I've been following the progress of members of the Moda Bakeshop Bakers group on Facebook, and I have to say I'm amazed at how many of you found time in your busy holiday schedule to actually make all 25 blocks in the 2018 Countdown to Christmas collection!

Here is another option for setting your sampler blocks:

First, the basic "Sidestep" setting unit. It is simply one 12.5" (unfinished size) block plus two 6.5" blocks sewn into a pair, then sewn to the larger block. This gives you a 12.5" x 18.5" unit.

Note: My illustrations show only my Prairie Christmas Star block. You decide which blocks you put in your quilt and how many of each block you want to make.

To construct these quilts, sew the units into horizontal rows. Rows 1, 3 and 5  will have the small blocks on the right side of the large blocks. Rows 2, 4, and 6 have the small blocks on the left side of the large blocks.

Option 1 is a 54" x 72" Lap Quilt. For this option, you will need 18 large blocks and 36 small blocks. Again, you get to choose which eighteen large blocks you choose.

Personally, I would choose the more complicated patterns for the large blocks, and use the simpler patterns for the small blocks.

There are six rows in this quilt with three units in each row.

Use the chart below to plot the placement of your sampler blocks.

54" x 72" Lap Quilt

Because so many of you have already made all 25 large blocks, here is Option 2, which has four units per row, and six rows, for a 72" x 72" quilt...large enough to share with your favorite snuggle buddy!

72" x 72" Snuggle Quilt

The "Snuggle" quilt takes 24 large blocks and 48 small blocks.

If that seems like more small blocks than you want to make, consider substituting some 6.5" 4-Patch and/or 9-Patch blocks, and/or some 6.5" fussy cuts of your favorite Christmas prints or plaids. It's your quilt, so let your creativity shine!

54" x 72" Lap Quilt or 72" x 72" Snuggle Quilt

In just a few days, we get to unwrap a bright shiny new year, and I know the Moda Bake Shop chefs are already hard at work on dozens of new recipes to share with you. I hope to contribute two or three myself. In the meanwhile, I hope you'll follow my blog posts on Wordpress.com, and "Like" my Facebook page (links below).

Happy New Year!

Anne Wiens

{blog: Seams Like a Plan}

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