Welcome to the fourth block reveal
for the QAL by the Sea!

This QAL is brought to you by Partners in Design: Where Friends and Fabric Meet.

Presenting: Sun Block

This 12.5″ (unfinished) block pattern was created by Sherry Shish of Powered by Quilting. You can download it free

here on her blog from now until December 1, 2020 at 7:59 am Eastern time. After then, the patterns in this QAL may not be available anymore or may be available for a small fee through the designer. Don’t delay, download them today.

Tips and Tricks to Constructing this Block

1. Enjoy the process. Paper piecing is fun. However, if this is your first try at it, it can be a bit daunting. Read the block designer’s post, as well as all the hosts-listed below-for more tips. Check out You-Tube tutorials on paper piecing. Four years ago, I taught myself to paper piece by reading blogs and watching You-Tube. You can, too! Now, I even teach the concept to others.
2. Learn some paper piecing short-cuts. 
   • Label your pieces. This speeds up the process and eliminates using the wrong fabric for the number. Here’s three different ways that I used when paper piecing.
     

     I create a reference guide that gives the piece number and a sample of the fabric.

     

     I have a large box of colored pencils. I use them to color the piece.  The bottom of the picture shows that I write the color name on the piece.

   • Score the seam to make removing the paper easier. You must place it on your lap and gently use the back of a seam ripper and run it along the stitches. Then just tear it away with your hand. It’s so easy.
     

     I learned this trick from one of my students! I don’t use any expensive or special paper for making the copies. Just plain, cheap, copy paper.

   • After stitching two paper pieced units together, remove the paper in the seam. This prevents paper from getting lost when these units are sewn to more.
     

     Notice that I have removed the paper in the seam once sewn.

   • Remove all papers except the ones around the edge. These can be removed once you sew those seams to either another block or to the sashing. Keeping the paper on these edges ensures that those bias edges are not stretched.
     

     I removed the inner paper before I stitched on the sunglasses.

   • Use a tweezers to remove the small pieces.
3. Seek your inner creative genius. Often the sun sneaks up on me and I don’t think about it’s smiling face until hours later when I notice my skin turning red. I decided not to use black for the eyes and mouth and opted to use the same fabric as one of the accent sun rays. Then I fashioned a pair of sunglasses out of rick rack. Fabric glue held it in place on the block while I hand stitched it. I unstitched a bit of the seam, tucked the temples into the seam, and resewed it.
   

   Pins held the rick rack in place while I decided on the shape.

   

   A peek at my creative process.

See These Hosts for More Construction Tips

Look for bi-weekly inspiration from these bloggers.

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats — Thanks for stopping by.

Sherry @ Powered by Quilting

Becca @ Pretty Piney Quilts

Sandy @ SandyStar Designs

Abbie @ Sparkle On!

Laura @Slice of Pi Quilts

Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter

Join this QAL

You can join in anytime. Find the complete schedule here. This QAL is divided into three segments each containing four blocks with a two week break between segments for a chance to catch up. Blocks are released on Tuesday mornings at 8 am Eastern time until all 12 blocks have been released. You’ll find the schedule for segment one below.

After you’ve sewn your block, share a picture of it on our Partners In Design Facebook page, or on Instagram with the hashtag #qalbythesea. We want to see them, as well as others who are quilting along, and be able to comment and encourage each other.

Segment 1: August 4—September 8, 2020

(Find the blocks on these Partners in Design blogs)

August 4 — Block 1: Becca Fenstermaker @Pretty Piney Quilts —She Sews Seashells by the Seashore
August 11— Block 2: Jennifer @ The Inquiring Quilter —Terry the Turtle
August 18 — Block 3: April @ JANDA Bend Quilts — Signal Flag
August 25 — Block 4: Sherry @ Powered by Quilting — Sun Block
August 25 — Segment 1 Wrap-up and linky provided for prize entry
September 8: 7:59 am Eastern time — Deadline to enter picture containing all four blocks for Segment 1 Prize
September 8: Segment 1 Winner Announced
September 8: Segment 2 begins

Segment 1: Prizes and Sponsors

Thank you to our sponsors for the following prizes for Segment 1!

One U.S. Winner Receives:

• 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!

One International Winner Receives:

• A Six-month subscription to Make Modern magazine. This magazine is for quilters, by quilters, filled with beautiful patterns and articles to inspire quilters like us to make more modern quilts!
• A PDF pattern of your choice from these Designers! Click to view their shop items.

Pretty Piney

The Inquiring Quilter

Powered by Quilting (a $10.00 shop credit)

Enter to Win Segment and Grand Prizes

Entering to win is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Everyone (You must be 18 to be able to enter to win prizes) gets to participate. There will be two prizes awarded for each segment and for the Grand Prize: U. S. and International. You do NOT need to have a blog to enter.
2. Make all four of the blocks in this segment provided to you free of charge for this event. Use your own fabrics and embellish them as you like. If entering the giveaway, the blocks should definitely be recognizable as made from these free patterns. Take one picture with all of them included. Finished projects or a quilt are NOT a requirement for entry.
3. Post one picture that contains all four of your blocks by 07:59 AM EST, September 8, 2020 either on the Partners in Design Facebook page, or on Instagram with the hashtag #qalbythesea, or on the hosts blog Linky party found in the wrap-up post at the end of each segment.  You are welcome to post a picture on each of the sources but it will only count as one entry.

The Grand Prize is going to be amazing! To enter just make, take and post one picture that contains ALL 12 blocks (they don’t need to be made into a finished quilt top or projects but if you do, be sure that all 12 blocks can be seen).

Don’t Miss Out on My Previous QAL by the Sea Posts

Tu-Na Quilts: QAL by the Sea Block 3

 

 

 

 

 

Tu-Na Quilts: QAL by the Sea Block 2

 

 

 

Tu-Na Quilts: QAL by the Sea Block 1

 

 

 

Tu-Na Quilts: Announcing the Next Quilt-a-Long with Partners in Design—Introduction and a look at my fabric selection.

 

Coming Soon!

September 8 — QAL by the Sea Segment 2 Begins with Block 5

Tu-Na Eats: Time for Tea with the Bride-to-be

What I Learned Today:

1. Do not quilt late at night.
2. Major mistakes happen even to those who have quilted for over 50 years.
3. Some results of accidents cannot be covered with a band-aid or kissed to feel better.
4. Remaking Terry the Turtle took just as long the second time around. He had an unfortunate accident with the scissors. Let the record show that Tu-Na was holding the scissors.
5. Taking out my frustration with a rotary cutter on a wounded block didn’t really work.
6. Terry II does look good and in some respects turned out even better than Terry I plus I learned a lot in the process.

Question: If you had to choose between sunscreen or sunglasses, which would you choose? I’d pick sunglasses but mine would have to be more protective than the Rick Rack kind.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more about me click here. If you don’t want to miss any blocks for the QAL by the Sea, please consider following me by email, Bloglovin or WordPress; just subscribe using one those options found in the sidebar (or below on a mobile device) on this blog, Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats.

At this time, I am not affiliated with any of the items, products, services, or shops that I picture or talk about here on Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats. I just happen to like and use them.

©2020 Karen Thurn Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

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