Album Star was one of the patchwork quilt blocks used in the Scrap Happy Sampler quilt. I love the many possibilities this design offers for color placement, and more importantly, color value variations.

I've included a 'blank' schematic of the block on page 3 of the pattern, so if you aren't sure which colors and values you'll like best, print it out and play around with the layout. You might even end up making an entire batch of these blocks.

Album Star Quilt Block Pattern

Picnic Time is based on a traditional quilt block that's very pretty, but has lots of set-in seams that make it more suitable for hand piecing than for assembly with rotary cutting techniques. I divided a couple of the original block's patchwork areas to make this new version a cinch to sew.

You can dramatically change the looks of this quilt block by altering color value within its patches. It's a good choice for a scrap quilt, but works as well when all blocks are identical. If you don't want to make a large quilt, try using Picnic Time to sew a table runner and sew them in pairs to create placemats. The block finishes at 14" x 14".

Picnic Time Quilt Block Pattern

_{Janet Wickell}

This colorful table runner is made from four 10" square blocks placed on point and surrounded by setting and corner triangles. Two borders finish the layout, one cut from narrow green strips and the other from wider pieces of a floral -- both areas repeat fabrics used in the quilt blocks. The runner finishes at about 22-1/2" x 65", but you can easily change its length or width.

The table runner shown was designed with a Christmas theme -- just choose different fabrics to change its appearance.

_{© Janet Wickell}

Make the Flying Dutchman quilt block with any combination of fabrics you desire. Try holiday prints, and sew a group of four or six blocks to make a wallhanging. Or sew a string of them together to create a quick table runner. We'll use a simple no-waste Flying Geese method to construct the block.