I hope you will quilt along (QAL) with Abyquilt blog readers in 2021. We will make 8” patchwork blocks, and none of the designs involve curved piecing or applique. The QAL begins in January, the month for planning and selecting fabric. Instructions for blocks will be posted on the first of the month, February – November. In December, you will finish your quilt top by combining the blocks you made throughout the year with sashing or alternate blocks.
In this QAL, you have several options. The first option is the size of the quilt. You may choose to make a lap quilt, a throw-size quilt, or a bed quilt. The larger the project, the greater number of blocks you need to make per month.
Lap Quilt 52” x 68” 18 blocks about 2 per month
Throw Quilt 68” x 84” 32 blocks about 3 per month
Bed Quilt 84” x 84” 41 blocks about 4 per month
The second option is fabric palette. You may choose to use a line of fabric, to use coordinating fabric from stash, or to go totally scrappy. The Lap Quilt and Throw Quilt are layer cake (10” squares) and fat quarter friendly. If using fat quarters, you need eight to ten, two or three each of several colors. The Bed Quilt requires
at least twelve fat quarters of colorful fabrics.
The third option is the blocks you will make. Each month, February – November, instructions for a primary design will be given as well as suggestions for several variations. You have the option to make all your blocks of the same design, to recolor the blocks, or to make a variation of the primary design.
The fourth option is the layout of your quilt. One of my sample quilts uses the “Hourglass” design for alternate blocks, another uses Framed Nine Patches. Pictured below is Karlene’s setting with sashing and cornerstones. However, another setting may appeal to you more. You may work on alternate setting blocks throughout the year.
With so many options, all of our quilts will be unique. It will be fun to appreciate the fabrics and orientation of values in each block as we go along, and it will be interesting to see the way you creatively set your blocks together.
In the blog menu, click on “Options BOM QAL.” You will travel to a page with a Download link to printer friendly information about the quilt project. Comment below if you plan to join the fun in 2021!
abyquilts 
Can wait to start!!
Joy Cannady
I plan to join in, too!
I’m going to try it.
I’m definitely going to try it but I’m still feeling totally overwhelmed by all of the options in “Options” LOL I’m not sure I have the brainpower to decide anything yet. I need to get further away from 2020 and finish at least one of my “Sisters” quilts – I am exactly half done with the miniature quilting on my Christmas prints version so once I finish that, I can think about all the choices here. I have one possibility figured out.
I got a fabric bundle from FatQuarterShop.com on Black Friday called “Paintbox” by Elizabeth Hartman for Robert Kaufman fabrics. I like this designer and manufacturer in general and have never been disappointed by the quality of the fabric or the colors and designs in Hartman’s bundles. This was a half-yard bundle on sale about 50% off so I grabbed it. I had nothing in mind to do with it when I got it so maybe I’ll use it for this. There are 30 half-yard pieces in the bundle (Link to bundle? ) Can I link to something in a comment? Add an image to a comment? Hmmm… Let’s see if I can remember my HTML
In case it doesn’t let me add live links the bundle is this one:
http://www.fatquartershop.com/paintbox-half-yard-bundle
I’ve already done a 16-patch alternating block (framed) layout (I have a “Peekaboo Garden” quilt based on Annie’s Catalog design in purples and oranges on my bed right now!) It was a pain to do the frames and make them all match up corners but I spent the time and now I love it. Not sure I want to do another though. Since I’m using the bundle, I might just use the lighter fabrics as “fillers” for alternating blocks. Gonna have to get to work in Photoshop to do some layout options HAHA now you have me doing it, Aby! Looking forward to seeing all of the choices others make. Thanks for running another QAL Aby.
Sarah
I am planning to be a member of a fun BOM with Aby😊
Susan S
I’m in! Sounds like fun!
I am in, hopefully give me focus 🤞🤞
I’m in. Now off to look through my stash.
Would like to participate…never been part of a project like this!
I’m looking forward to being a part of this project!
I’m in!
Will be working from my stash! Can’t wait to start!
I would like to join too.
Looking forward to a new project. Ideas are swirling in my head.
This looks fun! Thanks for organizing!
I could use some focus. 2020 had me so distracted. I’m hoping for much this year…so I think I’ll start where I am and work from my stash.
Great idea, Tonya. I am sure you have various fabrics that will work nicely together to make a lovely quilt!
I am excited and have written on my calendar to check each day. It will be fun.
Sounds great, and I have got the fabrics set aside just right for this project!!
Thanks a lot for all the planning grafics!!
New to quilting and hope this project will get me started. Looks fun!
The blocks are not difficult, and I have tried my best to write clear instructions with diagrams and pictures. I am so glad you are going to quilt along!
I appreciate your vote of confidence 🙂
I have many UFO’s to finish and was going to say “No More”, but I love them and what the heck…..
Thanks
Hi Aby, it’s Hope Bird!! I’m going to join it…what the heck! So fun to focus on something fun and creative!!
Hi Hope. I would love for you to join the QAL in 2021!
Hi Aby this is Laura Bird I am excited about this project.. I’m going to join.
This looks like a fun sew-along. I love the colors of your quilt on the railing. It looks wonderful there.
Thank you!
Thank you! I hope you will join in the fun of the quilt along!
You know I am very happy to join along, Aby. Need something to look forward to as the house settles and I can finally get my new quilt “studio” set up.
I am so glad you are planning to quilt along, Tashera!
I’m definitely in. I love these quilt alongs with Aby.
Sounds like fun.