Calling all Blockheads! Are you ready for Blockheads 5? Well, I have great news for you: Your wait is almost over! Read on for your first look at Blockheads 5.

Well, maybe not your first “look” – sorry, but I’m not sharing any block teasers today! But I do have a lot of helpful information for you to help you get ready for the next season of Blockheads.

(You'll just have to setttle for this lovely picture of last year's Blockheads in progress!)

Wait a minute. What IS Blockheads, anyway?

If you’re new to the Blockheads scene, here’s a quick recap: Six of Moda’s fabric and/or quilt designers got together in 2017 to create a block-of-the-week program to introduce quilters to our traditional fabric and quilt designs. The original Blockheads were Lynne Hagmeier of Kansas Troubles, Betsy Chutchian, Jan Patek, Lisa Bongean, Jo Morton, and Carrie Nelson. 

(The patterns from the original series were later turned into a book with Martingale, so you can no longer find the PDFs online – sorry! But maybe those patterns will make an appearance again in some form or fashion one day.)

Since Blockheads 1, the program has expanded to include almost all of our designers. The purpose – to inspire the quilting community, provide a free block-of-the-week pattern series for quilters of all kinds, and to give quilters a chance to get to know our designers – remains the same; but every year, we do something just a little bit different to keep things fresh and new!

So when does Blockheads 5 start?

Short answer: September 6.

This year’s twist is that we are breaking up the program into two phases. The first group kicks off September 6 and will run through November 15, giving quilters the option to complete a smaller project before the holidays (if that is your choice). We’ll provide smaller setting options along the way and finishing instructions for the first group on November 15.

Then we’ll take a short recess over December and start the second group on January 3. This second phase will run through July, giving you the opportunity to make a larger sampler quilt.

Where can I find the block patterns, and when will they be available every week?

This year, we’re making it even easier to access the weekly Blockheads pattern PDFs. You’ll be able to find the patterns every Wednesday morning here on the Moda blog and in the Files section of our Moda Blockheads Facebook group.

We will always link to the blog for the designer of the week, and we hope that you’ll take the time to visit them and learn a little bit about them. But to streamline the process, we’re making patterns available here and on the Facebook group simultaneously.

So, how much fabric will I need?

Fabric recommendations for the first phase will be provided during the Facebook Live event on August 30 at 10:30 AM Central; we’ll also post them here and on the Facebook group page later that day.

If you want to review fabric recommendations from the previous Blockheads series as a starting point, you can find those HERE and HERE.

What’s this about a Facebook Live?

You heard right! We’re going to host our very first Blockheads Facebook Live event on August 30 at 10:30 AM Central, where we’ll try to answer all your burning Blockheads questions! So be sure to join the group and tune in to the livestream. But don’t worry if you can’t join us for the livestream – it will be recorded and posted on the Facebook group page so you can watch (or rewatch) any time.

I’m ready. Sign me up!

Great! We’d love for you to join our growing Facebook group community. You can find the Moda Blockheads Facebook group HERE. Not only is it an active group with almost 63,000 friendly and encouraging quilters, but the Files section is a convenient way to access the weekly block patterns.

Other than joining the Facebook group – which is optional – there’s no official sign-up required. Just download the weekly patterns and enjoy!

So mark your calendars for the Facebook Live event next Wednesday and join us as we chat about all things Blockheads! And in the meantime, you can check out our archive of Blockheads 4 posts HERE.