Quilt Along By The Sea Block 10 - Sunset Beach

Welcome to Block 10 in the Quilt Along By The Sea. I designed this Sunset Beach Block, and I am thrilled to share the pattern with you today!

Get the block pattern: This QAL is over, so this block pattern is no longer available for free. It is available for sale in the shop here: Sunset Quilt Block Pattern. 

Sunset Beach Block

The inspiration for this block is a vivid sunset in the Caribbean islands. So kick back with your virtual Painkiller - my favorite rum cocktail from the Virgin Islands - and enjoy the best sunset on the planet!

Sunset Beach Quilt Block

My Tips for Block 10

This block is fused appliqué on a simple pieced background, a technique familiar from previous blocks. The appliqué shapes are more detailed and thinner than some other blocks, but take it slow and your sunset will be amazing!

  • Print the template page at 100% or actual size, and measure the 1" test block for accuracy.
  • Use sharp scissors to cut out the detailed shapes. To cut smooth curves you should move the fabric, not the scissors.
  • Place the appliqué pieces at least one inch from the edges of the block to leave room for trimming the block down to 12 1/2" and for the 1/4" block seam allowances.
  • The darker background may show through your light sun fabric. To fix that issue, fuse a second layer of sun fabric or white fabric to the back of the sun piece before you fuse it to the background.
  • To sew down the appliqué shapes, I suggest shortening the stitch length. If you use a zigzag or blanket stitch also make the stitch width a bit narrower than usual. This will make it easier to follow the shape details.
  • As you sew around the shapes you will need to stop with your needle down to pivot your fabric around curves and corners. If you are using a zigzag or blanket stitch you should stop with your needle on the outside of the shape when you pivot.

Here is a "behind the seams" look at my block. I used a blanket stitch in black thread around the silhouette shapes. The stitching is basically invisible on the front.

Fabric Choices

The graphic punch in this design comes from the strong contrast between the foreground shapes and the background fabrics. Of course, you don't have to use the same colors that I used. Your shapes could be a dark gray, purple, or blue as long as you have that strong contrast.

You can also use print fabrics instead of solids, but I do recommend prints that look "almost solid" so the prints don't draw focus away from dramatic contrast. You could try replacing the strips with ombré fabric; that would be really cool.

Just for fun here are a couple of mockups in different colors:

Sunset Beach Quilt Block Pink
Sunset Beach Quilt Block Purple

More Tips from Hosts

Visit the other segment QAL hosts to get more tips. And don't forget to share your finished block. We love to see what you create!

Segment  Hosts

Fabulous Prizes

See my initial Quilt Along By The Sea blog post to review the QAL schedule and details on how the prize drawings will work. Also keep up with our Partners in Design Facebook Group for announcements.

Segment 3 Prizes

US Winner

A Fat Quarter bundle of Kismet by Tamarinis for Island Batik islandbatik.com

A 60" x 60" batting of Quilter’s Dream Angel. A heavenly Batting made with 100% flame retardant fabric.

www.quiltersdreambatting.com/products/dream-angel

International Winner

A one year Premium e-subscription to the Online Quilt Magazine www.onlinequiltmagazine.com. 
You will gain access to more than 50 pages of great Quilting Stories, Hints and Tips, How To's and Bonus Patterns each and every month. *The editor of the magazine, Jody Anderson, asks that we also let participants know that there is a free standard edition of the magazine available to sign up for on www.onlinequiltmagazine.com.

Plus ...

A PDF copy of Madras About You Quilt Pattern from Pretty Piney.

A PDF copy of Blooming Desert Quilt Pattern from Kathleen McMusing.

Check back on Oct. 27 for Block 11!

 p.s. If you missed my blocks from our previous Quilt Alongs they are now available here in my shop.

 

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