Here we are at Day 3 of the My Favorite Quilt Block Hop! Thanks again to our generous sponsor, Carla. Make sure you check out some of the fun blogs and creations – all the links are below. Carla is having a giveaway and so am I. I will send the winner the equivalent of 1 yard of Island Batik fabrics. See below for details.
Now, I love a lot of blocks, star blocks, traditional blocks, bocks that intersect and make other designs, but the canoe block has interested me for some time.
I am using the canoe block twice this month. In fact, I was given a die by Accuquilt as part of the Island Batik Ambassador program. I needed to test the block. Then, I used fabric I loved and a quick table runner was made for this hop! Honestly, the rotary cutting instructions are not fun, so I thought you could use templates to cut if needed. This block is a finished 9.5″ before it is in a quilt, 9″ finished.
I began by putting the top on the canoe. Using my design board I flipped the corner pieces over the canoe. Pick them up and then sew the seams, chain piecing. I cut the adjoining thread and finger pressed seams open and placed on my design board.
After I made all my blocks (for this Hop and Island Batik challenge), I found Accuquilt’s tutorial on putting this block together. I did it a little differently, but, like them, I pressed seams open.
I would then flip one triangle on each canoe, and pick them up. I would chain piece. Cut the adjoining thread. Finger press seams open. Place back on the design board.
Do the same thing with the other side. Finger press seams open. Place back on the design board.
Connect 2 blocks at a time. Finger press open. Pin together both units.
Piece the final unit together.
For my table runner, I added two pieces on either end so it would be the size I wanted for the space it would be spending the most time.
For quilting, I did some in the ditch between the blocks, dot to dot quilting triangles and finally around the canoes. It is a pretty addition to our counter that separates the old from the new in our cottage.
From Crazy Mom Quilts 
An antique quilt rom Accuquilt Tutorial
I also enjoyed both of these quilts, and thought you might like to see them. So, you will have to wait a little to see my second version. I am working the challenge them of child’s play, and while the basic blocks are done, the setting blocks, final assembly and quilting will be a least another week. However, you do have plenty to keep you busy. Enjoy the hop, I know I will.
Now, for the giveaway . It will be open until the Sunday, September 15th at 11:59 pm. Please leave a comment telling me your favorite experience in a canoe, kayak or boat!
Monday, September 9th
Just Let Me Quilt
Words & Stitches
VroomansQuilts
PamelaQuilts
Songbird Designs
Days Filled With Joy
Quilted Delights
Tuesday, September 10th
Quiltscapes
Melva Loves Scraps
Stitchin At Home
Homespun Hannah’s Blog
Mary Mack Made Mine
Just Because Quilts
Den syende himmel
Selina Quilts
Wednesday, September 11th
MooseStashQuilting
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Kathleen McMusing=====>you are here
Karrin’s Crazy World
April Grace Quilts
Hazel’s Daughter
Seams To Be Sew
Limeleaves
Thursday, September 12th
Websterquilt
Cynthia’s Creating Ark
Nutz 4 Redwork
Quiltsbyjoanne
Ms P Designs USA
Pampered Pettit
Hill Valley Quilter
Friday, September 13th
For the love of geese
Life in the Scrapatch
Kathy’s Kwilts and More
Alycia Quilts – quiltygirl
Domestic Felicity
The Joyful Quilter
QuiltFabrication
Creatin’ in the Sticks
Coming Upon the Blog:
Color Block of the Month
September Island Batik Challenge
Tutorial on Converting Picture to Mosaic in EQ8
Linking Up:
Clever Chameleon
Wednesday Wait Loss
Put Your Foot Down
Finished or Not Friday
UFO Bustin #74
What I Made Monday
Beautiful block! Love the runner…thank you!
Author
Thank you!
Thanks for introducing me to the Canoe block, which I’ve never seen before! Your table runner is wonderful!
Author
I am glad to introduce you to this block. Try it, it is a fun one.
This is one of my favorite blocks, too. I am so jealous of the accuquilt die, I so hoped this is the one I would receive. Your table runner looks so perfect there in your awesome kitchen. I love boats and even in our little pond, going round and round in the canoe is a great way to spend an afternoon.
Author
I was grateful to receive this one, but am still struggling a bit with the added requirement tossed in to the September challenge. I am happy in any boat – a true scorpio.
Cruising on Lake Tanycomo with my family. Think I’ll try the canoe block.
Author
I hope you do try the block, it is a fun one!
