Every month, we’ll announce a quilt block for members to make for the following month’s guild meeting. You can make as many blocks as you want and for every block you make, you will be entered into a drawing for ALL THE BLOCKS! From there, winners can let their creativity fly with the block winnings.
For our May 2026 block lottery we embrace an oldie but a goodie!
Here are the details for the May block:
Description: Create a Churn Dash block. One entry to the lottery per block you make!
Block Size: 6.5 in. x 6.5 in. OR 12.5 in. x 12.5 in unfinished
Fabric: Each block should feature a two contrasting colors, prints or solids OK
Skill to Explore: Piecing, color contrast
Instructions:
The Churn Dash quilt block is a classic, beginner-friendly nine-patch design originating in the early 1800s, featuring a central square surrounded by four half-square triangles (HSTs) and four rectangle/strip units. It is highly versatile, typically made in 6-inch or 12-inch sizes, often using only two fabrics for a striking contrast. The name “Churn Dash” is based on the block’s similarity to a dash or dasher, the cross-shaped paddle in the center of a butter churn. The block is sometimes also called the “Monkey Wrench” block or “Hole in the Barn Door” block. You can read more about the history of this block here: https://www.discovervintage.com/quilts/quilt-history-revisited-the-churn-dash-or-monkey-wrench-pattern/
- Choose two colors, one to be your focus and one to be the background.
- From your background fabric cut the following pieces (measurements in red are for a 6” finished block | measurements in blue are for a 12” finished block):
- 1 square 2.5″ x 2.5″ | 4.5” x 4.5”
- 2 squares 3″ x 3″ | 5” x 5”
- 1 strip 1.5″ x 10″ | 2.5” x 18.5”
- From your focus fabric cut the following pieces (measurements in red are for a 6” finished block | measurements in blue are for a 12” finished block):
- 2 squares 3″ x 3″ | 5” x 5”
- 1 strip 1.5″ x 10.5″ | 2.5” x 18.5”
- Sew the two 1.5″ | 2.5” wide strips (one from each fabric) side by side next to each other. Press seam to the darker print. Carefully cut the sewn strip set into 4 (four) 2.5″ | 4.5” wide squares.
- Make four (4) half square triangles – Match 2 sets of 3″ x 3″ | 5” x 5” squares (one from each fabric) right sides together. Draw a diagonal line on the back of the lighter square and sew two ¼” seams on both sides of the drawn diagonal line. Then cut squares in half on the diagonal line to create four (4) Half Square Triangle (HST) blocks.
- Trim and square up the four (4) HST blocks to 2.5″ x 2.5″ | 4.5” x 4.5”.
- Layout all 2.5″ x 2.5″ | 4.5” x 4.5” units in three rows following the below diagram.
- Assemble rows and then sew the rows together. Trim block to 6 ½” | 12 ½”.
