March 2023 NZP Block of the Month

Our NEW! 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series is a great way to finish a quilt in manageable monthly installments. One block at a time is an easy approach to creating a quilt. Plus our BoM23 is fat quarter friendly. Whether you’re a beginner quilter or seasoned quilter, our block of the month series is a great opportunity to get stitching in the new year. Team NZP is honored to continue Nancy Zieman’s Block of the Month program with our free monthly block sewing tutorials! We’ll be keeping the finished quilt design a mystery until later in December 2023! Hint: This year’s quilt is not a block sampler and will not have borders!   This year, you may choose from two different Fat Quarter Bundle Colorways by our friends at Benartex: Choose Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle includes twenty-one 18″ x 21″ fabric rectangles – Or, choose All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle includes twenty 18″ x 21″ fabric rectangles –

Gather Your Fabrics and Supplies

All blocks will feature fabrics from one Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle or All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle! Finished quilt measures approximately 72″ x 72″. For this quilt project, you will need:

• One Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle or All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle!
• Our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP
• No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Nancy Zieman for Clover
• 3-1/2 yd. White Block Background Fabric (options listed below)
• 1 yd. Binding Fabric (options listed below)
• 4-1/2 yd. White Quilt Backing Fabric
• Basic Supplies and Tools Listed Below

2023 NZP Mystery Block of the Month

The Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle or All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle by Benartex offers two beautiful colorways to choose from! Each Fat Quarter Pack  includes twenty 18″ x 21″ 100% cotton designer fabrics. Choosing just one collection may be the most difficult part of our BoM23!

Get ready for the 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Mystery Block of the Month!

Our NEW! 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series will feature Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle or All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle! Here’s the inside scoop:

• 2023 NZP Mystery Block of the Month Series kicked off on Saturday, January 21, 2023.
• As always, there’s no cost to join and no need to formally sign up.
• Block designs will be announced the Third Saturday each month.
• 2023 NZP Block of the Month is fat quarter friendly.
• 2023 NZP Block of the Month project lasts 12 months.

Sharpen Your Tools

Well, not really, but do make certain that you have a sharp blade in your rotary cutter, and gather your No-Hassle Triangles Ruler, rotary cutting mat and pressing notions. The main tools for our 2023 Block of the Month are our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP and the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Nancy Zieman for Clover. You may have already guessed the blocks will be made with a few triangles! Great News! Half-Square and Quarter-Square Triangles are easy to create with our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler and No-Hassle Triangles Gauge!

Basic Supplies for NEW! 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series!

You’re the designer, choose between TWO Fat Qtr. Packs, then choose coordinating Block Background Fabric, and Binding Fabric by our friends at Benartex:

• One Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle or All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle!
• Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP
• No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Nancy Zieman for Clover
• 3-1/2 yd. White Block Background Fabric, choose one: Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble White(for Hugs& Kisses colorway), White Stars Tone On Tone Fabric(for All American Gnomes colorway) or for either colorway: Day and Night Paisley White, or Day and Night Dot Waves White, or Day and Night Geo Bloom White Fabric by the Yard, or a coordinating white solid or white tone on tone fabric from your stash.
• 1 yd. Binding Fabric, “Hugs & Kisses” choose one: A Coordinating Hugs and Kisses Fabric by the yard, such as: Hugs & Kisses XOXO Hearts Black Fabric by the Yard or Hugs & Kisses XOXO Hearts Red Fabric by the Yard.  Or 1 yd. Binding “All American Gnomes” Fabric: A Coordinating All American Gnomes Fabric by the yard, such as: Fireworks Celebration Blue Fabric by the Yard or Star Spangled Fabric Navy Blue by the yard.
• 4-1/2 yd. White Backing Fabric
• Queen Size Pellon Nature’s Touch 80/20 Cotton Quilt Batting
• Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needles
• Clover’s Quilting Pins
• June Tailor’s Starch Savvy
• Tailor’s Clapper
• Frixion Marking Pen
• 45 mm Rotary Cutter and Cutting Mat
• 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot
• Optional: Clover’s Ultimate Quilt ‘N Stitch Presser Foot for quilting
• Optional: Clover’s Fine White Marking Pen
• Optional: Quilt Basting Spray
• Optional: Clover’s NEW! Wonder Pins
• Silk Finish Cotton Quilting Thread for piecing
• Iron

Get Started Today!

