Take a Hike - Quilt Block Mania

The theme for this month's Quilt Block Mania is 'travel' - something I know people are anxious to do now that restrictions are opening up again. Even in normal times, most of our travel is within our own province, and it usually involves hiking along the coast. In fact, Paul and I are leaving on Thursday for a week away and we're planning to do a fair bit of hiking while we're gone (assuming the weather cooperates), so I chose to create a hiking trail along the ocean for my block 😊 Here is my Take a Hike block.

To make your own Take a Hike block, enter your email address here to get the free pattern. Doing so will also subscribe you to The Bulletin. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it!

This is a quick block, since it's all applique. I started with a beautiful blue from Island Batik, then added the green for the hill. And yes, I did press that green, but those wrinkles were stubborn and refused to be pressed out! 

Then it was time for the brown for the trail and the grey to give the hill some dimension. I chose to just use a glue stick for my appliques, but you could certainly use fusible web, if you prefer.

I chose to do a quick zig zag stitch around the appliques in matching Aurifil 50 wt thread. Then I decided to add some white zig zags along the edge of the water to represent the waves pounding against the base of the hill. I went back and forth over those stitches a few times to make them a little thicker and just scattered them randomly on the shore.

This block is very forgiving, since it doesn't matter if you wobble a bit in your cutting or your stitching. Who says your hill and trail have to look just like mine??? I also think the block would look great with some embroidered flowers on the hill. You could also choose to leave off the grey piece and just have a very modern looking block. A whole quilt of those would look fantastic, I think!

To make your own Take the Hike block, enter your email address in the form up above. I hope you'll tag me if you share your block on social media!

As always, there are a bunch of fun, travel themed blocks from my fellow Quilt Block Mania designers, so hop around and collect them all 😊

Bridge Quilt block by Carolina Moore
Lucky is on the road again at Puppy Girl Designs
Scenic Route by Slice of Pi Quilts
Travel to the Woods by Oh Kaye Quilting
Embark by Inquiring Quilter
Delectable Mountains at PhoebeMoon Designs
Treasure Chest Star by Blue Bear Quilts
Wanderlust by Heidi Pridemore
On the Water by Patti's Patchwork
Come Sail Away by Mom and Me Quilting Co.
Wish You Were Here at Pretty Piney Quilts
Pack It Up by QuiltFabrication
Me and Bobby McGee at Orange Blossom Quilt Design Studio
Wild Blue Yonder at Perkins Dry Goods
Take a Hike by Devoted Quilter
Into the Blue at Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
T-Shirt Fun at The Quilting Room with Mel
Stitch and Flip Mountain Block