We’re putting the “sew” back into your social life with the Best Friends Quilt Along! Today we’re excited to join our quilty BFFs in creating a beautiful quilt together!
Make it a modern-day quilting bee as a block swap for everyone to piece their own quilt or pool your blocks together into one quilt to share. No matter which way you do it, every stitch of this friendship quilt will be fun and fulfilling!
The Best Friends Quilt Along lasts for five weeks, from January 7 – February 4, 2021. This week we’re starting with Log Cabin blocks.
For this quilt along, Lori and Kimberly are each sewing half of the blocks to make a complete quilt. Kimberly sewed her blocks with the Bee Basics 10″ Stacker and the Bee Backgrounds 10″ Stacker.
Lori sewed her blocks in the same fabrics as Kimberly. She sewed six blocks, all in a row!
DOWNLOAD THE BEST FRIENDS WEEK 1 PATTERN
We had a few customers ask us for a coloring sheet so they could map out their preferences. That’s a fun idea we fully support! Click on the banner below to download your own copy!
DOWNLOAD THE BEST FRIENDS QAL COLORING SHEET
About the Quilt
The quilt is made from four classic blocks – Log Cabin, Economy, Pineapple and Courthouse Steps.
6″ blocks make a lap-size quilt that measures 48.5″ square. 12″ blocks make a queen-size quilt that finishes at 96.5″ square. This is ideal for a “swap”, guild or friendship project because the papers make your blocks turn out the same size!
If you need any supplies, be sure to visit the Best Friends Quilt Along page for the complementary fabric bundles. You can use the Fabric Requirements as a general guide if shopping your stash, as this quilt is perfect for using scraps. For more information on the quilt, supplies, and a foundation paper pad tutorial, hop over to the Announcement Post.
Who’s Sewing Along?
We invited some quilty friends to sew along with us and they’re sharing their progress along the way! You can follow them on social media for inspiration and tips along the way!
Hilary Jordan, @byhilaryjordan
Carol B, @cattrio4me
Tina, @tina1802
Marisa Wilhelmi, @marisawilhelmidesigns
Jen Van Orman, @heritage.threads
Haley Anderson, @happinessinthemaking
Vicki Holloway @vickilhollowayquilting
Angel, @halo.inspirations
Kristie, @crosshatchquilts
Jessica Dayon, @jessicadayon
Amber Johnson, @gigis_thimble
Lori Holt, @beelori1
Kimberly Jolly, @fatquartershop
Join us for the Best Friends Quilt Along!
Right-click to download the image.
You can share the badge above to show you’re participating. Be sure to hashtag your progress with #BestFriendsQAL on Instagram and Facebook so we can see and share your work! Lori Holt will be sharing updates on her blog, Bee in My Bonnet, and Instagram page so be sure to check those out!
Please join us back here on The Jolly Jabber on Thursday, January 14, 2021, for week two. We’ll sew the Economy Blocks! I’ll also be showing the blocks each week on Livestream each Friday at 9 AM CT, so don’t forget to subscribe to the Fat Quarter Shop YouTube channel to catch the fun!
Stay connected to FQS!
18 comments
the instructions for week one are really wonky for the 6″ block size… neither 6″ nor 7″ square … and too many strips at one-inch would result in a 7″ block. WEIRD.
Привет! Рада примкнуть к вам!
Spasiba! 🙂
Are you using the papers? The blocks should come out 6 1/2″ unfinished. When sewn into the quilts blocks will be 6″ finished . When I use the papes it comes out perfect.
We recommend 1.5″ strips for the 6″ blocks. Are you using the foundation paper pads and have you tried that?
How much yardage do we need to complete the top? I’m seeing instructions if we buy bundles but most are sold out and different fabric lines come with different numbers of pieces. I’m hoping to buy a bundle for the colored fabric and possibly a bolt or free cut yardage for the neutral/background. Thanks!
For the large quilt, you could get by with 5 yards for the setting alone, but we’d recommend 8 total yards for the setting and background on the blocks. For the small quilt, you can use 2 yards for the setting and two 10″ stackers for the blocks (or 1.5 yards of background and 1.5 yards of prints).
This quilt-along is a lot of fun. Already loved the various papers, and I will really enjoy using all of them in a single quilt. As always, thanks!
Thanks Mary! Glad you’re joining us!
I tried the large block. If you put square one and two together that makes 4 and a half but the number 3 rectangle is only 4 and a fourth. Making a standard log cabin square would make it 14 and a half. Do I need to use the paper?
Hi Jane, The cut sizes on the BF patterns only work for the paper. If not using the paper you might try a different set of instructions for the log cabin block.
I love this quilt and I have started but now I am questioning myself, I dont usually do that. The blocks in the pictures have pretty consistent fabrics, the L shape is the same fabric, if that makes sense. I want mine to be all different and mixed up. My background is all white but the one block I did has 6 different fabrics instead of the 3 in your sample. If I am doing it super scrappy like that do you think I will loose the pattern a little? I want to be able to see the different blocks and settings, I am wondering what your thoughts are before I continue.
I think super scrappy will be fine and look good. The one consistent thing I find works well is to have a good contrast between the lights and darks. I would get rid of medium saturation tones for a bigger contrast. Another thing you can do is make the center square of the log cabins and courthouse steps blocks be the same color, like all yellow, red or teal. That gives it a theme throughout. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
I did mine super scrappy Robin, I posted a picture of them on instagram @tina1802 and I absolutely LOVE how they turned out! I say go with your gut and it will be beautiful!!!
What is the seam allowance if not using papers? The typical seam allowance of 1/4” does not work out.
Hi Phyllis, If not using the foundation papers, I would recommend searching online for instructions for either the 6″ or 12″ block. Something like this is handy for the Log Cabin blocks. https://www.scrapish.com/log-cabin-quilt-block.html
I have loved this log cabin week so much! Looking forward to the following weeks, and a BEAUTIFUL quilt!
Thank you, Tina! Glad you’re sewing with us 🙂