Hi Kathleen! I just LOVE your table runner. I wasn’t hooked on this block until you showed the finished product when you really sold it! Those fabrics are just perfect, too. I adore the alternating light/dark aspect, and even more the center with medium/dark blues. My favorite experience for boating was on Lake Michigan in a sailboat that followed the shoreline. We looked at all the fabulous houses on a nice sunny day – it was so much fun with good friends. ~smile~ Roseanne
Author
I am so glad you love it. Those fabrics are fun and I really love them. Sailboats are among my favorites, as long as there is a real sailor leading the wayQ
I love your block and table runner! Believe it or not, I’ve never been in a canoe or kayak, and I get terribly seasick on a larger boat (think cruise to Bermuda–ugh).
Author
That is too bad; 2 of my sisters in law are like that and it is not pleasant! Maybe only be on boats that are on quilts!
Now I am regretting not buying this die when it was on sale….love it!
Author
It is a fun one. There will be another sale.
The canoe block looks like fun to put together. Very little time on the water, but I got an opportunity to go out into the harbor in a boat and watch the spectacular 4th of July firework show. It was beautiful!
Author
I love seeing fireworks on the water!
That is a great block, and I love the tablerunner you made from it! Sounds like your Accuquilt is really helpful for cutting those odd shaped pieces. Last fall my husband and I took a boat ride around San Francisco Bay and went under the Golden Gate Bridge. That was a great experience!
Author
That sounds like a fabulous boat ride!
I love Accuquilt’s BOB’s and this is one I look forward to getting! After seeing the number of lovely and unique ways you showed it can be used, I checked out Accuquilt’s site and saw a few more. This one now moves even higher up on my wishlist! Best boat ride: Maid of the Mist at Niagara Falls!
Author
There are quite a few uses for this block and it is really fast to put together! Hope you do play with it one day
I’ve seen this block before but have never made it. It’s a beauty and looks amazing in your quilts…love it! Thanks for sharing! No canoe trips for me, but my grandsons had a blast on kayaks this summer.
Author
So glad the kiddos had fun this summer. I have canoed a few times, but I love kayaks and should do more
This is such a fun block. Love your colors!
Author
I have a whole quilt in them and still am not tired of those colors!
Great block/quilt. It is one I have never tried. We were in our sailboat one day on Folsom Lake, and we were having a heck of a time, the winds were way up, we forgot to put the keel down at one point, the wind blew us to shore, but not the one we wanted to get to, DH had to get out and push off the shore, while I was putting the keel up and down. We get back to the dock, and the Coast Guard was there investigating everyone’s safety equipment.
Author
Glad you had what you needed and did get to shore safely.
Years back when the kids were young we had a pontoon boat which was a fun water experience.
Author
How wonderful!
I love this block but I can’t say why I’ve never made one because I love shapes with sharp points. No boats for me anymore. The last time I was in a boat I tried my luck at skiing, As soon as I started coming up my leg’s pushed apart and I pulled a muscle. The most painful experience of my life. Natural childbirth did not hurt that bad.
Author
That would keep me off boats! I never was able to water ski – I am probably stronger now than I was then but still don’t think I could.
Your table runner turned out great! I’ve canoed down the Colorado River on Labryinth Canyon. Very beautiful, peaceful. I also Kayak on the Colorado and San Juan Rivers. A favorite trip was down Deso-Grey. Again, so beautiful, and just enough rapids to make it fun but not too scary!
Author
How wonderful these trips sound!
It’s so striking in the runner version! I’m outside so I think they’re blacks and whites but the closeup looks deep blues. I can’t wait to see what you’ve done for the baby quilt! I can’t pick a favourite in any of the three water transports, as I’ve had several in all three! Probably kayaking with my husband in the intracoastal waters around Port Charlotte, FL is one, taking the ferry about half way across Lake Erie to Pelee Island, and many a lovely canoe trip with my husband during camping days in Alberta.:-)
Author
All of the boat excursions sound just delightful! I have done kayaks and canoes but prefer a kayak in some ways. I love ferries and one of my favorite ferry rides was on a cable ferry in Nova Scotia – just about 27 years ago during our honeymoon.
We cruised the Rhine River in Germany.
Thanks,
Peggy
Peggy_verdongibbs@att.net
Author
Sounds wonderful!
I love the block!! Very cool & so much you could do with it! I have only been kayaking a few times, but we have a beautiful river that is perfect for kayaking!
Author
I don’t kayak much, but think I ought to do more.
first time in a canoe… my son was a baby and I was terribly nervous and cried almost the whole trip down river… 9 hours!!!
Author
Yikes! I don’t think I could have done that.