Prepare for the NEW! 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Free! Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series by gathering and organizing your supplies. Organize your sewing space, and as soon as you have your fabrics, press & starch all Fat Quarters. Did you follow along with one or more of our previous NZP Block of the Month Series? If you finished part of all of the quilt blocks or the entire project, please share photos. We’d love to see and share them! Email your finished BoM quilt or quilt top photos to [email protected]. Find all the Supplies for NEW! 2023 Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series at Nancy Zieman Productions at ShopNZP.com! You’re the designer, choose one colorway from the Fat Quarter Pack options above with coordinating Block Background Fabric, and Border and Binding Fabric by Benartex, above!

All blocks will feature fabrics from the Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Bundle or All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Bundle along with our Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP and Nancy’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge by Clover. Follow along as we share step-by-step how to create the March Quilt Blocks.

March Quilt Blocks

Keep your fabric choices sorted using this handy Fabric Planner diagram. Download the planners, make notes, and/or pin cut block elements to the planner to remind you of the fabric placements. March 2023 NZP Block of the Month Planners

Prepare your fabrics! Pre-shrink fabrics by steaming and pressing. Then, stabilize fabrics for the sewing process by pressing and starching fabrics with Quilter’s Starch Savvy.

March 2023 NZP Block of the Month Quilt Blocks

This block is 12-1/2″ square; 12″ finished square. Approx. Finished Quilt Size 72″ x 72″ This month we’re featuring TWO block designs. Follow along as we demonstrate how to create the March Quilt Blocks.

    This month we’re illustrating the All American Gnome Colorway! See below for the Hugs & Kisses Colorway!

Cut Fabrics for TWO March Quilt Blocks

All American Gnomes:

• Cut Two 3-7/8″ squares from White Background Fabric. We’re using White Stars Tone on Tone Fabric.
• Cut Two 3-1/2″ squares from White Background Fabric, we’re illustrating White Stars Tone on Tone Fabric.
• Cut Two 3-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ rectangles from White Stars Tone on Tone Fabric.
• Cut Two 3-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ rectangles from White Stars Tone on Tone Fabric.
• Cut Four 3-1/2″ x 12-1/2″ rectangles from White Stars Tone on Tone Fabric.
• Cut One 3-7/8″ squares from All American Gnomes Fireworks Celebration Blue Fabric.
• Cut One 3-7/8″ squares from All American Gnomes Patriotic Americana Butterflies White Fabric.

• Using the Exclusive No-Hassle Triangles Ruler by Team NZP, cut block squares above.

Construct Blocks

All seam allowances are scant 1/4″ unless otherwise stated. Half-Square Triangles (HSTs)

• Create TWO 1/2-square triangle blocks cut from White Stars Tone on Tone and All American Gnomes Fireworks Celebration Blue; All American Gnomes Patriotic Americana Butterflies White.
• Align 3-7/8″ squares right sides together. Pin

• Mark blocks using a Clover’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge, and Clover’s White Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen.
• The left side of the Clover’sNo-Hassle Triangles Gauge is designated to create 1/2-square triangle quilt blocks. Depress button on sliding portion of the gauge, and move to 3-7/8″ half-square triangle setting.

• With squares right sides together. Place Clover’s No-Hassle Triangles Gauge on block set, corner to corner. Match corner marks of gauge with corner of block sets. Mark fabric through center die cut openings on gauge, with Clover’s White Marking Pen or a Frixion Marking Pen.
• Repeat steps, marking all 3-7/8″ square block sets.

Stitch Blocks

• Insert a new Size 75 Schmetz Quilting Needle and attach 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot to sewing machine.
• Align 1/4″ Quilting Presser Foot along one side of center mark, stitch.
• “Kiss” the next block set to the stitched block and chain stitch (stitching continually) from one block to the next.

