Watch how to quilt the snail’s trail quilt pattern (video & written instructions)

Do you know those slimy trails left by snails as they crawl across the blocks around your garden? They always glisten in the light from the sun, making them look almost like a work of art. It is a pattern that artists have drawn inspiration from since the beginning of time… and now you can use it for your quilt!
The snail’s trail pattern is a great pattern for beginners. There is a lot of cutting involved, but the overall process is fairly simple and straight forward. The swirling shapes look amazing on the quilt block, and the best part is, you don’t even have to touch anything slimy!
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Watch the snail trail quilt block technique video tutorial by Quilting Blocks & Patterns:
Materials
Two different colors of fabric
Thread
Sewing machine/sewing needle
Iron
Ruler
Scissors/rotary cutter
Pencil
Pro tip: The method I am describing in this article uses just two different color fabrics per snail’s trail block. If you would like to use more to make your block even more colorful, you can check out some tips on measurements and placements from Elven Garden Quilts.
Written Instructions
1. The first step is to cut out the squares you will need to make the shapes on your quilt block. From each of your two different fabrics, cut squares as follows: One 5 inch square, one 3 3/8 inch square, four 3 inch squares, and two 2 ¼ inch squares.
2. Next, take the two five-inch blocks and put them on top of each other, face to face, right sides together. Take your sewing machine or your needle, and sew around the border on all four sides, leaving a 1/4 inch seam allowance.
3. Take a pencil and a straight edge and draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other. Then, repeat with the other two corners, making an X. Cut along the lines you drew, and you will end up with four triangles, which you will unfold and press into four, 3 inch, bi-colored squares. If your squares are not 3 inches, trim a bit off the sides.
4. Next, take your two 3 3/8 inch squares and cut them all in half on the diagonal, corner to corner.
5. Now, take all of the squares and triangles you have made so far, and lay them out as in the pattern shown above. As you can see, it looks like two curving snail trails meeting up in the middle!
6. The next step is to sew them all together. Alanda from Alanda Craft recommends starting from the center and working your way out. You will have to sew each piece individually, taking one square of each color from the center squares (whose sides are touching), and put them face to face, then sew them together with a ¼ inch seam allowance, as seen in the video.
7. Once you have sewn together the four blocks in the center, press the block flat, then move on to sewing the surrounding triangles. Keep working your way out until you reach the outside edge of the block, and all of your pieces are joined.
And that’s it! You have a lovely snail trail block for your quilt, without even a smidge of slime.
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