Hot Air Balloon for May Quilt Block Mania

Up, up and away! Come take a ride in my Hot Air Balloon!

Up in the Air is the Quilt Block Mania theme this month - just look at all the creative blocks to carry out the theme.

 

And here's the link to all 

Pig with wings by Carolina Moore
Kite with tail
Daylight Flight by Patti's Patchwork
Hot Air Balloon by QuiltFabrication
Pancakes by Inquiring Quilter
Feeding Time by Robin Kinley Designs Etc
Contrails by Memory Barn Studio
Scrappy Birds by Katie Mae Quilts
Propeller by Patchwork River Quilting
Pinwheels and Northern Lights by The Quilted Diary
Space Rocket by Emerald Falls Quilts
Pilot Nutcracker
Flying Birds by Patchwork Breeze
Raven's Flight by A Piece of Quiet Quilts
Butterfly by Appliques Quilts and More
Night Sky by Studio B

Even though my Hot Air Balloon is foundation paper pieced and geared toward the intermediate quilter, it's really pretty simple to put together. I could have chosen a stitch 'n flip technique, but I find that hard to do with angles that aren't 45 degrees. That's where paper piecing comes in handy, to make those angles perfect!

Fat quarters are the fabric size of choice for this block. I chose to stitch all of the angled seams as I wanted to give the idea of ropes or seams on this balloon. 

But it is certainly not required! The top and bottom portions of the balloon can easily be made with one piece of colored fabric plus the background - instructions are given for that option. Then use the quilting to get those rope/seam lines.

The Hot Air Balloon block is a free download pattern until June 2. In downloading the pattern, you agree to not share the file with others, but direct them to the QuiltFabrication.com/Hot Air Balloon post - thank you! Now go ahead and click on the download button below for the PDF file. 

Feel free to tell others about QuiltFabrication and become a follower yourself through any or all of the following: direct delivery of posts to your inbox (sign up below), or by following on Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube.

Enjoyed this post? Don't miss out - get posts delivered directly to your inbox with follow.it.  

           

GET POSTS BY EMAIL

My Favorite Patterns

Wheelbarrow Blooms for April Quilt Block Mania

Let's start the spring season with a little gardening, compliments of Quilt Block Mania! Cheer up the yard with my bright and happy Wheelbarrow Blooms. 

And here it is all made up! Makes me want to get into the garden!

Add in all the other adorable gardening blocks for a very happy quilt!

Here's the links to all, free for the month of April.

Garden Bunny by Carolina Moore
Garden Basket by Crafty Staci
Creating a Quilt Garden
Bollenstreek by Patti's Patchwork
Wheelbarrow Blooms by QuiltFabrication
Spring Has Sprung
Oriental Lily by Inquiring Quilter
Watering Day by Robin Kinley Designs Etc.
Mushroom by Memory Barn Studio
Ladybug by Patchwork River Quilting
Gardening Days by The Quilted Diary
Texas Bluebonnets by Emerald Falls Quilts
Gardening Nutcracker by Tourmaline & Thyme Quilts
Seed Packet by Patchwork Breeze
Garden Fences by A Piece of Quiet Quilts
Watering Can with Flowers by Appliques Quilts and More
Evening Primrose by Wild Plum Lane
Spinning Tulips by Studio B

A little about info about my block. The center motif of Wheelbarrow Blooms is all applique. Gather up bits and pieces to make the wheelbarrow and flowers. For the background, use a fat quarter. I find it helpful to make the background square a bit bigger to start because applique tends to cause shrinkage. When all the stitching is done, then trim the block to size and piece in the corners. The result will be a perfect 12.5" x 12.5" block ready to go in a quilt!

The Wheelbarrow Blooms block is now available in my QuiltFabrication Etsy Shop. The pattern includes instructions plus a full size image - no need to enlarge.

 

Feel free to tell others about QuiltFabrication and become a follower yourself through any or all of the following: direct delivery of posts to your inbox (sign up below), or by following on Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube.

Enjoyed this post? Don't miss out - get posts delivered directly to your inbox with follow.it.  

           

GET POSTS BY EMAIL

My Favorite Patterns

Coco Loco for March Quilt Block Mania

 What's a beach vacation without a fancy drink? Interested in a Coco Loco?

Looks very tropical, right? The computer generated picture doesn't do it justice -be sure to scroll to the bottom to see it in fabric!

And look at the fun my fellow Quilt Block Mania designers had this month, dreaming up different fancy drinks. Don't they all look fantastic???

Here's the links to all:

Tropical Drink by Carolina Moore of Always Expect Moore
Pink Lemonade by Crafty Staci
Mardi Gras Hurricanes
Milkshake by Patchwork Breeze
On the Rocks by Patti's Patchwork
Coco Loco by QuiltFabrication
Hot Coffee To Go
Christmas Cocktail by Inquiring Quilter
Sip Happens by Robin Kinley Designs Etc.
Unicorn Lemonade by Memory Barn Studio
Friendly Mule by Patchwork River Quilting
Margarita by Emerald Falls Quilts
Bartending Nutcracker by Tourmaline & Thyme Quilts
Raspberry Lemonade
Mod Martini by A Piece of Quiet Quilts
Pina Colada by Appliques Quilts and More
Lemon Drop by Studio B

In January, I took a short vacation in Hawaii to celebrate my birthday. That trip is probably responsible for Coco Loco. The block just screams of relaxing by an oceanside bar!

Making a Coco Loco from a bar tenders perspective is pretty easy. The Coco Loco block though, is more for the intermediate quilter who's comfortable with foundation paper piecing. To make assembly easier, I've included aligning tic marks on the umbrella portion for matching up the parts - you're so welcome! And if there's some shrinkage in the block size, it can be made up in the beige 'counter' or 'table' at the bottom. Nothing like allowing for some wiggle room!

Sorry, but the Coco Loco block is no longer a free download. I'll keep you posted of it's status. Updated 4-2025. 

Feel free to tell others about QuiltFabrication and become a follower yourself through any or all of the following: direct delivery of posts to your inbox (sign up below), or by following on Pinterest, Instagram, or YouTube.

Enjoyed this post? Don't miss out - get posts delivered directly to your inbox with follow.it.  

           

GET POSTS BY EMAIL

My Favorite Patterns