Episode 506: Tips for a Successful Block Swap

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Jody, the editor of American Patchwork & Quilting, has participated in block swaps for 30 years. Block swaps are a great to way connect with other quilters and make gorgeously scrappy quilts. Through her years, Jody's learned many tips for participating in them. She shares her knowledge, as well as those from top designers in the industry, for what to consider when participating in a block swap or starting one of your own (including some common pitfalls).

To read tips for block swaps, visit here.

For free quilt patterns that make great block swaps, visit here.

Jody then shares that she's currently working on the Nine-Patch Square Dance quilt by Sherri McConnell, which appears in the April 2021 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting. It's the official 2021 quilt-along for the magazine, and comes together so quickly. To join the fun, visit AllPeopleQuilt.com/QuiltAlong.

Alison, the designer for Quilts & More magazine, shares the story of Darlene Newstrom of Billings, Montana, who came up with the idea of creating durable mittens from recycled wool fabrics. She soon began receiving requests from various organizations asking for mittens for the houseless population. In the past four years, she has sewn and donated nearly 3,000 pairs of mittens. If you're interested in donating wool materials for Darlene's mittens, you can contact her at mrsnewsy@gmail.com.

Read more of Darlene's story here.

Joanna, the editor of Quilts & More magazine, shares info on choosing the right rotary cutter for the job. There are a variety of shapes and sizes of cutters on the market, which leaves you a lot of freedom to pick cutters that appeal to you. Joanna chats handle options, blade sizes, and specialty blades you may want to try.

On Saturday, March 20, 2021 (this is National Quilting Day), we're hosting a virtual quilt retreat with all our readers and fans! No need to sign up (or even leave your house). Just log into Facebook and Instagram on Saturday to join us!

See all the details here.

Get 50% off all digital patterns from March 20-28, 2021 at APQShop.com.