Introducing GeekMom’s Block of the Month Quilt!

I love to make geeky quilts, and this year I thought you might love to make one, too. That’s why I’m introducing the first ever GeekMom quilt-along. This will be a block of the month style quilt, where I’ll introduce a new quilt block every month. (And no, none of them will be question marks.)  Don’t worry, even beginners can make this quilt. Really.

Later this month I should have a tutorial up for those who are new to quilting. This quilt uses appliqué, which sounds a lot harder than it actually is. This can be done either by hand or by machine. It makes an excellent busy hands activity while watching Doctor Who. Assuming you’re not already occupied by knitting a ridiculously long scarf.

It’s also something that can be done as a family. As I’ve mentioned before, I think sewing is a fantastic skill to teach your geeklings. It might be a great first project to approach with your son or daughter as you learn how to use a sewing machine together.

This year’s theme is steampunk, so suitable fabrics are quilting cotton in sepia tones. Victorian prints, vintage postcards, paisleys, gears – you could have all sorts of fun with the fabric selection. Please do use quilting cotton, unless you’re experienced with other fabrics. Buy quality quilting thread. Trust me, your machine will thank you for not clogging it up with lint from that cheap stuff. I swear by Arufil Mako these days.

Each block will be 12 x 12 inches finished, but I’d recommend using a 14 x 14 block to give yourself room on positioning. After you’ve done the appliqué, you can cut it down to 12.5 x 12.5 inches (which will make a 12 x 12 finished block). Once all the blocks are done, you can add borders and sashing to make a blanket-sized quilt.

Enough of the introduction. Let’s get quilting!

Here is the January Block Pattern. Download the file and print it. I’ve included versions both with and without seam allowance. Feel free to make your own geeky embellishments and twists. If you use this pattern, we’d love to see what you made. Leave a comment on this post or send us a message through Facebook or Twitter.