RBD Block Challenge 2025 - Week 11: Crown Jewel
This week, we’re adding a touch of elegance to our quilts with Crown Jewel, a stunning block designed by Sandy Gervais of Pieces from My Heart. With its layered details and star-like geometry, this block truly lives up to its regal name!
Reflections: Stitching Brilliance
Working on Crown Jewel felt like crafting a little treasure. The intricate Half Square Triangles (HSTs) and angular arrangements allowed for playful color placement while maintaining a sense of sophistication.
For my version, I turned to my It Takes a Village collection, focusing on warm yellows, deep blues, and soft creams to give the block a regal yet approachable feel. The process reminded me of setting gemstones into a crown—each piece finding its perfect place to shine.
A Closer Look at Crown Jewel
Crown Jewel is a 10" x 10" finished block that features HSTs, small squares, and sharp, clean lines. Sandy’s thoughtful design makes this block both rewarding and achievable, whether you’re just beginning or an experienced quilter.
My Approach
Here’s how I made Crown Jewel uniquely mine:
- Fabric Choices: I selected prints from It Takes a Villageto create depth and contrast, letting warm yellows and deep blues form the focal points.
- Highlighting Symmetry: Balancing colors across the HSTs and corner units emphasized the star-like symmetry at the heart of the design.
- Tips for Success:
- Mark and sew HSTs carefully to maintain sharp points and consistent sizes.
- Lay out the pieces before stitching to ensure color placement complements the block’s geometry.
- Press seams toward darker fabrics to create a clean, polished look.
Fabrics I Used
- It Takes a Village by Jennifer Long, Sew A Story for Riley Blake Designs
- Confetti Cottons by Riley Blake Designs
Your Turn
Crown Jewel is a chance to let your creativity shine. Whether you choose bold colors for a dramatic effect or softer tones for subtle elegance, this block is sure to dazzle.
I’d love to see how you bring Crown Jewel to life! Share your progress on Instagram and tag @sewastory, @gervaissandy, @rileyblakedesigns, and #RBDblockchallenge. Let’s inspire each other and celebrate the creativity in our quilting community!
What is the RBD Block Challenge?
The Riley Blake Designs Block Challenge is a free quilt-along featuring 16 unique blocks created by Riley Blake’s talented designers.
- New blocks released every Tuesday through May 27, 2025.
- Perfect for quilters of all levels.
- Completely free to participate!
Find all the details and resources here:
Let’s keep quilting together—I can’t wait to see your Crown Jewel blocks!
