“54-40 or Fight” Quilt Block

Instructor: Jan Jolly

Day & Date: Thursday, July 24, 2025

Time: 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tuition: $85.00

Ages: 18 and Up

Experience Level: Students must be advanced beginners- comfortable with rotary cutting, sewing with accurate 1/4 inch seam allowance, and know basic quilting.

Students Please Bring:

• Basic quilting supplies including:  rotary cutter, pins, scissors, thread (Aurafil recommended) seam ripper, fabric, marking pen or pencil, long acrylic ruler, 3.5 OR 6 inch square ruler
• Deb Tucker’s “V Block” ruler
• 4.5 yards of light value fabric for the background
• 3 yards of medium value fabric
• 3.5 yards of dark value fabric for the stars
• OR bring scrap fabrics in order to learn how to construct the blocks to make this quilt in future!  
• Note taking materials.
• (Optional) A snack and/or water bottle. Filtered water is available in the classroom.

The “54-40 or Fight” quilt block (interesting name and we’ll talk about its history) is a beautiful and versatile block that can be constructed in several ways.  Combining this block with a Snowball block produces the illusion of graceful and stunning curves.  We will learn how to make both of these blocks while learning several piecing options for each.  You will gain the knowledge to make either the “Tennessee Waltz” or the Oklahoma Foxtrot” quilt, depending on your construction choice.  This quilt works best with three fabrics of light, medium and dark value.  The above fabric yardage is to make a quilt top approximately 75” X 93”. 

Notes from Jan: I recommend using just three different fabrics, however in the quilt pictured I also mixed in some jewel tone fabrics which is an option if you want to use up some scraps.

Students can work on making blocks for the 75 inch by 93 inch quilt top with the yardage listed, *OR* they can bring scrap fabrics in order to learn how to construct the blocks to make this quilt in future!  

An additional fee for materials provided by your instructor for this workshop is estimated at $0.00 THIS FEE IS PAYABLE TO THE INSTRUCTOR at the time of the workshop. Material fees may change depending on the number of participants and price of materials at the workshop. *Payment by cash or check is required for materials fees. 

* We contract with local and regional instructors for short workshops that generally require a minimum of 4 students to run. If you have any questions, you’re welcome to call Olive’s Porch for up-to-date enrollment information. To respect our instructor’s time and preparation for workshops please contact us as soon as possible if you are unable to attend a workshop. Cancellations made more than 14 days prior to a workshop will be issued a full refund. Cancellations made 14 or less days prior to your workshop are not eligible for a refund. If Olive’s Porch needs to cancel a workshop for any reason, we will issue a full refund. See our General Information and Policies page on our website for more information. 

About Instructor: Jan Jolly has been quilting since 1979.  She moved to Brasstown from Asheville, NC in 2022 and lives just up the road from the Folk School.  Jan entered her first international quilt show in 1999, winning 2nd place for best use of color.  Her quilting has been published several times in “Quick Quilts Magazine.”  Over the years, she has designed and completed hundreds of quilts from simple to advanced heirlooms. Jan’s quilts, and her personality, are vibrant and infused with joy and love. In addition to quilting, she also loves crocheting and gardening.