National Parks Block Library – PDF Download

Rated 5.00 out of 5 based on 11 customer ratings
(11 customer reviews)

$49.00

Celebrate the majesty of nature and make your own National Park quilt!  Recreate the sunset in the Great Sand Dunes that made you stand in awe and wonder. Ponder the lives of people who went before us from historic sites. Hunt for the perfect fabrics to express the grandeur of the red giants. Remember the times that you hunted for moose and polar bears, but were “skunked”. Unlock your creativity with the National Park Block Library! Let fabric be your paint, and your needle or sewing machine be your needle!

Beginner Friendly.  Even if you have never used English or foundation paper piecing (or have struggled with either in the past). REALLY!

What you get in this library:

– 60+ patterns that make more than 200 of 419 sites in the US National Parks, and many in Canada! That makes each pattern less than $1! This library will allow you to create National Parks as well as National Historic Sites, National Monuments, and National Recreation Areas.
– Sample block ideas to stimulate your creativity! The patterns have been designed to be as specific or ambiguous as you want them to be.  Want to use the Denali block for Mount Rainer?  Go ahead!  It’ll work perfectly!
– One time purchase, with new blocks added to this purchase at no additional charge.
– Printable from any home computer on 8.5×11″ paper. Instant gratification!
– Membership in a quilt along group with how- to videos, personalized help from the designer! Get inspiration from fellow quilters!
– BONUS: Lifetime access to any blocks added to the library!

Let your creativity run wild with the National Park Block Library.  Create a quilt, pillow, or whatever you’d like. Dreams are sweeter under your own National Park quilt!

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National Parks Block Library – PDF Download

Unlock your creativity with treasured memories from your favorite adventures!  The National Park Block Library allows you to express your passion for our national treasures with illustrated quilting.

Do you remember the first National Park that took your breath away?  Or the one where you found yourself? Did you experience a sudden snow storm? Did you witness the most amazing sunset?  Or the one that you saw something you never expected?  Recreate that memory, or create the perfect picture with your own National Park quilt.  Whether you have been there, or the sites are on your bucket list, you’ll be inspired to explore more, and make more memories…and cherish the ones you’ve had, with the people you love.

This pattern is beginner friendly! There are many quilters who have never foundation or English paper pieced, and they are having BEAUTIFUL successes.

Tailor the blocks to resemble different aspects of parks.  Sample block ideas to stimulate your creativity:

  • Aspen trees for Parks like Yellowstone, Acadia, Rocky Mountain National, Grand Teton…
  • Squash Blossom or Teepee to honor the Native Americans.  Parks like Mesa Verde, Capital Reef, Chaco Canyon…
  • A campfire for your favorite place to have a campfire…or pair it with a star for Paul Revere’s home, or the Statue of Liberty.

  • A cactus for Saguaro NP (yes, this isn’t a saguaro cactus…), Death Valley, Mesa Verde….
  • A teepee for parks with nomadic Native Americans, like Bents Old Fort, Mount Rushmore, Sand Creek Massacre…
  • 54-40 block for James Polk Birth home, parks along the Oregon Trail…
  • A Star for Dark Sky Parks, or for coastal parks with sea stars, like Olympic, Alcatraz, even state parks (no need to limit yourself!!)…or patriotic parks like Mount Rushmore, Betsy Ross house (this ought to be a park!)…

  • Ohio Star for parks like Homestead, Parks along the Oregon Trail…to resemble the sun
  • A cannon for the 48 battlefield or fort sites….
  • A covered wagon for 17 sites along the Oregon, Santa Fe, Mormon, or California Trails…One quilter used a covered wagon to represent her family’s stay in Capitol Reef, where they glamped in a covered wagon!

  • A canoe for the 32 US sites with canoeing or kayaking, like Voyageurs, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton..
  • A Lighthouse for the 29 US sites with lighthouses.
  • Pine Trees for parks like Acadia, Rocky Mountain National, Glacier, Banff, Grand Teton, Olympic..
  • A bear for any of the 142 sites with bears
  • Dinosaur Footprints for the 200+ sites with fossils

Park specific blocks in this library include:

  • Old Faithful
  • Artist Point at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
  • Roosevelt Arch
  • Big Bend/Black Canyon of the Gunnison
  • Arches

  • Devils Tower
  • Mormon Row at Grand Teton
  • Kaloko-Honokohau

  • White House
  • Black Canyon of the Gunnison
  • Dinosaur National Monument
  • Modern Cross – shown for Mesa Verde

  • Airstream
  • Washington Monument

  • Kenai Fjords
  • Fish – for Alaskan parks, or parks where you went fishing!

