Welcome to this year’s 2016 Christmas Countdown Kickoff!
Last year we began an annual series counting off the days to Christmas with a quilt block pattern. If you missed out, you can take a peek here!
This year we continue the tradition with 25 new blocks! Add your favorites to last year’s stash or pick one of our fun layouts revealed at the end.
Share your progress using #AQS2016ChristmasCountdown – We will be!!!
Click on the links below for each day’s new block:
12-1: Day One
12-2: Day Two
12-3: Day Three
12-4: Day Four
12-5: Day Five
12-6: Day Six
12-7: Day Seven
12-8: Day Eight
12-9: Day Nine
12-10: Day Ten
12-11: Day Eleven
12-12: Day Twelve
12-13: Day Thirteen
12-14: Day Fourteen
12-15: Day Fifteen
12-16: Day Sixteen
12-17: Day Seventeen
12-18: Day Eighteen
12-19: Day Nineteen
12-20: Day Twenty
12-21: Day Twenty-one
12-22: Day Twenty-two
12-23: Day Twenty – three
12-24: Day Twenty-four
Merry Christmas! Day Twenty-five
Single Sashing Quilt Version
or…
Fabric Requirements:
4″ x 4″ blocks
Blocks –
White – 1 yard
Red – 3/4 yard
Pick your preferred finishing method or do something completely different. Your choice! The samples for finishing projects will be revealed as the days are completed.
37″ x 37″ quilt
Setting fabrics –
White – 1 1/4 yard
Red – 1/4 yard
Cutting Instructions –
60 – 3″ x 4 1/2″ white rectangles
36 – 3″ x 3″ white squares
4 wof strips – 1 1/2″ outer border
36 – 2″ finished circles
Download instructions for the quilt here.
18″ x 68″ wallhanging
Download instructions for the wallhanging here.
Miss last year’s Countdown? Catch the 2015 AQS Christmas Coundown
I can’t open day two on the Christmas countdown
Hi Jean, I’m glad you are so excited. I went ahead and posted day two so Dec. 1 & 2 blocks are available. Enjoy! Betsey
Hello,
Thank you for starting this little project, hopefully I will be able to keep up and work along with you. What a good idea to help keep the stress at bay in this beautiful Advent/Christmas season.
Cindy
I’ve finally found you. Hopefully I can play along this year. Thanks!
Hi,
I’m ready for day 3, however, it is not lit up to access. Should I be accessing this through another page?
Hi Cindy. Day three starts on 12/3. I believe Betsey is going to release it late this afternoon so it is available on time.
It is after 5 pm eastern time, 12/5. I thought I wouldn’t be able to keep up but I didn’t expect you to have this problem. . ?
Great. So after I posted, i checked and it was there. Sorry.
eating anxiously for block six
Cannot access day 6 …. help, I’m hooked!
Hi Giselle, I’ve emailed. I’m not sure what the problem is, but we will make sure you get the pattern! Thanks, Betsey
Loving these! Thanks!
I’m here hoping to catch-up and keep up. Our adult daughter was here and saw me starting day 1 on Monday. “Cool Mom, you’re only 5 days behind!” :p
Loving these little blocks . Thanks
Hi,
Are the circle blocks a day? I’m snowed in and my thought was to piece the blocks during the day and appliqué the circles at night in front of the tv.
Thanks! Loving this.
Hi Sue, I was thinking about starting them too and wondered if any body else was. You answered my question. I’ll work up the instructions and get it posted in the next couple of days. Thanks! Betsey
Thanks! That will keep me busy while watching Christmas movies.
Hi, Just got to this lovely mini quilt. I’ve read over a few of the patterns and some of them don’t have measurements. What do we use? Thanks, Jane
When I try to download the patterns I can only SAVE them I cannot print them, is somethimng wrong?B
Hi Barbara, Once you have saved the PDF to your computer, it should print. Check your printer settings to see if everything is ok there. If you continue to have problems, we can try emailing a PDF to you. Let me know if you would like to try that option. My email address is sylvia.thomas@americanquilter.com. ~ Sylvia Thomas, AQS Social Media Manager
Thank you so much for doing all this hard work! They are beautiful blocks and I’m so excited to make a quilt with them. I know, from experience, how frustrating and disheartening it is when you do so much work and give that work away for free, but the only feedback you get is complaints, so I just wanted to tell you that you’ve done a wonderful job and it’s awesome that you are willing to hand it all out for free!
