Welcome to Week 2 of the Drift Quilt Along! This week, we’re diving into one of the most exciting parts of making a quilt: cutting all the pieces. This includes cutting curves for the birds in the quilt. This is the most chaotic step, and when organization pays off.
There are so many things I love about this pattern. First off—no flying geese (cue the happy dance!). I also love that the block includes a bit of sashing within the block itself, so we only need to add sashing between the rows. And best of all, the blocks are all the same. Once you understand how to make one you can get into the groove of making the rest.
Yes, there are curves, but don’t let that scare you! These gentle curves are a perfect way to practice and improve a new skill. With a little time and repetition, you’ll feel more confident with each one you sew.
Pattern Extras: Labels
Inside the pattern, I’ve included the pattern templates. These are perfect for cutting curves accurately. You’ll also find fabric labels on the Pattern Extras page here on my website — super helpful if you’re like me and like to keep things organized as you cut. You will also find a coloring sheet and a video on how to make the block. Click here for easy access. You will need to have your pattern handy so you can type in the passcode.
Cutting Curves Tips
Most of the cutting is pretty straightforward, but let’s talk about those curved pieces. Here are a few different ways you can cut them out:
- ✏️ Trace the shape onto your fabric using the printed template and cut on the line.
- 📌 Pin or clip the template to your fabric and cut around it.
- 🧊 Use freezer paper as your template—iron it onto your fabric and cut around the edge. You can easily peel it off and use it again and again.
- 🔍 Acrylic templates – my personal favorite! Place them on your fabric and cut right along the edge with your rotary cutter. I find this method the fastest and most accurate. You can get a set from my shop.
Do you have another method that works for you? I’d love to hear about it! Drop your favorite cutting technique in the comments below.
🎉 Instagram Giveaway 🎉
Want to join the Drift Quilt Along?
It’s not too late to join the quilt along. You can head over to last week’s blog post about picking out your fabrics to get caught up.
JULY
1st – Fabric Pull
8th – Cutting Fabric
15th – Making blocks with F 1 AND F2
DATE CHANGE – 19th Zoom Sew Day
22nd – Making blocks with F3 AND F4
29th – Putting the top together
August
5th – Quilting the Quilt
Win Prizes During the Quilt Along!
I’ll be choosing winners on Instagram, so make sure your account is set to public for the duration of the Quilt Along. If your account is private, I won’t be able to see your photos—and if I can’t see them, I can’t enter you into the drawings for prizes. Once the Quilt Along wraps up, feel free to make your account private again. If you need help updating your settings, just let me know—I’d be happy to walk you through it!
How to Enter
Use the hashtag #DriftQAL when posting your progress photos. With each new step in the Quilt Along, I’ll select a winner. Here’s how it works: I gather the names of everyone who shared a photo using the hashtag that week, put them all in a bowl, and draw one out. That’s our weekly winner!
Grand Prize Details
For the grand prize, I’ll be looking at overall participation. I’ll tally points based on:
- The number of progress photos you post using #DriftQAL
- How often you comment and cheer on others in the community
The person with the highest total will win the grand prize—so get involved, stay active, and have fun supporting each other!
Don’t forget to share your progress and use the hashtag #DriftQAL so we can cheer each other on! 💛✂️
Happy cutting,