  • Top left, and bottom right are Yosemite
  • Middle is Capitol Reef
  • Great Sand Dunes bottom middle

  • Golden Spike
  • Aspen Leaf
  • Lincoln Memorial
  • Maple Leaf

  • Dinosaur footprints
  • Sequoia
  • Yellowstone River
  • Denali

  • Performance parks
  • Thors Hammer in Bryce Canyon
  • Airstream (shown again)
  • Great Smoky Mountains

  • Saguaro

  • Bison

  • Hawai’i Volcanoes

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the difference between English and Foundation paper piecing?  Traditionally English paper piecing (EPP) has been with geometric shapes like hexagons and diamonds, and foundation paper piecing has allowed for illustrated patterns. At one point in my quilting journey, I discovered that I could use foundation paper piecing (FPP) templates for EPP. Eureka! Then I discovered curved EPP…paired with FPP illustrative ability, this pattern is very innovative.

English paper piecing is an old technique where fabric is wrapped around a piece of paper, and glue or thread basted to the piece of paper, and pieces are hand sewn together. If you’ve never tried this technique, don’t write it off.  I had written it off as well!  I hate hand piecing! The seams get wonky, and it never looks right. I never thought I would enjoy EPP, and I do! It’s completely different from FPP. The paper stabilizes the fabric, so there isn’t bunching and shifting.

Foundation paper piecing has gotten a bad wrap by people who haven’t had good luck with it, or a poor experience.  I’m an impatient sewer.  I have a hard time with 1/4″ seams.  So sewing along a line makes my life so much easier.  I have videos to show you how to FPP, and how easy it is.  FPP uses a sewing machine, and EPP uses a needle and tread.

I have had gals who have NEVER EPP or FPP’d in their life, and have had amazing results – not even beginners luck.

I have some gals who are using the EPP pattern with appliqué!! The possibilities are endless!!

Do you have a printed paper pattern available? Because this pattern library has monthly additions, in order to keep costs low, this purchase is only delivered in PDF.

I don’t have a printer, but I want the NP Block Library… You can print it at the library or send it to a print shop.

What kind of paper do I use? I use cheap copy paper for both EPP and FPP. No need to use card stock or expensive FPP paper!

I haven’t been to that many sites, maybe this isn’t the right pattern for me. That’s ok! Make a bucket list quilt with the places you want to go! Then “mark them off” with an embroidered patch!  You can use this pattern with state parks, or scouting events.  You could even make pillows from just your favorite sites!

I don’t collect patches, any ideas for the sign blocks?  You can embroider on them (by hand or machine). You could write on them with a fabric pen…you could even use vinyl and a vinyl cutting machine!  No need to be limited here 🙂

11 reviews for National Parks Block Library – PDF Download

  1. Hannah Peterson –

    The National Park Library is such a great project for remembering travels or dreaming of future ones! Many of the patterns are simple if you’re new to paper piecing but there are also more complicated ones if you like a healthy challenge. I highly recommend this pattern library!

  2. Kathy Ewell –

    Love these patterns. Trying to get mine together to show my adventures

  3. Trish Bronk –

    Love this group and love the patterns! This is a no pressure way to learn a new skill with lots of help and good advice!

  4. Rebecca Miller Macijowsky –

    I have purchased your NPS FPP, have only done 3 so far but am loving them.

  5. Susan Foley –

    I love these patterns. They give me a chance to reflect on our trips to the NPs and encourages us to go and experience more. I Like the fact that I can use both EPP and FPP with my purchase. I like to move between the two different types of patterns depending on travel and home sewing. I highly recommend these to anyone who likes to sew.

  6. Mary Anne Stigen –

    I’m getting my to go kits ready for our road trip! Patterns are easy to follow and adaptable for lots of parks! Can’t wait to hit the road and start stitching!

  7. Carol Sylvester –

    I love how flexible these patterns are. You can really play with different fabrics to achieve the look of favorite spots & memories. The support, both here on the Fiona Sandwich site, and on facebook has been incredible. The videos have helped this newbie FPPer get started, and Rachael is very responsive to questions. Highly recommend!!

  8. Maureen Bryson –

    These are awesome designs. Easy ones for those just starting FPP, to more advanced as your skills improve. I have really enjoyed putting these blocks together, finding fun fabrics to use, and letting some hidden creativity loose. What a fun project, whether a few as a pillow, more as a wall hanging, or lots as a quilt.

  9. Barbara Makovec –

    This pattern series was my I initiation into foundation piecing. The patterns are so detailed and easy to work with! The online support and suggestions should encourage any quilter to give it a try!

  10. Jan Wertz –

    I love these patterns and the support I receive . The community that has been established, sharing our creations has been invaluable as well as the tutorials when I feel a bit in over my head. And I love that more blocks are co tinted to be designed.

  11. Libby Riemersma –

    This is a wonderful pattern set. I’m so happy that I purchased it. I especially love the thriving community of other quilters and that the designer herself is so involved and encourages creativity within this set of patterns. This project can be as simple or complicated as you wish to make it.

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