[For 2023, we combined this week with Week 5, so you can skip over this post and head to quilt top assembly.]
Awww yeah!!!! This is the final week of piecing! Are you excited to see your quilt coming together before your eyes? Next week is when it all comes together, but first, let’s finish making the final triangle blocks.
Arctic Vortex Quilt Along
Dates: October 3 through November 27, 2023
Duration: 8 weeks
Quilt Sizes: Tree skirt or hexagonal quilt:
- Large: 53” x 61”
- Medium: 47” x 56”
- Mini: 23” x 28”
Schedule
Week 1: Pick your fabrics, get your pattern, plan your coloring sheet
Week 2: Cut, label, and organize your pieces
Week 3: Make 3 Vortex Blocks
Week 4: Make 3 Vortex Blocks
Week 5: Make 12 Setting Triangles
Week 6: Assemble quilt top & Prepare to quilt
Week 7: Quilt
Week 8: Bind
Read the FAQs
Step 1: Make strip sets.
Check the Arctic Vortex Quilt pattern for how many strip sets to sew and which order the fabrics go in. Remember to double check if the instructions call for WOF (40-ish inches) or half-WOF strips.
Whether you’re making a mini quilt and excited to finally start sewing, or if you just want a refresher on sewing tricky angles:
Step 2: Sub-cut strip sets
Use the measurements in the pattern to measure the long edge of each trapezoid, then cut at the angle shown in the diagrams.
Step 3: Assemble setting triangles
The trapezoids are cut a bit generously, so it’s ok if you have a little hanging off the bottom of your triangle. You can either trim it off now, or after you finish quilting. Attach the small trapezoid to the right side of the center triangle first.
If you’re making the large size, attach sashing strips.
Step 4: Share!
Share your 6 beautiful Setting Triangles on Instagram using #ArcticVortexQAL
Giveaway is closed
This week’s prize is a $25 gift card to Saltwater Fabrics!
Saltwater Fabrics is a friendly little online fabric shop. We have modern fabric by the yard, carefully curated bundles, quilt kits and notions.
We – Harley, Rachel, Oscar & Sam – are a husband, wife, and dog team living on the coast of Maine. In July of 2016, just over a decade after our first date (pizza on a Friday after school), we (Harley and Rachel) finally tied the knot!
Rachel started sewing when she was about eight years old and has loved it ever since. After graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, she worked in industry and also created her own business designing and making handbags.
Harley joined the Marine Corps immediately after high school, deploying as a rifleman to both Iraq and Afghanistan. He is currently pursuing a degree in mathematics.
Oscar is a handsome chocolate lab. He likes swimming, catching tennis balls, and digging enormous holes at the beach. Sam is an adorable hound/boxer mix that we rescued shortly after getting married. He likes eating, snuggling, and chewing his toys. Oscar and Sam love playing and running around together.
With shared entrepreneurial dreams and complementary skill sets, it was a natural decision for us to start our own small business, and Saltwater Fabrics was born in the fall of 2014. Thank you for stopping by!

Head over to the Instagram post for details on the giveaway! Best of luck!
Don’t forget to check out all our amazing sponsors!