• Rotate blocks 180 degrees, stitch along the other side of center marked lines.

• Clip threads between chain stitched blocks.

• Cut blocks apart along center marked lines with a rotary cutter, ruler, and mat.

• Press seams flat.
• Open blocks and press seams open or press towards darker fabric – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

Construct Block A

• Layout half-square triangle blocks, and 3-1/2″ squares, 6-1/2″ rectangles, and 9-1/2″ rectangles as show below. Rotate blocks as needed.

Join Squares and Rectangles

• Place blocks from rows right sides together, in pairs. Pin.
• Chain stitch from one block set to the next. Clip threads between.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.
• Repeat steps above with bottom row.

Join Rows

• Place top row to second row right sides together. Pin.
• Stitch.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

• Place third row to second row right sides together. Pin.
• Stitch.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

• Place fourth row to third row right sides together. Pin.
• Stitch.
• Press seams flat, then press open or to one side – using a Tailor’s Clapper to set the seams.

• Repeat steps above stitching second March Block.

Block B

• The March All American Gnomes Quilt Blocks Are Complete!

Cut Fabrics for TWO March Quilt Blocks

Hugs & Kisses:

• Cut Two 3-7/8″ squares from Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble White Fabric.
• Cut Two 3-1/2″ squares from White Background Fabric, we’re illustrating Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble White Fabric.
• Cut Two 3-1/2″ x 6-1/2″ rectangles from Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble White Fabric.
• Cut Two 3-1/2″ x 9-1/2″ rectangles from Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble White Fabric.
• Cut Four 3-1/2″ x 12-1/2″ rectangles from Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble White Fabric.
• Cut One 3-7/8″ squares from Hugs & Kisses Candy Black Fabric.
• Cut One 3-7/8″ squares from Hugs & Kisses Shimmery Marble Light Pink Fabric.

Block A

Block B

• The March Hugs & Kisses Quilt Blocks Are Complete!

                              Be sure to label each block upon completion. This will help with assembly in December!

Find all the Supplies for NEW! 2023 Block of the Month Mystery Quilt Series at Nancy Zieman Productions at ShopNZP.com! You’re the designer, choose the pink/white/black colorway with the Hugs & Kisses Fat Quarter Pack or the red/white/blue colorway with the All American Gnomes Fat Quarter Pack plus coordinating Block Background Fabric, and Binding Fabric by Benartex, above!

Shop WoolFelt Bundles and NEW! Posey Pillow™ WoolFelt® Fabric Bundle

at ShopNZP.com

SAVE THE DATE!

Our annual Sew•Quilt•Create Weekend is May 18-20, 2023 in Beaver Dam!

Subscribe to the Team NZP E-Newsletter for Sew•Quilt•Create Weekend updates and more at nancyzieman.com/blog/newsletter.

NEW! Spring Store Sewing Classes and Events Announced!

Learn how to sew with The Stitch it! Sisters as they teach Nancy Zieman’s classic timesaving sewing techniques and easy sewing methods with fun sewing projects at The Nancy Zieman Sewing Studio! Our classes are ideal for beginners! Sign up for one or more sewing classes, today at ShopNZP.com.

Our store classes include fabrics, use of classroom tools, BERNINA and bernette sewing machines, and everything needed to sew each project! Sign up for one or more sewing classes in store or online at ShopNZP.com.

This March SAVE 50% OFF the bernette b77 Sewing & Quilting Machine–in store at the Nancy Zieman Sewing Studio and online at ShopNZP.com!

Join the 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Pillow Sewing Challenge!

Join the NEW! 2023 Nancy Zieman Productions Pillow Sewing Challenge this March at the NZP Blog! Deadline to enter is Thursday, March 23, 2023

Subscribe to the Team NZP E-Newsletter for updates and more at nancyzieman.com/blog/newsletter.

Happy Quilting!

Team Nancy Zieman & The Stitch it! Sisters Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

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