Quilt-Alongs (QALs)
Group quilting projects where participants sew the same pattern on the same schedule — free and paid, mystery and reveal, six weeks and twelve months. Join an active QAL or host your own.
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Sign in to host a QAL →What is a quilt-along?
A quilt-along — “QAL” if you're typing — is a group quilting project where a designer or host releases a pattern in installments and participants sew it on the same schedule. Each week or month the next installment drops, participants make that section, and they share progress on social media using a shared hashtag. By the end, everyone has finished the same quilt at roughly the same time. QALs are part class, part book club, part community challenge.
The format took off in the mid-2000s on quilting blogs and exploded with the rise of Instagram in the 2010s. Designers like Camille Roskelley, Bonnie Hunter, and Amy Smartbuilt large QAL communities that drew thousands of participants per round. Bonnie Hunter's annual Quiltville mystery quilt, released in six weekly clues every November and December, became one of the largest organized quilting events of the modern era. Today QALs run constantly across designer blogs, YouTube channels, Instagram hashtags, and dedicated platforms like NiftyFifty.
How a quilt-along works
- 1
Watch for the announcement and sign up
Designers and hosts announce QALs through their newsletters, blogs, and Instagram. Most QALs have a 1–2 week sign-up window before the first installment drops. Signing up is usually free; some QALs ask you to commit by buying the pattern in advance.
- 2
Gather your fabric before the first installment
The fabric requirements list is published one or two weeks before the QAL begins. Pull from your stash or buy new — but have everything cut, pressed, and stacked before week one. Once the QAL starts, you don't want to be scrambling for fabric.
- 3
Sew each installment as it drops
Weekly QALs publish a new pattern installment every Monday (or whatever day the host picks). Monthly QALs release on the first of each month. Sew through the installment at your pace within that week or month. Don't try to be first; just don't fall too far behind.
- 4
Post progress on the shared hashtag
Every QAL has a hashtag (the host announces it). Post a progress photo each week on Instagram with that hashtag. The community looks at the hashtag to see what everyone else is making — it's the social heart of the QAL.
- 5
Finish your top by the QAL end date
Most QALs end with the quilt top finished — quilting and binding happen afterward. Some QALs include a finish-along event at the end where stragglers can share their finished quilts weeks later. Don't quit because you're a week behind; finish-alongs exist for exactly this.
- 6
Tag the host in your finish photo
When your quilt is bound and washed, take a good photo and post it with the QAL hashtag and a tag to the designer. This is the etiquette — it's how the QAL community gets credit and grows.
Want the deep dive? Read the complete quilt-along guide — picking the right QAL, surviving a 12-week schedule, what to do when you fall behind, and how to finish strong.
Types of quilt-alongs
Free QAL
The most common format. Pattern is free, community is free, you provide your own fabric. Hosted on a designer's blog or Instagram. Examples: most Pat Sloan QALs, Bonnie Hunter mysteries.
Paid QAL (Class-Based)
Subscription QALs run by online quilting schools. Include video instruction and a private community. $40–200 for the full course. Examples: Patchwork School, Sewing Studio.
Mystery QAL
Pattern released weekly with the finished design hidden until the final clue. Trust the designer; reveal at the end. Bonnie Hunter's annual Quiltville mystery is the gold standard.
Block of the Month QAL
12-month QAL with one block per month. Pace is leisurely; produces sampler quilts. Most quilt shops run one or two BOM QALs at any time.
Sew-Along (SAL)
Same format applied to non-quilt projects — garment sewing, bags, embroidery samplers. Often runs through the same Instagram-and-private-group structure.
Charity QAL
QAL where all finished quilts get donated to a specific charity — Quilts of Valor, Project Linus, a local hospital. Community-build feel of a QAL paired with charity tradition.
Holiday QAL
Short QAL (4–6 weeks) themed around a specific holiday — Christmas, Halloween, Independence Day. Released early enough that finished quilts are ready for the holiday.
Year-Long QAL
Designer runs back-to-back QALs through the year — spring, summer, fall, winter. Subscribers get a year's worth of patterns + community.
Frequently asked questions
What is a quilt-along?+
A quilt-along — often called a QAL — is a group quilting project where a designer or host releases a pattern in installments and participants sew it on the same schedule. Each week or month the next installment drops, participants make that section, and they share progress on social media using a shared hashtag. By the end, everyone has finished the same quilt at roughly the same time. QALs are part class, part book club, part community challenge.
What does QAL stand for?+
QAL stands for "quilt-along". It's been standard quilting shorthand since around 2010 when designers began running organized group projects on blogs and Instagram. Used as a noun ("join a QAL") or as a verb ("QAL-ing").
Are quilt-alongs free?+
Most QALs are free to join — the community participation costs nothing. The underlying pattern may be free (some designers release patterns installment by installment at no cost) or paid (you buy the pattern PDF separately for $10–25, then participate in the free QAL community). Paid QALs are usually class-based with video instruction and run $40–200 for the full course.
How long do quilt-alongs run?+
Typical QALs run 6 to 12 weeks with weekly installments. Block of the month QALs run 12 months with monthly installments. Bonnie Hunter's annual Quiltville mystery runs 6 weeks from late November to early January. Shorter QALs (4 weeks) are common for small projects; longer ones (12+ months) are usually block of the month formats.
What's the difference between a quilt-along and a mystery quilt?+
In a regular QAL, the finished design is shown upfront — you see the sample and you sew toward it. In a mystery quilt, the design is hidden until the final clue. Mysteries require trust in the designer; you're sewing units week by week without knowing how they'll assemble. Bonnie Hunter's annual mystery is the most famous example. Both formats use installment-based pattern release; only the visibility of the finished design differs.
What's the difference between a quilt-along and a block of the month?+
A quilt-along runs over weeks (often 6–12) with weekly installments and is usually focused on a single quilt pattern. A block of the month (BOM) runs over twelve months with one block per month and produces a sampler quilt at the end. QALs are intense and short; BOMs are leisurely and long.
How do I find a quilt-along to join?+
Browse active QALs on NiftyFifty (above). Follow your favorite designers' newsletters and Instagram accounts for QAL announcements; most yearly QALs start in January or September. Search Instagram for hashtags like #qal, #quiltalong, or specific QAL names. Big sites like Fat Quarter Shop, Moda Bakeshop, and Pat Sloan's blog run free QALs regularly.
Can a beginner do a quilt-along?+
Yes. Many QALs are explicitly beginner-friendly. Look for words like "beginner", "first quilt", or "easy piecing" in the QAL announcement. Avoid your first QAL being one that uses paper piecing, Y-seams, or curves. Simple charm-pack or jelly-roll QALs are wonderful first projects.
What is a finish-along?+
A finish-along is a wrap-up event some QALs run at the end of their schedule. Quilters who fell behind during the main QAL run can submit their finished quilts weeks or months after the official end date. Most QALs have a finish-along because most participants don't finish on time — life happens. It's the supportive culture that makes QALs welcoming.
Looking for the 2026 QAL calendar?
We publish an annual calendar of confirmed and upcoming quilt-alongs — designer-run free QALs, paid class QALs, mystery quilts (including Bonnie Hunter's annual Quiltville mystery), and block-of-the-month programs starting in 2026.
View the 2026 quilt-along calendar →