Hi Laura, Thank you for your kind and gracious words. They are much appreciated. I hope you enjoy making the 2016 Christmas quilt! Thanks, Betsey
Thank you for this. I have done the blocks using red for the odd numbers and green for the even nunbers. Can’t wait to finish it and see how it looks.
Hi Sandee, I can’t wait to see either! Be sure to send pics. Sounds beautiful! Thanks, Betsey
I am enjoying the challenge of the block of the day, but am finding the instructions on putting the blocks together “somewhat lacking”. Am ending up having to trying to figure it out by trial and error.
Hi Cynthia, If you have any questions, feel free to contact me. betseylangford@americanquilter.com Thanks, Betsey
Merry Christmas, Betsey! I love this quilt. It’s nice to work on something small for a change. The blocks are easy and the templates help. Thank you for sharing all of this.
Merry Christmas to you Juleen! Thank you. I do have a passion for teeny tiny blocks. 🙂 Thanks, Betsey
Thank you and Merry Chtistmas
I’m finally out of school for Christmas Break so I can devote more time to this. I’m hoping to get caught up by Friday. Wish me luck! Thank you for sharing this beautiful project! I’m planning to try a larger-scale version for a Spring project.
I tried to contact you via email but got a failure notice that the email address betseylangford@americanquilter.com is not valid.
Can you give me more instruction on the Day 13 block? I’m only cutting the 2 1/4″ squares into the quarter square triangles, correct? Am I cutting the 2″ squares into half triangles? They are to be the center, correct? How do I piece the quarter square triangles for the outside area? Help! Lol!
Thank you for your assistance!
Jolana
Disregard! I think I figured it out! Never fails…once I ask for help, it all falls into place! Thank you!
Would it be permissible to share these blocks with my quilt guild? Thanks
Hi Sue, Yes! We would love to see your guild participate in this project! Please remember to share your blocks with the hashtag #AQS2016ChristmasCountdown. Have fun! ~ Sylvia Thomas, AQS Social Media Manager
Is it my imagination or do the blocks become harder as you go along? Will these be available after the holiday rush when we can think and breath again?
The red and white is drawing me in.
Thank you for sharing
Hi Sharyn, Yes, they will be available. The link to last year’s blocks is at the top of the post too. Enjoy, Betsey
Maybe it is my Christmas stress, but I do not see red in the cutting directions. Or I missed it somehow, or my brain is mush.
Hi Ann, The fabric requirements for the blocks are listed at the bottom, it’s 3/4 yard for red. Enjoy, Betsey
Where is the Dec. 24th block?
Where is today’s block 12-24-16
Hi Marge, It’s fixed. Enjoy! Betsey
Hi Betsey,
The link for the 24th is not showing blue to open it today. Is there another way to get the pattern for the 24th?
Thanks for the beautiful patterns and the great fun of this project. Have a very Merry Christmas.
Hi Cindy, I fixed it. Thank you! Betsey
Thank you for sharing this countdown — it really adds some fun to the holiday, and we’ll enjoy the finished product in future years as well! Do you have a setting suggestion for the 13×50 wallhanging version? Thanks again, and Merry Christmas!
Hi Susan, It will be uploaded on Tuesday. Thanks, Betsey
when will day twenty four be releasd
Hi Wayne, It’s up, you may need to refresh your browser. Thanks, Betsey
Great Quilt! but I cannot print “Day Seven”. Can someone send me a copy? Thanks a bunch. Dstanled@aol.com
Hi Debbra, Should be in your inbox! Thanks, Betsey
I did it! All the blocks are done! ???
Now to get busy on all those circles….
Thanks again for hosting such an amazing countdown and providing beautiful patterns to us.
Hi Betsey,
I too made it. Finished this morning that block #25. It was a fun challenge to end the blocks! Thank you for giving us some fun during the busy days of Christmas. I’ll post a picture on FB.
Hi Betsey,
I know I am very late starting this, lol. But, better late then never. Can you tell me how much fabric it takes to make all the blocks?
Hi Tracey, The fabric requirements listed for the blocks are White – 1 yard and Red – 3/4 yard. It’s never too late to start! Enjoy, Betsey
Thank you for another beautiful quilt! I’m still embroidering last year’s quilt, but plan on cutting this one out and doing this one on the machine! I might actually finish in a year that way. This is a fun treat for us and we really appreciate your imagination and help. Happy New Year, everyone! Happy Quilting!
just finished 2015 blocks and now onto 2016. then make the quilt