Happy Monday, you guys!

This month is Quilt MOB (Month of the Block) here on my blog, where I’m celebrating my love of quilt blocks and sharing some of my favorite ways to use them.  Today, for the first spotlight post, I want to share about a heavenly new sampler layout- Celestial.

Year-long BOMs are a cornerstone of the quilting community, whether they’re at your favorite shop, on a blog, or through your guild.  But what to do with your 12 blocks at the end of the year??  I’m in my 4th year of hosting and I will tell you, I get this question, en masse, EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR.

Well, this quilt is my answer!  A 12-block layout that’s light and airy, the perfect size for a bed (84” square), and, above all, will make your blocks absolutely SPARKLE.

Come December, I’ll be using this layout for my 2016 Sugar Block Club blocks, and for those of you following along in the club and who may want to join me, you can find the pattern for this sampler layout in The Quilt Block Cookbook.  Plan on using 4 1/4 yards of white (or whatever color you choose for the background), 5 yards for backing, and 3/4 yard for binding.

I think the empty white space in this quilt is so impactful, and it gave me a perfect opportunity to talk about the concept of negative space in the book.

I’ve always thought the term to be a bit of an ironic one…”negative”, of course, refers to the lack of items in the space around a subject, and yet, this absence is exactly the thing that so often enables the subject to shine at it’s brightest.  In a way, the result of negative space is more positive than anything else.

Just like stars in the night sky really seem to twinkle and shine most when they’re spaced out, I find that quilt blocks also benefit from some breathing room.  And that’s what I sought to capture in this quilt.  I discovered that when I scatter my blocks across a blank white canvas, with nothing touching any of their four sides, they seem to float, sparkle…even dance.  Like putting a wide neutral matt around a photograph, negative space in a quilt helps put even more emphasis on your focal point.

I just love the simplicity.  The large on-point square shape does stand out (and I really love the symmetry of it), but I think even more than that, the individual blocks are the stars of this quilt- and that’s the great part- you can use any assortment of 12” blocks you like.

I took the opportunity to make the binding and backing really pop with a fun bright colors that offer strong contrast to the white.  I debated doing white for a more subdued look, but in the end, fun won.  So, coral polka dots and deep purple ladybugs it is!

And while I will be sticking to the white background for my 2016 Sugar Blocks, I’m anxious to try this one with a dark background- something like navy, perhaps, for a really beautiful night sky affect.

Or what about using twelve of the same block, rather than twelve different blocks?  Doesn’t even have to be a sampler!  I’m so excited about the possibilities to be had with this layout.

And there’s my Celestial quilt!  A fabulous 12-block option for any year-long BOM, or really any twelve blocks you like!

If you do decided to stitch one up, be sure to post it on Instagram and tag #thequiltblockcookbook and #celestialquilt (and me! @StitcheryDickory) so everyone can see your gorgeous quilt.

Well, thanks for stopping by!  Stick around this week for more Quilt MOB posts, packed with fresh ideas for using up your quilt blocks!

XO