Sunday 14 August 2011

one way to join pre-quilted blocks

Experience has shown me that there is almost always more than one way to do anything.

What I am about to show you is the way that I am joining my pre-quilted Country Houses quilt blocks. This method does not have any "tramways" where the batting is sewn together under sashing. In fact ,there is no sashing to my quilt. Each block has its own border and I have joined the blocks without any additional fabric.

This method is probably not the most time-efficient. There is a great deal of hand-sewing involved. It's only tacking and slip-stitching, neither of which can be seen (unless one looks very closely) so that's okay with me!So here we go. I'll call this Kerrie's method because I learnt it from Kerrie at Down Patchwork Lane; and I don't know where she learnt it!

Step 1: Trim all your blocks to the same size.

Step 2: Take your first two blocks. Check which side joins with which side. Pin only the tops of the blocks together and machine stitch with a 3/8 inch seam. Be careful not to catch your backing or wadding in the seam.

Step 3: Press the seam open.



Step 4: Go to the cutting table. Cut the wadding on both blocks to the seam line. I am not brave; I draw a pencil line and cut along that!
Step 5: Loosely stitch the two pieces of wadding together at the seam. Don't pull too tight or you will distort your block and the quilt won't lie flat. Be sure to use a light coloured thread so it doesn't show through your top or backing.

Step 6: Lay one piece of backing flat across the back of the other block. You can trim off any excess fabric if you want to - but not too much! Make sure it's completely flat.



Step 7: Fold the other piece of backing at the seam line. Press. Pin.


Step 8: Slip stitch (as you do for sewing down your binding) with an appropriately coloured thread.



Repeat steps 2-8 joining blocks into rows and then joining rows together (two at a time; that is, join Rows 1 and 2, join Rows 3 and 4, etc. When the rows have been paired, you can then join the paired rows together - in my case I will join Rows 1 and 2, then I will join Rows 3, 4, and 5, and finally join the paired rows to the three rows).


Easy peasy - and no tram tracks!

5 comments:

  1. You are so right in saying there is always more than one way to accomplish any task. I'm always amused when people tell me that there is only one real way to accomplish a goal. I can almost always think of at least three.

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  2. Very straight forward; I think it would be a very relaxing sewing job! I enjoy hand sewing so it wouldn't be bad. Very nice work.

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  3. Thanks for sharing that method. I've not been brave enough yet to try quilting my own stuff.

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  4. Thanks for all your comments on my blog. The chickens got eaten by a raccoon while we were on vacation. He seemed to know when we would be gone.

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  5. Thank you Lynne for letting me know via email about your tutorial. This is very clear and I will definitely refer to it next year when I piece together my wedding quilt - thanks so much!!

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