quilts that can be made using the Snail’s Trail as a “connector” or “chain” block. And when you look at these quilts I created in Electric Quilt 8, you will see that it’s all about color. Choose your colors, cut your shapes, lay them out on a felt block board and stitch.

The Storm at Sea Snail’s Trail uses the SAS shapes as sashing. The Snail’s Trail Stars use alternating Snail’s Trail and Star blocks. Here are some ideas.

Snail’s Trail and Storm at Sea
Snail’s Trail and Storm at Sea Variation
Snail’s Trail and Storm at Sea set on Point
Snail’s Trail and Shoo Fly Block
Snail’s Trail and Star block made with Kite die from Angles Qube
Snail’s Trail made with a Star BOB set on point
Snail’s Trail made with a Triangle in a Square star set on point

  
 

Block 3 Pinwheel 4-Patch is ready to stitch

The block for this week is a Pinwheel set in a 4-Patch and this will complete the first row of pieced blocks. Now we have a border row and a row of pieced blocks. It’s really optional as to whether you want to put this row together with sash or wait until you have more parts of this quilt.

Instructions for cutting all the parts are included in the instructions this week and also the same information is in the original instructions for layout and yardage. This is a picture of where you are right now.

Click a picture below or follow the links on the menu at the top of the blog page to find the instructions for download.

Block 3 Pinwheel 4-Patch
QAL showing Ribbon Border and Blocks 2 and 3 set in quilt

Tomorrow – 5/17 – AccuQuilt is introducing some new dies. I am excited because I got to try out one of the dies back in January and it is so much fun. Here’s a link to the signup.

 
 

Snail’s Trail Quilt Blocks using AccuQuilt GO! dies

In the AccuQuilt Qube Facebook group last week someone asked about the Snail’s Trail Quilt Block. The last post I wrote about Snail’s Trail was in 2016 just after the Qube dies were introduced. Since then there have been many new AccuQuilt GO! dies introduced that will make a Snail’s Trail in many different sizes and in different configurations. When searching the Internet for Snail’s Trail quilts, you will see the Snail’s Trail with the center four patch set on point and you will also see it with the center four patch set straight. And in mathematics, you will find that the Snail’s Trail quilt block is the simplest of baravelle spirals.

AccuQuilt has a Snail’s Trail BOB (block on board) that will make an 8″ finished Snail’s Trail. I love the BOB’s because they give you everything you need to quickly make a block.  There is also a BOB for the GO! Big cutter. The GO! Big Snail’s Trail BOB makes a 12″ finished block.

And if you don’t have one of the BOB’s, you can still make a Snail’s Trail using individual dies or one of the Qubes. There are two ways to make the Snail’s Trail with these as shown by the diagrams below. The Snail’s Trail with the center set on point can be made with any size Qube and uses only that Qube. However, the Snail’s Trail with the center set straight requires two coordinating Qubes. The 4″ and 8″ Qubes work together for a finished 8″ Snail’s Trail quilt block. And the 6″ and 12″ Qubes work together for a finished 12″ Snail’s Trail quilt block. And there may be more Qubes in AccuQuilt’s future that have a coordinate.

Snail’s Trail Quilt Block Using 4″ and 8″ Qubes
Snail’s Trail Quilt Block Using 6″ and 12″ Qubes

Check the list of free quilt patterns in the right hand column for downloadable instructions for these quilt blocks.

It’s a lot of fun to use these with other blocks to make a quilt. I love that I can make a 12″ Snail’s Trail and have a quilt finished in no time. Later this week, I will show you some pretty quilts you can make with this block mixed with other blocks. There are also some color changes you can make that will create entirely new blocks with these same shapes. 
 

Color Selections for Pinwheel QAL

There  have been several discussions on the Qube Facebook Page about color selections for the Pinwheel QAL because this is a “mystery” quilt. This time the layout is different because this is a row quilt and that seems to be perplexing for some. Thus, I thought I would do some color layout and give you some examples of how this might be done. In the yardage recommendations, the horizontal solid borders and the outer border are given as separate yardages. Thus, one can use a different color for these borders, or one can select one of the dark, medium, medium light, or light fabrics for these borders. My recommendation would be to go with the dark or medium.

This is one example where I chose fabrics from a collection and then used a separate “dark” for the outer and horizontal borders. This is a rendering from EQ8 and the overall colors are darker than my preference, but I think it shows the example of how the dark, mediums, and light fabrics can be distributed throughout the blocks and pieced borders.

This is another rendering where a print is used for the outer and horizontal borders and colors are pulled from the print.  Again, these are colors pulled from the EQ8 library and not my preference, but an example of color distribution throughout the quilt.

And this is the quilt with actual pieced quilt blocks in it. I think you can see how it will sparkle when you use your own fabrics in it.  And remember there are different options for the quilt blocks and pieced borders. You will not necessarily be using the ones seen in the image below.

  
 

Pinwheels and Borders QAL Post #1

We are starting a new QAL on the AccuQuilt Qube Facebook Page. The information for fabric yardage and quilt specifications is given today. Please READ CAREFULLY and choose your fabric carefully. Be sure you purchase enough fabric based on the Qube size you plan to use. And purchase extra if you’re not sure how you want to make this. It is a mystery with one part given each week.

For this QAL we’re doing a Row Quilt and working on using our Qubes to create not only blocks but also quilt borders. There will be four rows that are “borders”. There are three rows of blocks. Please click the image below or the menu above to go to the QAL Page.

Pinwheels and Borders QAL

  
 

Qube QAL – Block 13 – Magic Pinwheel

This is a fun block AND it’s the last block of this QAL. I hope everyone has had fun with this. I can’t wait to see all the beautiful quilts on Facebook. The color combinations have been wonderful. Click here for the QAL page.

My quilt is almost finished. I have the individual rows stitched together but still have to stitch row to row.  Here’s the block:

Block 13 Magic Pinwheel

And here’s a link to the new die launch for tomorrow. It’s going to be fun.

 

  
 

Qube QAL Block 12: School Girl’s Puzzle

This week’s block is made of quarter blocks. It has some different subunits than we have made before so I hope it’s a fun challenge for you. I can’t wait to see the beautiful blocks you make and post on the Facebook Group. I love to see all the different color combinations.

I thought this was the last week, but it is not. Next week is Block 13 which is the last block.

Click on the block below to go to the Qube QAL Page OR click on the link in the Menu at the top of the page to get there. And have fun!

Block 12 School Girl’s Puzzle
 
 

QAL Block 11 – Yankee Puzzle

It’s hard to believe but we’re almost there. This is week 11 and the block is Yankee Puzzle No. 1. It’s half square triangles and some flying geese and is made up of quarter blocks. Click on the block and it will take you to the QAL page. Look for the link to the instructions in the list of blocks.

 
 

It’s Monday and Block 10 Pinwheel

Happy Monday to all! Block 10 is posted, and I think you will find that it has easy units – half square triangles and a four patch –  and is a lot of fun.

Here’s a picture of the block. Just click the picture and it will take you to the QAL page.

Block 10 Pinwheel

Some of the participants in the Quilt Along (QAL) had asked if I would post the rest of the quilt blocks as they want to finish this project and move on to a new one. However, as I started working on it, I realized that it was too much to do with the other projects that I have on the agenda that have to be done. I truly appreciate all the comments on the Facebook Page telling how much everyone has enjoyed the QAL and the pace of one block per week. This QAL has been fun for me because the blocks have not been as complicated as the ones from the last QAL.

For those who use Electric Quilt software, I added the EQ8 file to the Facebook Page group Files. My blog host would not let me add it to the Media files here.