There’s something about holiday sewing that always seems to sneak up on me.
One minute it’s September, and there’s loads of time…and the next thing you know, you’re wondering how December arrived so quickly – ha!
So, this year, I thought we’d get a little head start together 😊
The Merry Midnight Quilt Block Pattern is officially available, and to celebrate, I’m hosting a relaxed 4-week Merry Midnight Quilt-Along!
And when I say relaxed, I mean it.
There are no complicated schedules to follow and you definitely don’t need to make a full quilt. The idea is simply to choose a project that sounds fun, enjoy a little festive stitching, and hopefully have something finished before the holiday frazzles kick in.
Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to shop through them, at no extra cost to you. I only share fabrics and tools I genuinely love and would happily use myself.
Merry Midnight Quilt-Along
Following along with the Merry Midnight QAL? Here’s where you can find each step in our easygoing stitching adventure:
- Week 1 – Getting Started – Choose your project, pull your fabrics, and get ready to stitch.
- Week 2 – Cutting + Piecing – Press and cut your fabrics, then stitch up your Merry Midnight blocks.
- Week 3 – Basting + Quilting – Finalize your layout, baste your project, and add some quilty texture.
- Week 4 – Binding + Finishing – Add those final binding stitches and celebrate your Merry Midnight finish!
Meet the Merry Midnight Quilt Block
Originally designed for the Quiltmas Spectacular 2025, Merry Midnight was inspired by the excitement of midnight and that celebratory moment when one year ends, and another begins.
The 12½” unfinished block combines classic four-patch units and half-square triangles with some gentle curved piecing, making it a fun way to play with several quilting techniques in one project.
It’s designed for confident beginners, so if you’ve been curious about trying curves but haven’t felt ready to tackle an entire curved quilt, this is a nice little place to start.
Want the full story behind the design, along with my tips for piecing those quarter-circle curves? You can read my original Merry Midnight Quiltmas post here.
What Will Your Merry Midnight Become?
That’s entirely up to you!
Stitch one block and turn it into a festive placemat or pillow.
Make a few blocks for a wall hanging or table runner — which is what I’ll be making.
Or keep stitching and turn your blocks into a full quilt.
That’s one of the things I love about block patterns: you get to decide where your creative adventure takes you.
I’ll be sharing some guidelines for making my table runner as we stitch along, but feel free to make the project that fits your time, your space, and your holiday sewing plans.
| Project idea | Suggested starting point |
| Placemat | 1 block |
| Pillow | 1 block |
| Table runner | 3–5 blocks |
| Wall hanging | 4–6 blocks |
| Throw quilt | Build a layout to your preferred size |
Please note: Merry Midnight is a block pattern. Full quilt layouts and fabric requirements are not included.
Looking for more ideas? I shared several Merry Midnight project possibilities — including quilts, placemats, pillows and table runners — when I originally released the block as part of Quiltmas. Explore the Merry Midnight project ideas here.
What You’ll Need for the Merry Midnight Quilt-Along
One of the fun things about the Merry Midnight Quilt Block is that it’s perfect for working your stash!
In fact, that’s exactly what I did 😊
Keeping with my low-buy intentions for 2026, I opened up my Fabric Cabinet to see what I could make work rather than heading out to buy something new.
Since I’m making a table runner and wanted it to have a festive feeling without going the traditional holiday-colour route, I started with this fun tree print. It’s leftover from making my Winter Star quilt and, hurrah, I had the perfect amount to use as the backing for my table runner.
I always feel like I’m winning when things like that work out – ha!
From there, I found some yardage in my stash to help keep everything harmonious and unified before stumbling across these purple remnants.
Purple wasn’t on my radar at all when I started planning Merry Midnight, but these shades created such a fun little ombré effect that I couldn’t resist 😊
For my table runner, I’ve pulled:
- A series of 6 purple fabrics, all smaller than a fat quarter
- Coordinating yardage — I have at least ⅔ yard on hand since I’m still deciding whether I’ll make 4 or 5 blocks for a longer runner
- Backing fabric
- Binding fabric — still TBD!
- Batting
Remember, Merry Midnight is a block pattern, so your fabric needs will depend on what you decide to make. A placemat or pillow will require far less fabric than a table runner or quilt, which makes this a great opportunity to dig through your scraps and remnants and see what sparks an idea.
Here’s an overview of the fabrics I’ll be working with:
- Colour 1
- Colour 2
- Colour 3
- Colour 4
- Colour 5
- Colour 6 (I added an extra purple to ensure I had enough fabric on hand!)
- Colour 7 (background)
Tip – this project is the perfect place to dive into your scrap bin. I’ll be doing just that if I start running short on fabric 😉
Quilting Tools + Notions
You’ll also want your usual patchwork supplies handy:
- Merry Midnight Quilt Pattern
- Sewing machine
- Sewing machine needle
- 50wt Aurifil Thread for piecing
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat
- Ruler
- Iron
- Wool pressing mat – Use code SHANNONFRASER15 to save 15% on your small, medium or large wool pressing mat at The Felt Store Canada or The Felt Store USA. Offer cannot be combined with other discounts.
- Tailor’s Clapper (optional, but super helpful)
- Fine Mist Spray Bottle
- Seam Ripper (mistakes happen!)
- Marking tool
- Pins
- Pin cushion
You can find most of my favourite notions here.
Don’t feel like you need to have every notion on this list before you start. Your regular patchwork tools, the Merry Midnight pattern, and some fabric you’re excited to stitch with are really all you need to join the fun 😊
The Merry Midnight Quilt-Along
We’ll be stitching together over four easygoing weeks:
Week 1 – Pick Your Project + Pull Your Fabrics
Decide what your Merry Midnight block will become, choose your fabrics, and get everything organized for cutting and stitching next week.
Week 2 – Cut + Piece Your Blocks
Time to start stitching! We’ll get our fabrics pressed and cut, then I’ll share a few of my favourite tips for four-patches, HSTs, and curved piecing while we bring our Merry Midnight blocks to life.
Week 3 – Baste + Quilt
We’ll turn those blocks into projects with a little basting and quilting. I’ll bring you behind the scenes as I work on my table runner and encourage you to keep those stitches going too.
Week 4 – Bind + Finish
Those final stitches! Add your binding, admire your handiwork, and celebrate having a handmade holiday project finished well before December arrives 😉
Keep Exploring Table Runners:
Loving the idea of a smaller quilted project for your table? Here are a few more table runner projects to inspire your next stitching adventure.
Come Stitch Along!
There’s no separate registration and no extra QAL email series to keep track of. I’ll be sharing the weekly updates right here on the blog and in Studio Notes (sign up here).
And if you don’t start right away? No worries at all.
This is an easygoing sew-along. Jump in when you’re ready, make the project that sounds fun to you, and stitch at your own pace.
By the end of September, you could have a festive handmade project ready to decorate with, enjoy at your holiday table, or tuck away for gifting later.
Grab your copy of the Merry Midnight Quilt Block Pattern, pull some fabric, and come have a little holiday stitching fun with me 😊
I can’t wait to see what you make!
xo,
Shannon
P.S. Want more quilting inspiration? Join Studio Notes for behind-the-scenes projects, creative encouragement, helpful tutorials, and early access to new patterns and courses. I’d love to have you there.
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