February Instructions
Snail's Trail Block
Welcome to Block 1 of our Make it Modern Block of the Month. This month we are making a Snail's Trail block.
For your traditional block, here are 2 approaches to piece it:
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This classic piecing tutorial for the classic Snail's Trail block will help you create a 12” block. There are additional links to other sizes in the resources section of the block down at the end for anyone looking to make a mini quilt or something smaller.
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For paper piecing, check out this free Snail's Trail FPP pattern from McCall’s
Let's start looking at the traditional block, and a couple ideas for re-interpretation.
Traditional Block
Traditional Block
Be careful! Learn from this "whoops!"
| Re-interpreted Block different color placement
Re-interpreted Block bold look with lots of patterned fabrics
| Re-interpreted Block accentuated the wonky angles.
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Go slow and pay attention to your placement of those triangles! Things can get wonky pretty fast if you put one in the wrong place. As you can see, in the end it all turned out OK!
Tutorial for using FPP:
A photo essay that shows how to piece blocks. FPP (Foundation Paper Piecing) method using re-useable foundation paper
Fat quarter shop has some 12in FPP snail trail paper here.
Snail's Trail block inspiration ideas
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Bold or monochromatic colors: Black and white? Shades of the same color? Only neutrals?
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Scale: Shave that snail tail (the red part) down to a thin sliver, can you make it super skinny?
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Layout: Do you need 2 tails? What about only 1? 3?
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Negative Space: How would it change the block to only go 2-3 triangles in? Or to start the “tails” out later in the block?
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Wonky or ruler-free cutting: Go wild and just start cutting!
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Fabric choices (crumbs, textured fabrics, etc.): How would the quilt feel with a velvet for the “tails”? Or minky?
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Minimalism: All white and use your quilting to make the “trail”?
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Asymmetry: Focus on one “tail” or set the block on point so it looks like something new
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Fussy Cutting: Can you make a trail of tiny animals marching out along your trail?
Other Sizes
Want your blocks larger or smaller than 12”? Here are some other size options:
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The Spruce Crafts offers this Snail's Trail Quilt Block Pattern that results in 9" blocks
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A Modern Quilting Blog, 3AND3QUARTERS, offers this Mini Snail Trail Block Tutorial, which gives you a 5" block.