This post will be updated weekly.
What is Blockheads 5?
If you’re new to Blockheads, here are a couple of quick things to know:
- This is a free quilt-along. No sign-ups are required. Just download the pattern and you’re ready to sew!
- Moda Blockheads 5 kicked off 9/6/23 and will run for 34 weeks with 34 different block patterns from different pattern designers!
- The PDF patterns will be posted on the Moda blog, our blog and in the official Facebook group every Wednesday by 8:00 AM CDT.
- If you’d like to sign up for the Moda blog newsletter to get blog posts delivered to your inbox, you can sign up here: Moda Blog Newsletter Sign-Up
- If you want to sew along with a virtual Blockheads community, head over Little Quilting Closet's Instagram and follow the hashtag #Blockheads5RSSEdition, #modablockheads and #modablockheads5 to see the latest blocks from the talented designers and other Blockheads.
- The theme of Blockheads 5 is stars, all 34 designers were creating around that theme.
For Blockheads 5, Moda has tweaked the format a bit, breaking the series into two groups. This gives everyone a bit of a break over the holidays and also gives you the option to finish a smaller project with the first group of blocks. Of course, that’s just an option – you are welcome to combine all the blocks into one large quilt, or make several smaller quilts, or make a tote bag, or…whatever you’re inspired to do!
This is the post we will use to organize all the amazing #Blockheads5 patterns and information for our Ruby Star Edition Blockheads 5 Sew Along!
Each week Little Quilting Closet will sponsor prizes consisting of fabric, notions, quilty merch items and quilt/sewing labels for participants using the hashtags and we have some REALLY REALLY fun things lined up!
How Much Fabric Will I Need?
This is advice from the Moda Blog:
"It’s tricky to provide fabric recommendations that account for all the possibilities with this sampler program, so please know that we are not trying to be cagey here! You may fall in love with a particular fabric and end up using that print more than you’d originally planned. You might make a block, love it, and then see Robin Pickens’ color study for that block and decide to remake your block with a different color option! There are endless variables with this choose-your-own-adventure quilt-along, so we do our best to provide rough fabric recommendations, but it’s difficult to be very precise."
Read full post here.
That being said--Moda recommends 30-40 FQs and 3-4 yards of background fabric if you are going to make all the blocks in both sizes. THAT IS A LOT OF FABRIC. I personally have 2.5 yards of my background and I am using bits and pieces of each collection I love within my color story! If you're scrappy--I think this would work well for you too!
To be entered into the weekly participant prize drawing:
- Complete the week's block
- Share a photo of your super special Blockheads5: Ruby Star Society Edition block to Instagram with #Blockheads5RSSEdition and #Blockheads5 in the caption.
- Tag @LittleQuiltingCloset, @RubyStarSociety and @ModaFabrics
- That's it! You're in. We love any stories about your creative process or fabric pulls or color choices--give us the story!
We will grab all the Instagram usernames from the hashtag/tag data for that week and enter them into the drawing for that week's prize. Winner will be chosen using a randomized name picker app. The following week we start all over again, entries will not carry over!
Prizes sponsored by Little Quilting Closet and Moda Fabrics.
This will be an informal sew along--some weeks you might not be able to participate and that is A-OK! When you are able to join us be sure to use the hashtag so you are entered into the drawing for the weekly prize! Make sure you are following Little Quilting Closet on Instagram to get all of the updates and hear more about weekly prizes!
Without further ado--let's dive right in!
Quick Reference Links for Blockheads 5 Free Patterns (thank you Moda!)
| Block Name | Week | Download Link |
| Autograph Star | KO | https://bit.ly/BH5AutographStar |
| Bright Star | 1 | https://bit.ly/BH5BrightStar |
| Galaxy Star | 2 | https://bit.ly/BH5GalaxyStar |
| Stellar Elegance | 3 | https://bit.ly/BH5StellarElegance |
| Super Scrappy Star | 4 | https://bit.ly/BH5SuperScrappyStar |
| Southern Star | 5 | https://bit.ly/BH5SouthernStar |
| Celeste | 6 | https://bit.ly/BH5_Celeste |
| Summer Star | 7 | https://bit.ly/BH5SummerStar |
| Community Star | 8 | https://bit.ly/BH5-CommunityStar |
| Candy Strip Holly Star | 9 | https://bit.ly/BH5-CandyStripeHollyStar |
KICK OFF WEEK: Moda Blockheads 5 - Bonus Block Pattern - Designed by Me and My Sister Designs
You can download the Autograph Star pattern by clicking the link (at no cost, ad free!)
For more detail about this block you can visit Moda's Blog and read all about the kick off and the Autograph Star block!
This is the kick off week- a good time to select your fabrics and make a plan! For my Ruby Star Society versions I will be using older out of print collections mixed with newer and more current collections! I will use peony, pink, goldenrod and turquoise/blues for color inspiration and using Sunbeam Beaming-Natural as my background for each block. I am so excited!
