Featured fabric: FreeSpirit Fabrics Sublime Summer by Sarah Sczepanski of Artxtiles

Pattern design by: Lindsay Conner

Sewn by: Lindsay Conner

My son loves to collect “special rocks,” including crystals. I designed this elongated snowball block to feature a variety of fabric prints—it reminds me of a quilt filled with dazzling crystals of all textures and colors!

This beginner-friendly quilt pattern is easy to sew, and will help you show off your favorite fabric prints from a collection! This quilt top can be pieced over a weekend, and quilts up quickly—perfect if you need a quick and heartfelt baby shower gift. Let’s get started!

Skills Learned: Machine piecing, pin basting, quilting, binding

Skill Level: Beginner

Finished Size: 42.5” x 50” (107.95cm x 127cm)

Fabric Requirements:

White fabric of your choosing: 1 yard (.91m)
I used a white fabric from my stash.

13 assorted fabric prints: 1/4 yard (.23m) each
I used:
Set Sail Small – Salmon | PWSS014.SALMON
Set Sail – Blue | PWSS013.BLUE
Sea Mist – Blueberry | PWSS012.BLUEBERRY
Summers Eve - Salmon | PWSS011.SALMON
Summer Storm – Cobalt | PWSS010.COBALT
Hydrangea - Multi | PWSS009.MULTI
Sea Foam – Azure | PWSS008.AZURE
Skipping Rocks - Aqua | PWSS007.AQUA
Beach Blanket – Sky | PWSS006.SKY
Swell - Multi | PWSS004.MULTI
Summers Catch - Navy | PWSS003.NAVY
Nautical Stripes – Salmon | PWSS002.SALMON
Blue Bubbles – Navy | PWSS001.NAVY

Plus 1 print for binding: 1/2 yard (.46m)
I used Spring Tide – Cobalt | PWSS005.COBALT

Quilt batting: 45” x 60” (114.3cm x 152.4cm)

Backing fabric: *2 5/8 yards (2.4m)
*For the backing, you need about 2 5/8 yds.  You can choose to use all one fabric of your choice from the collection, or you can piece your backing together using your choice of fabrics from the collection. I chose to piece together Skipping Rocks – Aqua and Beach Blanket – Sky.

Equipment needed:

Sewing machine

Iron

Fabric cutting tools (scissors or rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat)

Pencil

Safety pins

Fabric clips

Walking foot (optional)

Quilting gloves (optional)

Cutting Directions

From assorted 13 prints:

• Cut (20) 15” x 5” rectangles and (8) 7.75” x 5” rectangles. (I used a total of 13 prints for the crystal blocks, cutting more pieces than I needed so I could balance the colors as I arranged the blocks.)

From white fabric:

• Cut 7 strips 2.75” x WOF and subcut (96) 2.75” white squares.
• Cut 4 strips 3.5” x WOF for border

From binding fabric:

• Cut 5 strips 3” x WOF and join together end to end.

Make 20 full crystal blocks

Make 8 half crystal blocks

Sew the Full Crystal Blocks

• Use a pencil and ruler to draw a diagonal line on the back side of each 2.75” white square. Place two squares as shown on the right side of one 5” x 15” print fabric. Pin in place.

• Sew on the drawn lines.

• Use scissors to cut off the corners ¼” past the sewn lines.

• Press the white corners out using your fingers.

• Place two more squares as shown on the left side of the block. Sew on the drawn lines.

• Use scissors to cut off the corners ¼” past the sewn lines.

• Press the white corners out using your fingers to complete the full snowball crystal block. Make a total of 20 blocks.

Sew the Half Crystal Blocks

• Use the same method as above to snowball the top right and top left corners of each 7.75” x 5” rectangle. Make a total of 8 blocks.

Sew the Quilt Top

• Arrange the full and half crystal blocks as shown to make 8 columns. Odd numbered columns will have three full crystal blocks. Even numbered columns will have two full and two half crystal blocks.

• Clip together the blocks in each column.

• Adjust the sewing machine to a scant ¼” seam (just smaller than a 1/4”) and join the blocks together in each column. Press the seams to one side.

• Clip together the columns two at a time, making sure each row is evenly clipped. Stitch together the clipped columns, pressing the seams open.

• Attach a 3.5” x WOF border strip to the left and right sides of the quilt top, and sew together. Press the seams toward the quilt center. Attach a 3.5” x WOF border strip to the top and bottom sides of the quilt top, and sew together. Press the seams toward the quilt center.

• Make a “quilt sandwich” with the backing fabric on the bottom (wrong side facing up), the quilt batting, and the quilt top (right side facing up). Smooth out the layers and use safety pins to baste the layers together. For best results, begin basting from the center of the quilt and work out, placing pins every 3” to 4”. Be sure as you are pin basting that the fabrics remain smooth with no wrinkles or folds.

• To quilt the layers together, use your sewing machine’s straight stitch to “stitch in the ditch” between each of the columns. Add additional vertical quilting lines evenly between these lines.

Optional: A walking foot is great for holding the layers together while you quilt straight lines. I also like to use quilting gloves to make gripping the fabric easier.

• Trim the edges of the batting and backing with a rotary cutter and ruler to square up the quilt. Use your favorite method to add the binding to the edge of the quilt. (See “Flying Geese Picnic Quilt” for detailed instructions on machine binding.)

Fabric Details:

To view the complete FreeSpirit Fabrics Sublime Summer by Sarah Sczepanski of Artxtiles click here.

 To find a retailer near you click here.

---

Learn more about Lindsay here.