New Super Sixteen Dresden Plate Block

It’s the first day of August and time for a new quilt block for the Machine Quilting Block Party! This month we will be stitching up a notch with a beautiful Super Sixteen Dresden Plate Block:

Click here to find the pattern for Block 8.

This block combines 16 curved petals to create a Super Sixteen Dresden plate. Together we’ll quilt the block with a beautiful feather wreath, Pebbing, Echoes and Gentle Flames.

I love seeing all of the beautiful quilts posted to the Block Party Facebook Group! This past month we ran a special challenge to help quilters begin trimming and connecting their quilted blocks together. 34 quilters shared their half finished quilt to the group and receive this block pattern for free.

If you haven’t received your free pattern please Click Here to contact us for help. You must post a picture of all six blocks connected together with binding strips in order to win the free pattern.

I love seeing so many quilters build amazing new skills for machine quilting. Just a few days ago Kerry M shared this awesome comment with the group:

I can’t overstate how much I am learning while enjoying this project. Thank you Leah Day for the generous detail in your instructions and videos – you give us the belief that we can not only attempt but achieve something new and beautiful. I have pushed myself to do all the sashings etc and, having laid out the finished blocks so far, now get a real buzz previewing how it will look. As I gain confidence in my ability so do I gain precision with measuring, piecing and FMQ. The variety of members’ block colours and adaptations is inspiring and the comments and advices are so generous that the whole journey is a pleasure. 

I was so touched by Kerry’s comment! This is exactly why I created the Machine Quilting Block Party and it’s such a delight to know we’re helping quilters build the skills and confidence to quilt their own quilts. Kerry has created a gorgeous Flower Festival quilt as well:

Now I know many quilters reach this point of the summer and start wondering about what we’re planning to do next year. In 2018 we’re going to change things up a bunch and focus 100% on walking foot style quilting.

This style of quilting is sorely underappreciated so we’re going to stitch it up a notch and learn new designs and how to use them in real quilts. If you’ve been wondering how to use designs to create different styles and effects on your quilt top, this will be a great quilt along for you!

This new quilt along will not feature monthly patterns, but instead we will create four to five projects from my upcoming book Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day. This book will (cross my fingers) be ready by November!

So next year will be a very different Machine Quilting Block Party with weekly videos and several fun projects to create including two baby quilts and a walking foot wholecloth. I hope you’ll plan to join in the fun as the party continues!

Let’s go quilt,

Leah Day