Happy Block Friday, everybody!
Since BLACK Friday is not my favorite American tradition, I decided to start my own little tradition here on the Scissortail Quilting Blog. And I’m calling it BLOCK FRIDAY.
My apologies to any true Black Friday fans.
I tried it.
Once. Let’s just say I’m more of a Cyber Monday kind of gal.
But Block Friday isn’t just for today.
Block Friday is gonna happen (almost) every Friday here on the Scissortail Quilting website for at least the next year (maybe longer). Making blocks is hands down my favorite part of quilting, so this is very exciting to me. Making lots of different blocks was the number one way I improved my patchwork skills, and I believe it’s one of the best ways you can improve your skills, too.
A lot of fun is planned, and I hope to delight everyone with a few surprises along the way. (Think free patterns, contests, and prizes… maybe a charity event late next year if enough are interested.)
The fun revolves around my Quilt Block Library. If you haven’t checked it out yet, please head on over and visit for awhile. (And if you like it, please tell your quilting friends about Scissortail Quilting!) The blocks in the library are organized by categories in list form, but I hope to add a more visual listing of the library soon. (I’m still working the kinks out on that.) Currently, over 200 blocks are featured in the quilt block library. For now, each block is just categorized and illustrated. But all that is changing. My plan is to develop a pattern for each one of them, and this is where Block Friday comes in.
Block Friday Rules:
Just like Black Friday, Block Friday is where the early bird gets the deal.
- Most every Friday at 4:00 am (Central Standard Time) I will post a new Block Friday Quilt Pattern.
- The post will include a link to a PDF pattern with rotary cutting instructions for the block in multiple sizes. The sizes given in the free version will allow you to make the Block Friday Quilt Patterns that will be released later in the year.
- The free version of the PDF pattern will be available on my site
until 4:00 pm (Central Standard Time) on the day offor 24 hours after its release. That gives everyone a12-hour windowfull day to download the free version. (After that, it’s a $2.00 download for the full version of the pattern, which will include instructions for cutting more sizes of the block.) - Each month I will host an Instagram Party where you can show off your blocks and compete for prizes. To play along, here are the rules:
- Follow me (@scissortailquilting) on Instagram
- Make any (or all) of the blocks that you like during that month. Photograph them and post them to your Instagram account using the hashtags mentioned in the post for each block. You can enter as many or as few blocks as you like. In whatever size you like. In whatever fabrics you like. The more you make, the greater your chances of winning. (But please only post each block you make one time.)
- Each month’s Instagram contest will always begin on the first of the month and end on the last day of the month.
- Blocks for a specified month must have been released during that month. For example, block patterns released in January must be posted with the January hashtag. This means you have more time to make the blocks released at the first of the month, and you have less time to make blocks released towards the end of the month. I know this gives the earlier blocks an unfair advantage, but I think it keeps the contest structure simple. (And who doesn’t need a little simple in their life, right?)
- A prize will be awarded each month by random drawing from the Instagram entries from that month.
- Additional prizes may be announced for arbitrary reasons (i.e. “most comments,” “viewers choice” etc.) based on participation.
- Prizes will be announced on the first Friday after the previous month ends. (i.e. January prizes will be announced first Friday in February.)
But it’s the Holiday Season…
Yes, and it would be totally ridiculous to expect everyone to get on this train just yet, right? (I know I couldn’t get on this train yet!)
To give everyone time to prepare and to give us time to get the word out, we won’t officially start until January 5, 2018. But I want you to get a taste of what’s in store. So, I will make a new block pattern available each week between now and when the fun really begins. These “appetizer” patterns will stay free until January 5, and if you have time to make these blocks, they are fair game in the January contest.
So to get you started, here is your first Block Friday pattern (which is the full version of the pattern), the Air Castle Quilt Block:
Here is my version:
I hope you enjoy it. It’s one of my favorite little blocks to make.
Please tell your quilting friends about Block Friday. (You can use the Social Sharing buttons at the end of this post). And sign up for the email list to get notifications about the block patterns as they are released.
Happy Quilting!
Maria
Happy Quilting!