Wonderful runner! I have fond memories of canoeing at Itasca State Park when the kids were young. It was fun to canoe through the wild rice. I never swamped one except as part of Girl Scout training when I was a leader.
Author
Never have been on anything that went through wild rice! It is always good to have the swamping happen when you are training to be a leader – I would have been so embarrassed.
I had never seen the canoe block – it came out great in your table runner.
My favorite experience in a canoe was at Girl Scout camp when I was a teen. Our unit spent a lot of time in canoes and even went on an overnight canoe trip.
My favorite experience in a kayak was a couple years ago at a friend’s camp on a pond. I enjoyed kayaking around the pond and watching a loon family.
Thanks for the chance at the giveaway!
Author
Good luck in the giveaway and thanks for sharing!
My family has a tradition that every summer when we get together we take out the pontoon on my parents lake and we cruise – looking at all the neighbors houses and eating snacks and drinking beer. We have pictures of every year and fun to see how the children/grandchildren have grown!
Author
What fun! and I love those comparison pictures.
What a great block. Love the fabrics and your quilting. Favorite canoe experience. Canoeing with my husband through Lover’s Key State Park near Fort Myers Beach, FL. We had such an awesome time. We experienced a bloom of jelly fish, a bunch of fish jumping, and up close personal experience with some manatees.
Author
Wonderful memories!
A beautiful block and a great quilt. I live at the west coast of Norway, and like to go out on a boat to experience the beautiful nature here.
Author
Truly a blessing living on the coast!
Floated down a river in a raft with my dad.
Author
That is a precious memory.
Watching the canoes round the bend at my husband’s family cabin on the Au Sable River in Michigan. Each canoe livery used a different color for their rental canoes and it was fun to know where they started their paddle journey.
Author
How lovely!
No experience in a canoe, but I have fond memories of riding in the speed boat that my father made. More recently we sailed down the inland passage from Alaska. Nancy A: SewingGranda@gmail.com
Author
How wonderful – a handmade boat!
I love the block you choose! I’ve never been brave enough to give it a try. Your table runner project is a great addition to the Hop!
Author
Its a really easy block – try it some time.
A lovely project. Thank you for sharing today.
Author
You are welcome!
That block looks great. A bit complicated looking, but you did it great justice. I loved to kayak down the river at the old house, especially when the eagles were out feeding.
Author
Love to be in a boat watching the eagles – we do it in MN every year.
Great block! We were just canoeing this last summer up in Sun River…it’s really more like a float, but enjoyable just the same!!
Author
Floating is good for me – I am not so good on the working part of that kind of boating.
i am not a boat person, can’t swim, so the most fun i had in a boat was a fishing boat still on the trailer in the yard of a friend’s lake house. there may have been some beer involved 🙂
Author
That’s awesome! Its best to do what we can – either in quilting or boating!
This is beautiful! I enjoyed seeing the process. I don’t have too many boat adventures. My favorites are the cruises we went on. My worst was when I was in college spending the summer in the Puget Sound. We went out fishing with our host family, and our boat ran out of gas. It was so scary! The darker and rougher it got, the sicker I got! The coastguard finally rescued us that night. I will never forget it, and I’m 70 now!
Author
Sick and stranded does not sound like fun – glad you were rescued!
Oh that looks like a challenging block! It does make a good looking quilt! My favorite experience with a boat is going out on a lake with my dad in a rowboat when our family went camping one year. I didn’t get a lot of alone time with dad when I was little so that was a memorable time for me.
I have always likes this double canoe block. Your cutting dies make it looks sew easy. I cannot say that I have a favorite memory in a canoe, but I have enjoyed being in a canoe on a lake enjoying the peace and light. Thanks for sharing in the hop … 🙂 Pat
Author
Peaceful canoes on lakes are a dream.
What a great block and I love the fabrics. When my kids were little we would rent a pontoon boat and spend several hours on the water. It was great fun.
Author
Pontoons are perfect for that leisurely paced viewing of the water and spending time with family/friends.
Beautiful block and I LOVE your table runner! So impressive but what a lot of work!
Author
The die actually makes it pretty easy!
In a canoe on a small nondescript body of water off a highway in Northern Ontario fishing for our dinner, and the huge carp fought very hard as I reeled him in. At the last second the carp twisted, pulled, broke the fishing line and sailed on past to freedom. No dinner for us.
Author
Oh, too bad about the carp, but apparently it had other ideas.
My favorite boat trip was one with my kids and my parents. A very nice leisurely afternoon with everyone taking turns rowing
Author
It sounds like it was a cooperative and memorable trip.
