Siblings Together Quilted Blocks

Since I started blogging over 5 years ago, I quickly became part of a wonderfully giving and generous community of quilters.

I have made friends with folks around the world, we have laughed and cried together, shared our achievements, disasters, tips and tricks!

And now and again I get to meet some of these wonderful people in the flesh!

This is an old pic of me and Marie, who comes to Belfast each year, all the way from Oz!
I'm so privileged to call Marie a friend, she is a talented quilter and a truly generous and inspirational person. Today we met again for coffee, and our short time together always goes too quickly!

And she ALWAYS has a gift for me!

Thank you Marie for my pretty roses, and your smiling and passionate heart!

Another way to be a part of this amazing online quilting community is to donate blocks.

Over on the Siblings Together blog, they have put out the call for quilted 20.5" blocks, following this tutorial.

These are super quick and easy to make, and if you want to practise your patchwork and especially your quilting, then what better way than on these 'mini quilts'.

The tutorial says you can either 'quilt in the ditch' (see my tips on ditch quilting here) or quilt them another way.

Here are some examples:

Echo quilting the seams (sewing at least 1/4" either side of the seams) ...

Diagonal lines (mark these out first with chalk or non-permanent fabric marker) ...

Free motion squiggles (you need to drop your feed dogs and attach a darning foot to do this).

Whatever way you decide to make your blocks, have fun with them, and know they will be made up into a quilt for a sibling separated by the care system.

Happy quilting!

Jude xo