Spectrum QAL Block 2 with Pam Voth: Delightful Collection by Riley Blake

Hello! I’m Pam Voth and I’m back with Block 2 of the Spectrum QAL. It will be delightful if you followed me in my adventure in making the Spectrum QAL on QUILTsocial. I’m completing my blocks using fabric from the Delightful collection by Riley Blake. My version will look very different from the other 3 QAL quilts!

I’m following Paul’s version of the quilt, but all the designers (Elaine, Paul, and Claire) put their own twist and flair on each block, so it’s fun to look at each version.

I put my block together in 9 squares rather than 5 rows, which was slightly different than the instructions, but suited my sewing style and allowed me to have less corners to match when I was doing the final assembly of the block.

One of my favorite parts of this block is the chevron design that encircles the center of the block. You could easily extend the chevron by changing the fabric of one of the squares. It would be a fun way to put your own spin on the block. It would slightly alter the shape of the star, but it would be fun to figure out how to cut the fabrics to make it possible. This quilt-along will inspire you to dig into fabrics, create blocks, and be amazed at all the beautiful projects living inside you.

I used the 5-Stitch Trick to assemble this block. My quilting mentor, Heather, shared this helpful trick with me. Have you heard of it? When you’re sewing together pieces and trying to match seams, just sew 5 quick stitches with the sewing machine, then open the fabric to see the seams match. If they don’t, you only have five stitches – instead of an entire seam – to rip out to try again for a better match. This really saved me when assembling the block. And if you don’t have one already, you really should find yourself a quilting buddy or mentor. Not only is it an amazing connection for friendship, and it also makes your quilting experience so much better – you learn, you laugh, and you sew!

Please take the time to connect with me by sharing your version of Block 2. Post your pictures using the hashtag, #TheSewGoesOn. Check out my version of Spectrum QAL Block 1, too. Thanks for watching! Please share and subscribe.