Great block! Have been contemplating the purchase of that die. When I was younger {a long time ago} we used to paddle out to the middle of the lake and tip the canoe over. Not really sure why but we thought it was great fun.
Author
Highly recommend the die! Tipping a canoe with friends are siblings has to be the best – most kids are in love with this kind of activity.
We took the kids down the Grand Canyon years ago. That was an adventure. They were scared to death.
Author
How fortunate they were!
My favorite experience on a boat was going fishing for sunfish with my father when I was a child.
Author
I always wanted to learn to sail a sunfish!
Canoe, kayak or boat? Hmm, don’t know which applies but my water experience was riding in a gondola in Venice with my husband. We are from Australia so this was a big treat for us. I love your block and am hoping to try it very soon. Thanks.
Author
Gondolas are a different breed. I have never been on one, but that is for sure the place to do it.
A great block! My best boat travel/ride was with my grandkids, riding the boat from Michigan to Mackinac Island to do some shopping & sight-seeing!
Author
How wonderful! Thanks for stopping by & commenting.
That is very striking block–my experience in a boat was a trip to the New England states and cruising on the Atlantic on a boat where I was lucky enough to see a seal!
Author
Seals are beautiful – I look for them all the time when I am on the ferry.
I love the Canoe block so much. Thank you for the pattern. Not having spent much time on a boat, my experiences are few. When I was married, once my husband took me camping and we arrived via an aluminum boat with a trolling motor. I was so afraid that snakes were nearby. The summer scenery was really pretty though, so that was nice.
Author
Glad the snakes didn’t ruin your time on the boat!
That runner is gorgeous. I can’t wait to see the IB one. I loved canoeing when I was growing up. We got a canoe directly from the Grumman factory on Long Island, and we would go camping and Dad would find a lake. When I was about 13, we went to a lake near Kingston, NY, on the Bleinham Gilboa hydro electric plant. Dad finally let me take the canoe out alone, and I was going fairly close to shore, parallel. The wind picked up and turned me around, so I turned back and went to the dock area. My dad was watching me with binoculars, and I was fully dressed, with shoes, and not wearing the preservers, but they were in the canoe with me. The wind picked up again, and this time lifted the canoe right over my head. I ended up in the water, with 5 preservers floating away. I got the canoe right side up, tossed the preservers and 2 paddles in the boat, and watched my dad climb down the boulders along the shore to help me. I was swimming in, and he would come closer, but looked like he was further away. He took off his belt and took his wallet out of his pants, then took off his shoes and socks and by that time I was just inches away, and he didn’t need to get wet. It was comical how that “movie” replays in my brain, but I do remember him yelling to stay with the boat and not worry about the preservers and paddles, but I was pretty proud he didn’t really need to rescue me. But my kerchief was gone, and my shoes were destroyed. I had to put my bathing suit on so I was dry for the drive back to camp.
Author
Wow, what a great memory – and so much fun that you managed it all!
I like the Crossed Canoe block too. My experience took place behind a boat – tubing. We do a thing called competitive tubing where two people are being towed at the same time and in order to win you must knock the other rider off of the tube by steering your tube into theirs (all in good fun). One time I was tubing against a much larger person and he crashed into my tube, knocking me flying. The way that I landed in the water somehow pulled my swim suit bottom off. So embarrassing but since I was in the water, nothing could be seen while I put it back on. I did learn that day to only tube in a one piece suit. Thanks!
Author
Well that story made me laugh out loud!
Very interesting block! It’s nice to have the die to help cut it all out – very pretty! Thanks for sharing! xx
Author
Thank you, I can tell you the die is really helpful!
I don’t think I ever registered that this block was the sum of four sections. Probably because depending on the color choices it looks so radically different. Love what you have done with it. Thanks for the construction background too. Oh my best boat story was the frist time I went out with a group canoeing ( I was in my 20’s) After about 15 minutes the guy I was with forbid me from putting the paddle in the water. Apparently my coordination was off and I kept sending the boat in circles. It was less work for him to do it all by himself than to have to keep straightening out what I was doing.
Author
We would be an awful team – you share the same rowing skills I do!
Your runner looks good on the table! We had a boat when I was small, and I remember being out in the water, the smell of the water together with fuel from the boat, and the light spray of water on you as the boat cut through the water.
Author
A wonderful memory!
I love the canoe block! I’ve made some with foundation paper piecing. My favorite time in a canoe was at a family reunion on Flathead Lake in Montana, rowing around with my cousins. Such a peaceful way to spend the afternoon.
