Welcome to to the sixth block for the Summer Sampler Turns 10 Quilt Along. If you are following along on Instagram, please tag us @swimbikequilt @lee.a.heinrich @freshlemonsquilts and use our hashtag #summersamplerturns10.

I’m so happy to be sharing another link for a free block pattern with you. This week’s block is the Arkansas Traveler Block, with a tutorial written by Lee Heinrich. The block s paper pieced, just like last week’s. My original block is below, in the bottom right corner.

You may notice that it looks a little different than the block posted above—that is because it is! Same basic shape, and a modification of the diamonds. You can choose whichever block you like best, and make that one.

2011 Arkansas Traveler Tutorial

Lee’s block is pictured below—I love the peachy orange solids that she used. I think it would be fun to see this block using a dark background, or switching the white and darker orange here.

Lee also put together a video for this block. She identifies the “outer edge” on the paper piecing template, which I of course cut off—the block layout wasn’t intuitive for me, so make sure to check out the photos in her blog post or her video if you cut them out and go… what? [Of course, if I had pieced them or even colored the different sections it would have made sense.]

Watch Lee's Arkansas Traveler Video

If you are new to paper piecing or want a refresher, Lee’s video, “Never Tear Out Paper Piecing Stitches Again,” is one of my favorite paper piecing tips!

Video: Never Tear Out Paper Piecing Stitches Again

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The original 2011 quilt along was based on blocks that we found in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns, which soon after became almost impossible to find. Good news: if you are interested in Brackman’s Encyclopedia, which included 4,000+ blocks, you can find an updated version here.

Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Blocks