Express Post (Quilt) Block Party Week 1!

Finished quilt blocks hanging on a brick wall

Did you know that March is National Quilt Month? We’re excited to celebrate all month long with artist, designer, quilt maker and Spoonflower Ambassador Andrea Tsang Jackson of 3rd Story Workshop, who will be showing you how to make three quilt blocks from her Express Post quilt. This beginner-friendly quilt project is made with Spoonflower’s Cotton Poplin and Fill-A-Yard®, but any of our quilting-weight cotton fabrics will work great.

Andrea is kicking off the “block party” and sharing tips on how to pick and organize the best prints for your quilt and insight on the best materials. This is the first of our four-part “block party” series you can follow along. By the end of the series, you’ll have all the blocks needed to make your own mini-wall hanging or pillow!

Express Post (Quilt) Block Party Posts

Part 2: How To Make a Closed Envelope Block

Part 3: How To Make a Heart Block

Part 4: How To Make an Open Envelope Block

Andrea: As we all have been apart for about a year now, some of us are thinking about how we can communicate via snail mail and the joy that letters and physical things sent from loved ones hold. Inspired by the letter writing I’ve been doing, I’ve chosen designs from Spoonflower’s Snail Mail Design Challenge for my newest quilt pattern, Express Post.

For our quilt-along, we’ll be making three blocks: a series of closed envelopes, a heart and an open envelope. Altogether these blocks will make an 18″ x 18″ finished piece that you can turn into a mini wall hanging or a pillow.

In the process, you’ll learn how to make a traditional Flying Geese quilt block, the stitch-and-flip method, and the beginnings of a traditional Economy quilt block.

How To Choose the Right Materials for Your Express Post Quilt Blocks

Fabric

For this project I’m working with Cotton Poplin, but Organic Cotton Sateen, Petal Signature Cotton® or any quilting-weight cotton fabrics from your stash are also great options. Spoonflower’s Fill-A-Yard option is perfect for this project—you can get all the fabric you need in one yard!

  • Fabric A: 12″ x 12″ (31 x 31 cm)
  • Fabric B: 12″ x 18″ (31 x 46 cm)
  • Fabric C: 12″ x 12″ (31 x 31 cm)
  • Fabric D: 12″ x 18″ (31 x 46 cm)
  • Fabric E: 6″ x WOF (Width of fabric) (16 cm x WOF)
  • Pillow backing: 18-1/2″ x 18-1/2″ (47 x 47 cm)

Quilt blocks arranged digitally
Here’s where Andrea is placing her A-E fabrics.

Materials

  • Rotary cutter and quilting ruler
  • Cutting mat
  • Sewing machine with a fresh needle and thread
  • Fabric marking pen

Spoonflower’s Fill-A-Yard tool helps you get all the fabric designs you need within a yard.
Shop the Express Post Featured Collection

How to Curate Your Fabric Designs

To get started, make a collection of Spoonflower designs that are cohesive! I’m using a design from the winners of the Snail Mail Design Challenge and using the color palette as inspiration to select my fabrics for the quilt blocks. Keep in mind that large scale prints make great pillow or mini-quilt backings, but do not work as well for quilt piecing. For Fabrics A-E, choose small scale prints that will still read well when they are chopped into little bits!

Express Post fabrics laying together

Click the circles below to explore my curated collections:

Jungle Collection by Tara Reed

Finished Express Post quilt being held up

Pillow made with quilt blocks sitting on bed

Frequently Asked Questions

What scale should I use to make quilt fabric blocks?
Use small scale prints that will still shine when cut into smaller pieces. Larger scale prints will work well as pillow or mini-quilt backings.
How much fabric do I need to make quilt fabric blocks?
In total you will need a yard of cotton fabric, with 5 to 6 designs. We suggest our Fill-A-Yard tool to get the exact amount of designs within the required yard.
What sewing skill level is required to make quilt fabric blocks?
Making quilt fabric blocks is a great way to introduce beginner-sewists to quilt making.


Meet Andrea

Andrea Tsang Jackson of 3rd Story Workshop is a textile artist, quilt designer, author and educator. After working in various design fields and settings ranging from architecture to museums, the quilting medium called to her as a way to explore place, belonging and agency. Andrea lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada with her husband and two sons.