Quilt Along By The Sea Block 4
Well Hello Mr. Sunshine! Block 4 for the Quilt Along By The Sea is a cheerful Sun Block designed by Sherry Shish. You can find the block pattern and tutorial on her website Powered by Quilting.
This block also wraps up Segment 1 of the Quilt Along so check out my Segment 1 Wrap-Up Post for details on how to be eligible for the Segment 1 prize drawing.
My Version of Block 4
This is my version of Sherry's Sun Block. He looks like a really happy emoji doesn't he? I used a sky blue fabric for the background and picked up some gold and orange prints that I used in previous blocks.
My Tips for Block 4
This block includes both traditional piecing and foundation paper piecing. Foundation paper piecing is a fantastic technique for getting super sharp points.
If you aren't experienced with foundation paper piecing there are many tutorials available on the web. Commercial patterns will usually just give you the numbered templates and assume that you know the basics of how to approach foundation paper piecing. The traditional technique involves sewing the fabric seams right through a paper template and then tearing all the paper templates away from the back when you are done sewing.
A technique that I like better, especially for blocks like this one that don't have teeny tiny sections, is to use freezer paper for the template. The freezer paper template is pressed to the fabric and can be used multiple times. You fold the freezer paper template along the seam lines and sew beside the fold instead of through the paper. Voila, no papers to rip out of the seams at the end!
I don't remember where I originally learned this freezer paper technique, but Bryan House Quilts has a good tutorial here and Mr. Domestic has a short Youtube video here. Whatever technique you use I am sure you will love the super pointy rays of sunshine.
Another tip I have is to write your fabric colors on the templates as well as writing in the section numbers. See how the points in my Sun Block go orange, orange, gold, gold instead of orange, gold, orange, gold? That is because I didn't label colors on my template and lost track of which colors went where. Oops! I decided it looks perfectly fine the way it is, but you can learn from my mistake.
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 1 Hosts
- Abbie Danahy @ Sparkle On!
- Becca Fenstermaker @ Pretty Piney Quilts
- Jennifer Fulton @ Inquiring Quilter
- Karen Thurn @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
- Laura Piland @ Slice of Pi Quilts
- Sherry Shish @ Powered by Quilting
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.
US Winner
Dream Green 60" x 60" batting from Quilter's Dream. An earth friendly polyester batting made from 100% recycled plastic bottles!
A Fat Quarter fabric bundle of Island Batik "Kismet." This line by Tammy Silver of Tamarinis has a bohemian vibe with vibrant colors!
International Winner
Six-month subscription to Make Modern, a magazine for quilters, by quilters, filled with beautiful patterns and articles to inspire quilters like us to make more modern quilts!
Plus a PDF pattern of your choice from these designers!
- Pretty Piney Quilts
- Inquiring Quilter
- Powered By Quilting (a $10.00 shop credit)