Riley Blake 2025 Quilt Block Challenge

Are you ready for a fresh year of quilting inspiration? The 2025 Riley Blake Quilt Block Design Challenge is up and going and available for quilters of all skill levels! If you haven't participated before, this is a free, skill-building block challenge hosted by Riley Blake Designs, featuring a lineup of weekly quilt block patterns designed by talented quilters and fabric designers. Whether you're looking to expand your piecing skills, try something new, or just enjoy the camaraderie of a quilting community, this challenge is the perfect way to motivate some new creativity through Spring.

The challenge started back in January, but I am finally getting caught up on the first five blocks of 2025. Okay, I've only caught up on 4 of them so far, but hey! Big progress has been made! You can find the printable PDF for each free pattern here.

This is the 5th year of this free Quilt Block Challenge (I can't belive it). If you're new, here's how the Challenge works: each week, a new block pattern is released-designed by some of your favorite quilters and Riley Blake designers. Expect a mix of traditional and modern elements, and blocks that range from beginner-friendly to more intricate designs that challenge your precision piecing skills.

A new block is released each Tuesday during the first 3 weeks of the each month with the 4th week for catch up. (Which we all need from time to time.) In the end there will be 16 finished 10" x 10" quilt blocks with the final pattern instructions released at the end of May.

In the past, the final quilt layout design has been a mystery, but this year they also published a look at the finished design ahead of time.

You can sew at your own pace, choosing your favorite Riley Blake fabrics or diving into your scrap stash. (Kits for this year's quilt are available here.) You can find a list of fabric suggestions and requirements here.

Whether you make each block in coordinating colors for a final quilt layout or just pick your favorites for a small project, this challenge is all about creative freedom. In fact, I may not make the full-finished quilt, just a smaller variation. One of my favorite Lori-Holt-isms is "You are the boss of your own quilt." This is just for fun! You can do whatever you want with your blocks!

Part of my reason for taking forever to start my blocks was taking forever to pick the fabrics I wanted to use. This year I decided to use mostly RBD Confetti Cotton solids. Here's a look at the fabrics and colors that I decided to use.

I'm not sure yet what colors I'll end up using where, so I just got ½ yards for now. Since I'm using Sand Dollar as my background fabric I got 3 yards of that one.

Again, I'm playing with the colors with each block as I go along, so I don't have specific fabric requirements or recommendations. But if you are looking for these colors here are links to where you can find these colors from the Fat Quater Shop:

• Milk Can
• Pebble
• Ash
• Wheat
• Ivory
• Sand Dollar
• Colonial
• Dapple Dot Stargazer* - on Etsy
• Storm
• Dapple Dot Storm* - on Etsy
• Dove
• Canyon Rose
• Dapple Dot Canyon Rose
• Marsala
• Mellow Rose

If you like connecting with fellow quilters, you can join the official Riley Blake Facebook group. Quilters from all over the world share their progress, fabric choices, and even helpful tips for piecing those trickier blocks. I love seeing the same block design interpreted in so many unique ways. And if you ever feel stuck, there's a whole community ready to offer advice, encouragement, and maybe even a few extra quilting hacks.

Speaking of tips and hacks, Riley Blake also has a series of videos on YouTube for sewing along with each block.

By the end of the challenge, you'll have a stunning collection of quilt blocks that can be arranged into a beautiful sampler quilt-or even used for smaller projects like table runners or wall hangings.

The 2025 Riley Blake Quilt Block Design Challenge isn't just about making a quilt-it's about growing as a quilter, trying new techniques, and celebrating the joy of creating something with your own two hands. For more inspiration here's a look back at a couple of previous RBD Sampler Quilts that I made

As I was picking fabrics for this year's challenge, in my head I was going for a new and different color palette, but as I look at this year's blocks and previous year's quilts, I'm realizing I just went with new shades of the same look. Hahah! I guess we just like what we like!