Let's Stitch 365 Quilt Block Designs: How to Use This Book

By Piece N Quilt | Published: 2026-10-14

Category: How-to Guides

Learn how to use Let's Stitch - 365 Quilt Block Designs as a daily practice companion, from setting up your workspace to tracking progress and building a quilt block reference you'll actually stitch.

Quick answer

Treat Let's Stitch - 365 Quilt Block Designs as a daily companion workbook, not a novel to finish. Set up a dedicated workspace, choose a block based on the book's 6-inch square, circle, or triangle sections, then watch the QR-linked machine quilting videos before you stitch. Use the autographed edition as your reference and practice log so each session builds on the last.

Set up your daily practice station

Before you open the book, clear a surface where the workbook can stay flat and visible. Because this is a 440-page full-color companion, you'll want it propped or laid open rather than balanced on your lap. Keep your marking tools, a pencil, and a few fabric squares within reach so a 10-minute session doesn't turn into a 20-minute setup.

A common mistake is treating the book as a coffee-table read. It's designed to be worked in, so protect the spine by using a book stand or a weighted clip. If you plan to stitch along with the free A Block A Day class, queue that video on a separate device so you can pause and rewind without flipping pages.

Choose blocks by shape, not by page number

The book organizes designs into 6-inch square, circle, and triangle sections. Start with the shape you're most comfortable quilting, then rotate to a less familiar one once a week. This keeps daily quilt block practice fresh without forcing you into a shape that fights your current skill level.

Don't skip the QR codes. Each one links to a prospective machine quilting video, which means you can preview the stitching path before you commit thread to fabric. If a QR code won't scan, type the linked title into your video app rather than guessing at the design; the book's value is in the illustrated reference, and the video confirms motion.

Build a reference habit, not a finish-every-page race

The fastest way to stall is to treat 365 designs as a deadline. Instead, pick three to five blocks per week and note the ones that felt awkward. Over a month, you'll have a personal index of quilt block ideas that actually suit your machine and hand speed.

Use the blank margins or a separate notebook to sketch variations. This is a quilt block reference book, so the goal is recall: when a future quilt top needs a filler design, you want to flip to a section and recognize a shape you've already stitched. Mark pages with sticky tabs by shape and difficulty so you're not re-reading 440 pages to find one design.

How to use Let's Stitch in seven steps

Set a 15-minute daily slot: Pick a consistent time when you can open the workbook and stitch one design without interruption. Fifteen minutes is enough to trace a shape and quilt a sample square. Checkpoint: if you miss a day, resume the next day rather than doubling up. Consistency beats catch-up.
Open to one shape section: Choose either the 6-inch square, circle, or triangle section and work through designs in order within that shape. Don't jump between all three in one session. Mistake to avoid: sampling a circle design when your machine is set up for straight-line squares. Reset your feet and tension first.
Scan the QR code before stitching: Watch the linked machine quilting video for that design, then close the video and stitch from the book's illustration. The video shows motion; the book shows the finished path. Checkpoint: if the video won't load, sketch the design twice on paper before touching fabric.
Stitch one sample block: Use a scrap sandwich sized to the 6-inch format so you're not wasting good fabric. Quilt the design once, then assess thread tension and stitch length. Mistake to avoid: quilting the full design on a large quilt top before testing it on a small sample.
Note the awkward spots: Write a one-line note next to the design: what felt tight, where you paused, or which direction was easier. This turns the book into your personal quilt block reference. Checkpoint: if you have no notes after three designs, you're stitching on autopilot. Slow down and observe.
Tab your favorites by shape: Use sticky tabs in three colors, one per shape, so you can return to a proven design when a future quilt top needs filler quilting. Mistake to avoid: tabbing every page. Limit tabs to designs you'd actually repeat.
Review weekly and pick next week's blocks: At the end of each week, choose three to five designs for the coming week based on the notes you made. Rotate shapes so you keep building range. Next step: if you want guided motion practice, pair the workbook with a PNQ Academy video course before your next session.

Product facts

Let's Stitch - 365 Quilt Block Designs: Let's Stitch - 365 Quilt Block Designs is a 440-page full-color companion workbook to Natalia Bonner's free A Block A Day class, with 6-inch square, circle, and triangle sections and QR codes linking to machine quilting videos. Autographed editions are available. The shape-based organization and video links let you practice deliberately instead of flipping randomly, and the autographed edition makes it a durable reference you'll keep near your machine.
Machine Quilt A Sunflower Quilt with Natalia Bonner: Machine Quilt A Sunflower Quilt with Natalia Bonner is a PNQ Academy video course that walks through machine quilting on a panel. If you want to see Natalia's quilting motion in real time before applying the workbook designs, this short course gives you a guided example to follow.