Author
I love being on the water, but don’t do much rowing myself these days.
I once kayaked for 4 days on the Missouri River with no way out except to get to the end. It was so peaceful! I have never seen the canoe block before, but it looks fun!
Author
It sounds like a terrific trip!
Kathleen, I’ve been eyeing that AccuQuilt die since it came out! I love your table runner. I’ve never canoed or kayaked, but I do enjoy fishing in a boat! LOL Thanks for the opportunity to win some of that beautiful Island Batik fabric!
Author
Canoeing and kayaking can be a lot of work – have fished too in a boat many times – one from a Sears catalog!
Love the block. Helps remind me of being a Cub Scout leader and having newbies in a canoe in the shallow water of the lake near our home. Some appreciated boat safety and some did not. It certainly was an experience that put a dent in my sense of humor but did not discourage me from continuing to be a leader. Thanks for sharing.
Author
Yes, kids can do that to you! Glad it didn’t discourage you.
There is no favorite experience for me as I really don’t like to be on the water
Author
Well, that’s ok…I’ll still let you play. The water is not for everyone!
That is a really cool block – I haven’t ever seen that die before -interesting!
Author
Thank you! It is particularly nice they are all on one die!
Such pretty projects with that block. Looks like it’s so much easier with the die cutter.
Author
Thank you. I can tell you I have become a convert to the die cutters!
Love what you have done with this die. I have it as well and am struggling with color ways. Yours is lovely!
Author
Thanks, Leah. I do love this die, and expect to use it again.
What a beautiful block! I think this is the first time I have ever seen a canoe block. My biggest marine adventure was on the Mississippi River. Some friends and I rented a houseboat and didn’t really know what we were doing. We anchored (or thought we anchored) on a sandbar one night, and in the middle of the night someone shouted, “we are in the channel!!” and “there’s a barge!” We were very fortunate that the tow operator had sounded a horn and woken her up. We managed to get the boat started and steered it out of the path of the barge. Then we had to find a place to anchor again. (The houseboat had no lights). The tow operator apparently realized our predicament and shined floodlights along the shore until we found a place to anchor. After that we assigned someone to stay up at night 🙂 Other than that, it was a fun trip!
Author
That is a crazy story! I am glad you enjoyed the block.
I really like those Canoe blocks with your choice of fabric and placement! I’ve been looking at the die myself! Over the years I have enjoyed water and boats of different types. I always loved the ferries with the possibility of seeing dolphins. I used to go fishing on several different lakes in British Columbia, but the best adventure was when a dear friend decided I needed to learn how to use a kayak. Can you guess what happened? Yup, I did the under and back up again! Next summer I am spending a couple of weeks in the Okanagan Valley and we will get out kayaking again,
I lived on the McKenzie River in OR for 16 years & loved to raft or fish in a drift boat for salmon. Love the canoe block & (my AccuQuilt Go cutter)
Author
Fresh salmon is the best but living near water is one of my favorite things.
I love how the AccuQuilt-Go dies have the notches already cut out to make piecing a breeze. Lovely blocks!
Author
Isn’t it wonderful – I keep thinking I need to design more around accuquilt for that reason.
Thank you for linking up to Put your foot down with this great tutorial. I do love your Crossed Canoe runner.
Author
Thanks for hosting!
My great-uncle built a canoe in Kalispell, MT, and one time when my sister and I stayed with my grandma we were allowed to take the canoe to the lake and paddle around for a while. That was when I learned my grandma is not a confident swimmer! But my sister and I are, so we had a lot of fun.
Author
What a fun little story. I remember learning a similar thing about my grandmother – she would get on a bathing suit but never swim. I am now wondering if it was more common for that generation?
lol, I love how you checked out the instructions after you’d already sewn all your blocks for both projects….. 😀 I loved going kayak camping when I was a teen. Wrap up all your gear watertight and travel down a river or reservoir to your campsite. Such a peaceful way to spend a couple of days.
Author
I thought it was obvious….but you know, some of us think we know everything. I never took that kind of a trip (and probably won’t). I am much more the casual kayaker!
What a cute table runner! It looks perfect in your kitchen. Thanks for sharing your favorite block on Wednesday Wait Loss.
Hi Kathleen, your blocks are fabulous and I just love the table runner 🙂
Author
Thanks, Fi, I love the way it turned out.
Hi if I haven’t already said so, what a great post this is. I found the background and story interesting so thanks for sharing. I had no idea this block was an oldie. Your version is a beauty!
Author
Thanks so much!