I Wish You a Merry QAL! Setting the Blocks

All of the 12 blocks in the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long have been released! Now it is time to put those quilt tops together.  As a host, I am presenting my version of the quilt top and my tips for completing it. Remember that all 12 of the blocks in the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long are available for free on the designer's  web site until January 15, 2018 at midnight. I am  offering links to the released block patterns on my Quilt Alongs page until then. Collect them all!

Here is how I chose to set the blocks. I wanted to keep the setting simple because the blocks were pretty complex.  I arranged the blocks in what I think is a pleasing pattern. They are not in chronological order.

Completed Quilt Top

Before starting the lattice, I squared all the blocks to 12 1/2" using the Quilt in a Day 12" square-up ruler. I usually make background squares for applique an inch or so larger than the finished size so that I can trim them with the applique centered later.  A couple of the pieced blocks were a little shy of 12 1/2", but if blocks are within a 1/4" of 12 1/2", it is not to hard to adjust the seams to make them fit together. See photo below.

Squaring the Blocks

For the lattice, I used about a yard of fabric cut into (11) 2 1/2" x width of fabric strips. From 3 of these strips, I cut (8) 2 1/2" x 12 1/2" strips for the vertical inner lattice (Photo 1). From an additional 3 width of fabric strips, I pieced the horizontal inner lattice (Photo 2). I pieced the remaining 5 width of fabric strips together to make the inner border (Photo 3).

Photo 1: Vertical Inner Lattice

Photo 2: Horizontal Inner Lattice

Photo 3: Outer Border

For the outer border, I used about 3/4 yds of fabric. I cut (6) 4 1/2" width of fabric strips. I pieced them together to make the outer border.  See the photo of the completed quilt top.
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Completed Quilt Top

Be sure to stop by the other hosts' sites to see their versions as well!

Abbie at Sparkle On
April at JANDA Bend Quilts (That's Me!)
Becca at Pretty Piney
Bobbi at Snowy Days Quilting
Diane at Cwilt Fabrics & Haberdashery
Jennifer at The Inquiring Quilter
Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts 
Karen at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Sandy at Sandy Star Designs
Sherry at Powered by Quilting
Vanda at Quilt in Piece

What Are the Grand Prizes?

How Can I Enter to Win the Grand Prize?

Complete a quilt top using all twelve blocks by January 16th and enter to win the grand prize! Be sure to share a picture of your "I Wish You a Merry QAL" Christmas quilt top before 11:59 pm on January 15th to be entered to win the grand prize! You can post a picture in the Facebook group, on Instagram using #iwishyouamerryqal, or link up to the linky party. Just click the Blue Frog below to add your link or to see the links of others!  Remember, all prizes for the QAL are open to participants worldwide!
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Click the Blue Frog link to add your photo or to see the links of others!

​Will There Be Another Quilt Along?

We're excited to announce that we will be doing a Fall themed quilt along in 2018! We're still ironing out the details, but we'll let you know more as soon as we do. Announcements about the next quilt along will be made right here on the blog, as well as in the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long Facebook group.

Thanks for joining me and Happy Quilting!

This post was originally published at JANDA Bend Quilts.
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