North Star Quilt Along – Week One

Welcome to the North Star Quilt along! North Star QAL week one

I’m so glad you are joining us for the North Star Quilt Along!  I’m thrilled there are more than 700 quilters signed up to sew along.  I’m excited to see North Star quilts come together.

Sign up for the quilt along e-mails (if you haven’t already) so you don’t miss a thing.

The Quilt Along

Starts: October 16 (today! ha)

Duration: 6 weeks

Materials needed:
North Star Quilt Pattern
Fabrics:  You will need 24 fat quarters for this quilt or 16 fat quarters + 16 Fat Eighths
Accent Fabric and Background fabric.

How to Participate:
The quilt along takes place on Instagram using the hashtag: #northstarqal

Include the hashtag in your captions so we can all see your posts. Browse the hashtag to see what everyone else is up to!

Stay up to date:
An e-mail will show up in your inbox on Monday morning with the weeks prompts. A blog post will also go up on Monday morning. There may be a few extra videos and tips and tricks in the e-mails so be sure to be signed up!  (Sign up here)


Week One

  • Introduce yourself on Instagram! Show us your face, show us your fabric 🙂 Remember to use the hashtag #northstarqal
  • Gather fabrics/ pattern and supplies
  • Make a test block if that’s helpful for you!
  • Cut your fabrics after making your test block.  You can cut all at once this week or cut the blocks as you go each week.

We will ease in to this quilt along with a little prep and a little cutting.

Grab the pattern

If you don’t have the pattern already, grab your copy in the shop or below.

Gather the fabrics

If you don’t have your fabric yet, don’t panic! Order them up so you are ready to go next week.

Fat Quarters:  The large throw size of the North Star quilt requires 24 fat quarters or 16 fat quarters and 16 Fat Eighths.  The fat eighths will be the stars.

Accent Fabric:  You will also need 1 yard for the accent fabric.  Or skip the accent and add an extra yard of background.

Background Fabric:  1 1/4 yards of background fabric

I’m using a bundle of Dear Stella fabrics for my North Star quilt this time around.  It will be all fun and color 🙂  I picked up this bundle from Stash Fabrics.  It’s short a few fat quarters so I’ll add a few from my stash.

I’m still trying to decide on an accent color.  I’m definitely using white as the background so deciding between aqua, navy or light grey. 

Planning

While planning your North Star quilt, you will need to decide which 16 fat quarters will be the outside frame of the stars and which will be the stars themselves.

Make a test block

Go ahead and make a test block this week if you are wanting to get going.  Make a test block using your fabrics or scraps from your stash.

Cut your fabrics

Once you are confident with your test block go ahead and cut your fabrics this week.  You can also cut the blocks as you go if that is more your style.  🙂

See you next week where we start making blocks!

Prizes this week

Winners are announced and chosen on Instagram.

Thank you to our sponsors this week:

@Handcutfabric – A fat quarter bundle of Cotton and Steel Front Yard
Figo Fabrics – A fat quarter bundle of Eloise’s Garden
Knotted Thread – A $35 Gift certificate to her shop