I am waiting to make this bonus block until the end because I want it to be ULTRA SCRAPPY so I will use my favorites I have left over! I did finish the Moda version and I absolutely love it!
WEEK 1: Moda Blockheads 5 - Bright Star Pattern- Designed by Betsy Chutchian
You can download the gorgeous Bright Star Pattern by clicking the link (at no cost, ad free!)
For more detail about this block you can visit Moda's blog to read all about the inspiration and process behind designing the Bright Star block!
Here is my #Blockheads5RSSEdition Bright Star block!
WEEK 2: Moda Blockheads 5 - Galaxy Star Pattern- Designed by Joanna from Fig Tree and Co.
You can download the wonderful Galaxy Star Pattern by clicking the link (at no cost, ad free!)
For more detail about this block you can visit Moda's blog to read all about the inspiration and process behind Fig Tree and Co.'s Galaxy Star Block!
I will post my Galaxy Star just as soon as I have it wrapped up! Right now I have some big decisions about what fabrics I am going to use! Curio by Melody Miller or Honey by Alexia Marcele-Abegg?
Oh what a difference a few hours makes, I ended up going with Sugar Cone! This collection from Kim Kight is just so sweet (pun intended) and I couldn't resist the peony, pink and golden tones! Plus! I had a sample charm pack sitting in my sewing room. This block is definitely a great way to use up some of those leftover charm squares if you are going for a more scrappy look!
I'd like to formally introduce my Galaxy Star block! I am the worst at trimming quarter square triangles, I know I will get better the more I practice–so I keep going. Inevitably, I am going to lose some of these star points but that is ok with me. I actually shudder at the thought of a perfect quilt. All these small imperfections remind me that the joy is in the process as much as it is the outcome and I had a blast making this block and playing with these fabrics!
WEEK 3: Moda Blockheads 5 - Stellar Elegance- Designed by Brigritte Heitland from Zen Chic
You can download the beautiful Stellar Elegance pattern by clicking the link (at no cost, ad free!)
For more detail about this block you can visit Moda's blog to read all about the inspiration and process behind the Stellar Elegance block.
WEEK 4: Moda Blockheads 5 - Super Scrappy Star- Designed by Corey Yoder
This is my favorite block so far! It uses traditional quilt piecing techniques and has a scrappy feel that I absolutely adore!
Download the Super Scrappy Star Free quilt block pattern here.
After you have downloaded the pattern, head over to Corey's blog! She is sharing her inspiration, tips and tricks for the Super Scrappy Star block. You can find Corey's blog here: Coriander Quilts blog
WEEK 5: Moda Blockheads 5 - Souther Star- Designed by Jenelle Kent
We have reached the halfway point for the first part of Blockheads (as a reminder--there is a break around the Holidays and then we will pick back up with the second set of blocks!) This week's block is brought to you by Jenelle Kent of Pieces to Treasure--she designs toweling, wovens and patterns for Moda!
You can download the Southern Star quilt block pattern here for free!
Jenelle has a wonderful blog where she shares her inspiration, tips, and tricks for the Southern Star block (and lots of other amazing things.) Be sure to visit the Pieces to Treasure blog!
WEEK 6: Moda Blockheads 5 - Celeste - Designed by Laurie Simpson
Block 6 of Moda's first group of Blockheads 5 is brought to you by Laurie of Minick & Simpson. The block for this week is based on a traditional block called “Girl’s Favorite.”
You can download the free quilt block pattern for Celeste here!
You can learn more about this block and follow along with Laurie by visiting her blog!
WEEK 7: Moda Blockheads 5 - Summer Star Pattern- Designed by Sherri McConnel
Here is a note from the Summer Star block designer, Sherri McConnel:
"I'm super excited to be a returning 4th-year Blockhead! The Blockheads quilts I've sewn from my previous years sewing along are some of my favorite scrappy quilts. I've really appreciated being able to sew a wide variety of blocks and consider it a fun creative exercise to work on these blocks."
We are right there with her! That has been one of our favorite things about Blockheads also! So much fun and experimentation!
You can download the free pattern for the Summer Star quilt block here.
A Quilting Life is a wonderful website filled with lots of quilting information for both beginners and experienced quilters alike. If you want to quilt along with Sherri and/or see more of her beautiful quilting work visit her blog!
WEEK 8: Moda Blockheads 5 - Community Star Pattern- Designed by Robin Pickens
Can you believe it? Next week is our last week of the first set of Moda Blockheads 5! After that we have a short break for the holiday season and we will pick back up with the second set.
I am trying to decide if I will join this set and start with a fresh concept for the second set--or keep going with the color palette and background I have been working with! Decisions, decisions!
You can download the free quilt block pattern for the Community Star here.
Robin Pickens has a fabulous blog where she shares quilting inspiration, pattern play and color studies–be sure to check it out!
WEEK 9: Moda Blockheads 5 - Candy Striped Holly Star Pattern- Designed by Sarah Thomas
You can download the free quilt block pattern for the Candy Strip Holly Star here.