Challenge and Block Lotto

Block Lotto!

Make one block (or many!) based on the current design and pattern. Bring it to the meeting. Get a raffle ticket for each block you enter. Maybe win them ALL and make an entire quilt!

First 2025 Block Lotto: Due at April 19 meeting

Challenges!

Challenges help you get out of your comfort zone and try a new technique or think about design in a different way.

For 2025 we have a full year of challenges, created by Janice Wagaman and Kim Brownell. Complete them all and you'll be entered in a drawing for a free spot at the 2026 Beaches Quilt Retreat!

Challenge #2 Travel Organizer Roll –

Make a beautiful travel roll to safely and securely hold your jewelry or other notions while you are on a trip! If you are like me, your jewelry ends up tangled in a Ziploc bag! Or, maybe you are organized, but the jewelry container is clunky and takes up a lot of room in your suitcase. Whatever the case, join this fun challenge to create a beautiful and useful travel accessory.

Challenge parameters:

• Must include a zipper

• Must roll up and be able to be secured after placing items in it

• Must have at least three pockets of different sizes

• Must include a travel-related embellishment!

• Must include at least one modern quilting design principle

Challenge Due Date:

• Challenge entries due at the April meeting!

• To be eligible for a drawing entry, you must send an email to both Janice (info@artful-travel.com) and Kim (kimbrownell@sbcglobal.net) for each project you complete. Don’t forget to attach a picture of your completed project!

Past Block Lottos and Challenges

Whorl - in gray and yellow - due August meeting

Our next Block Lotto block is Whorl - which can be found in the Modern Quilt Guild member library (log in required!). Color A needs to be gray and Color B needs to be yellow.

Scraps and Stripes - due June meeting

Block Size Finished 9”

RST - right sides together
RS - right side
WS - wrong side

Fabric requirements:

Background Striped Fabric: (1) 10”square cut into (4) 5” squares or length of fabric which you can get (4) 5” squares.

Scraps: (8) pieces no smaller than 1 1⁄2” x 1 1⁄2” no bigger than 3” x 3” can be square or rectangular in shape. I used two different colorways, but you can you whatever you want.

This is my take on the pattern from Jenny Rekeweg’s Diamond in the Rough - I modified the look by using stiped fabric. (Free pattern is available online at: Freepatterns.com)

This is a sew and flip technique. Place a scrap RST on the top left corner of a background fabric, sew a diagonally across, place another scrape on the opposite bottom corner RST and stitch diagonally across. Making sure your striped background fabric is in the same direction, continue with the next block. You will make 2 sections with a scrap on the top left and bottom right and 2 sections with the scrap on the right top and left bottom.

Press gently towards the scrap.

Flip over the section (WS) and square up to 5”.

Flip over the section (RS) and now trim the corner waste fabric a 1⁄4” from the seam.

To make the top section; sew one square with the scraps on top left and bottom right and one square with the scrapes right top and left bottom. For the bottom section sew one square with the scrapes on the top right and bottom left and one square with scrapes on the top left and bottom right. Press open seam.

Sew the top and bottom sections together (be mindful of scrap orientation). Press seam open.

September Challenge - Pollinators

We're looking to the national Modern Quilt Guild's 'Make a Difference' challenge this month which has the theme "Pollinators"! Members can submit their challenge quilt to the national Make-a-Difference challenge (entry fee applies) or just show their work to the Sac guild. It's up to you! If you do enter, your entry fee does get donated to Wild Earth Allies to help pollinators in the world.

September Challenge - Pollinators - Make a Difference Challenge