QM 100 Blocks, vol. 16 Blog Tour

Welcome to Day 4 of the Road Rally blog tour for Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks from Today’s Top Designers, vol. 16. The magazine issue includes 100 fantastic and unique blocks; you will want a copy for your quilt inspiration library. Today I am so excited to share my block, “Beacons in the Fog,” with you!

When designing this block, I wanted to create an illusion of movement, as of the light in a lighthouse turning interminably, cutting through the fog, warning the ships at sea as well as serving as navigation signposts along the shore. The saturated colors of batiks speak of clear direction in contrast with the foggy gray neutrals. (Thanks, Wilmington Prints, for these fabrics!)

Since my husband and I have made North Carolina our home, we have enjoyed exploring the state from the mountains in the west to the seashore in the east.  And we invite you to plan a road rally stop, whether real or virtual, to experience North Carolina and especially to see the lighthouses of the Outer Banks. Click here to see pictures of these majestic sentinels that serve as beacons in the fog.

What’s a road trip without some music? Tune your “radio” to you tube and  click here to hear “My Lighthouse,” as sung by Rend Collective. The praise band at our church led us in this song just this Sunday. What a comfort to know that the Lord will carry us “safe to shore.”

Using Electric Quilt software, I developed two quilt layout diagrams to give ideas for setting “Beacons in the Fog.” Twenty blocks set with narrow black sashing and red cornerstones would make a striking decorator statement on a white or gray sofa. The design of nearly solid fabrics would also suit as a young man’s quilt.

By setting blocks and half blocks in vertical strips, flanked by black strips, a contemporary effect is achieved.

Construction Tip:  Your block will be softer and less bulky if you use a minimal amount of fusible webbing for the machine applique and if you cut away the un-fused background fabric after stitching. As you can see from the photo on the left, I cut an arc of fusible webbing about 3/4″ wide and adhered it to the wrong sides of the quarter circles. After peeling off the paper, pressing the quarter circles to the background triangles, and machine appliqueing, I cut away the unfused parts of the background triangles as shown in the photo on the right.

        

If you make “Beacons in the Fog,” I’d love to see your block. Send a photo to aby.quilts@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting my stop on the road rally, and I’d love for you to “follow” my blog. We currently have a pre-cut challenge going through the end of December. (Use those 5″ charm squares!)

Enjoy the blog tour today; be sure to stop by the Quiltmaker blog, QuiltyPleasures, to register for prizes and to link to other blogs on the tour this week. Can’t find the magazine at your local newsstand? You can order a copy from the online The Quilt Company (Quiltmaker).

 

Leave a comment below to enter a drawing for a free magazine. The drawing will be 22 November.