2021 RBD Free Quilt Block Challenge Pattern

Oh my goodness – we’re heading toward the last week of June – and that means it’s the final week of the 2021 Riley Blake Quilt Block Challenge. This week Block 16 was released as well as the final mystery layout of the whole quilt! All of the free block + quilt printable pages are now available!

This week I finished both block’s 15 and 16. Block 15 on the right is called Summer Picnic and was designed by Christopher Thompson of the Tattooed Quilter. Block 15 pattern found here.

Block 16 is called Checkerboard Star, designed by Lori Holt and available here.

As you can see, I slightly modified my Summer Picnic block with half-square triangles in the 4 corners. When I put all my blocks up on the design wall, this one felt a little out of place with the rest. This little modification was inspired by Gracey of Burlap and Blossoms. (I’m in love with all of Gracey’s subtle pastel blocks!)

(For my blocks I’m using the red, white, and blue prints from my Notting Hill fabric collection paired with an assortment of Riley Blake Confetti Cottons in Cloud, Songbird, Tearose, Redwood, and Oxford Blue.)

Here are my blocks all together. I’m rather pleased with how they all turned out! And now I’m excited to use the finishing instructions to add sashing and finish this quilt! I’m going to continue to use the Oxford Blue as the background fabric and deciding on what colors to use for the sashing and cornerstones. I’ll probably end up playing with a few options. Stay tuned.

I’m hoping to get that done in the next few weeks. We’ll see if Summer cooperates…

You can find the free PDF patterns of all 16 blocks + the finishing instructions here.  

Here is a reveal of the blocks with their sashing in the Riley Blake version. Follow this link to see the whole quilt. I really like the two tone sashing and cornerstone/nine-patch combination. 

In other fun this week I’m going to be a guest on a brand new quilting-themed broadcast called, The Quilting Hour.

This Friday I’ll be visiting live on video with host Lee Chappell of May Chappell designs and Heather Valentine of the Sewing Loft. We’ll be talking Scraps! I’m so excited to get to visit with these two fun ladies that I admire and enjoy.

And no worries if you can’t be there live, our video chat will be recorded and available for future consumption.

You can find out more about this new weekly broadcast, visit the Quilting Hour website.

And check out the guests for the rest of the 6-week-series. So many talented quilters on a variety of topics including: applique, piecing curves, and quilting on your domestic sewing machine.  I can’t wait to hear from all of them! Hope you can join us.