Welcome to the eighth block reveal

for the Destination QAL!

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

Presenting: Lake Quilt Block

I interrupt this usual QAL post for an important message:  Well, actually a funny story that I was reminded of while sewing this block. I added a canoe because  it reminded me of one of Tu-Na Helper’s adventures during his boy scouting days. Let’s see if I get it right.

Tu-Na Helper as the scout leader and several canoes full of boy scouts were paddling down the Missouri River when, lo and behold, they came upon an abandoned canoe floating past. There were no survivors aboard or floating around but there was a camera lying on the bottom of it. So they moved the canoe to shore, secured it so it wouldn’t go anywhere, and notified the local authorities just in case someone was looking for it. Before they left, they did what many good scouts would do. They grabbed that camera, huddled together, and took their picture as a remembrance of the ones who rescued the mystery canoe. They found out later that someone was indeed looking for their canoe which wasn’t moored properly the night before but they never found out the owner’s reaction when he developed that film.

Now back to your regularly scheduled (although late) QAL:

This 12.5″ (unfinished) block pattern was created by Laura Piland of Slice of Pi Quilts. You can download it free on Laura’s blog from now until November 16th, 2021 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.

Tips and Tricks to Constructing this Block

I realize that many of you have already made your block, but you might find my tips and tricks helpful when making other blocks. 

1. Attention! If you are using fabric that has a scene or needs to be kept in order, lay them in order after cutting each strip. I found out the hard way. After cutting them and throwing them on a pile, I had to put them back together. It was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together. But I wanted to keep the treetops up in the air so it was worth it.
2. Keep it Together! Use fabric glue in the seam allowance of the prairie points to hold them onto the strip while you stitch them down.  Or use clips to hold them in place while you stitch them in a 1/8″ seam. I found it helpful to stitch from the folded side to the open side of each point keeping all the open sides going towards the same direction.
3. Pressing Matters. Check each row to make sure you don’t have an extra fold at the seam line from pressing. Read more pressing hints in Tu-Na’s Tried and True Easy Guide to Pressing Matters.
4. Use Them or Lose Them. We all have those handy gadgets that we’ve bought and many we haven’t used yet. I found these silicone finger tips at JoAnn Fabrics and found them very helpful when making the prairie points; no finger tips were burned during the making of those points. The other gadget that came in handy was my wood clapper. After each prairie point was made, I misted the folded edge with water and did a final pressing. Then I put them under the clapper. They laid nice and flat.
5. Check Mark Means Done. Check off each row on the pattern page when you’ve completed it.         
6. Build Your Forest One Tree at a Time. This pattern involves sewing a lot of tiny strips together and you may tire of it. Keep it fun. You will get done as long as you keep going. If you need, take a break and do something else for a bit. But do come back.
7. Make it your own! I usually add something to the patterns I use. Doing so allows me to let my personality shine and allows my block (and quilt) to be unique. Just remember to use the pattern from the designer for this QAL if you are entering the Giveaway. To  make this block unique, I appliqued a red canoe and a black paddle on the lake. Reminder: If you are entering our giveaways for the section prizes and for the grand prizes, we allow for creative changes but be aware that your blocks should still be recognizable as ones made by using the given patterns for this quilt along. However, this is your quilt and if you don’t like something, you are free to use whatever you want. Just be aware that block substitutions won’t count as an entry.
8. Be Willing to Try Something New. This was the first time I used a satin stitch for the applique. I’ve always done the machine blanket stitch. I made the bottom of the canoe longer so that I could sew it in the seam.
   

See These Hosts for More Construction Tips

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

Sherry @ Powered by Quilting

Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts

Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter

Join this QAL

You can join in anytime. Find the complete schedule here. Every Tuesday for four weeks, a new block is released until all 12 blocks have been released. This QAL is divided into three segments each containing four blocks with a two week break between segments for a chance to catch up.

When you finish a block, share it on our Facebook group or post a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #DestinationQAL. We enjoy seeing and commenting on each person’s finished blocks.

Segment Two Prizes

At the end of each segment, a prize package will be offered. Make all four blocks and follow the directions on the Segment wrap-up post to enter to win. We allow for creative changes and embellishments but each block must be made using the given patterns to be eligible.

A one year subscription to Online Quilt Magazine. A must-read for any quilter! It’s packed full of hints, how to’s, projects and more.

And a pattern from each of these designer’s shops:

Jennifer Fulton The Inquiring Quilter – One free PDF pattern of your choice          Kathleen McCormick Kathleen McMusing – One free pattern up to a $10.00 value
Laura Piland Slice of Pi Quilts – One free PDF pattern of your choice

Segment 2: August 10 to September 14

• August 10 – Block 5: Kathleen McCormick @ Kathleen McMusing — Find Block Five There
• August 17 – Block 6: Jennifer Fulton @ The Inquiring Quilter — Find Block Six There
• August 24 – Block 7: Karen Thurn @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats — Find Block Seven There
• August 31– Block 8: Laura Piland @Slice of Pi Quilts — Find Block Eight There
• August 31– Segment 2 Wrap-up and linky provided for prize entry
• September 14th 7:59 am Eastern time — Deadline to enter picture for Segment 2 Prize
• September 14 – Segment 2 Prize Winner Announced

Don’t Miss Out on My Previous Destination QAL Posts

Segment 1:

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

Tu-Na Quilts: Destination QAL Block 1 — Canyon Block

Tu-Na Quilts: Destination QAL Block 2 — Camper Block

Tu-Na Quilts: Destination QAL Block 3 — Fair Block

Tu-Na Quilts: Destination QAL Block 4 — Turtle Beach

Segment One Wrap-Up

Segment 2:

Tu-Na Quilts: Destination QAL Block 5 — Ferry

Tu-Na Quilts: Destination QAL Block 6 — Covered Bridge

Tu-Na Quilts Destination QAL Block 7 — Cityscape (I sewed two of these).

What I Learned Today:

1. I know I am late to the party. But late is better than never.
2. Being ill is no fun at all. Being ill in bed for 10 days is absolutely no fun even if Tu-Na Helper waited on me hand and foot.
3. The little bell really does work well. When I rang it, Tu-Na Helper came running. I tried not to overuse it.
4. I hope it’s a long time until I need to eat only bananas, white rice, applesauce, and white toast again. 
5. “Can’t see the forest for the trees” is an expression used of someone who is too involved in the details of a problem to look at the situation as a whole. It also is not understanding or appreciating a larger situation, problem, etc., because one is considering only a few parts of it. Another way to explain it is that we focus only on small details and fail to understand larger plans or principles.

Question: Do you have a canoe or boat story to share? Tu-Na Helper and I own a red canoe. When the kids were young, we would tie that canoe to the top of our van and drive to the Headwaters of the Mississippi River in Itasca State Park in Minnesota. We had a lot of fun paddling around the lake and through the stalks of wild rice. We also brought along our bikes to bike the trails.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts