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WEEK 2 – YOUR FIRST QUILT – ASSEMBLING YOUR QUILT TOP
Hi Everyone, I hope you are now feeling comfortable with your rotary cutter and have your 49 x 9” squares ready to go! This week you will arrange your cut squares for your quilt top and sew them together, making your quilt top. This is a big week, but probably the most exciting of the six weeks, because by the end you will really see your quilt coming together.
Here’s what I want you to do: Watch my YouTube videos and read the notes, then lets get those squares out and start making your quilt top!
VIDEOS TO WATCH | Week 2 – Part A – Arranging your quilt top Week 2 – Part B – Sewing your quilt top together |
TO READ | Week 2 Assembling your quilt top |
QUICK TIPS | How to change feet on a sewing machine Quarter inch seam allowance |
PDF SUPPLIED | Print and cut out the “Column Number Cards” or write out by hand and cut to be the same |
TOOLS NEEDED | Pins, scissors, seam ripper, quarter inch foot, sewing machine needles, sewing machine, iron, ironing board |
SUPPLIES NEEDED | 49 x 9” squares, thread |
NOTES |
Please be super careful to not lose any pins when pinning your quilt top together. Don’t put them loose on your bed, table or floor. Take one as you use it and put them back when finished
1/4” seam allowances are standard when quilting and always what you should use when sewing your quilt top, unless it is stated otherwise
Seam rippers are useful to have on hand for when mistakes happen, and they do happen. If you are unhappy with your stitches, take the time to unpick and resew
When sewing quilt tops you do not need to backstitch at the beginning and ending of your sewing because we will be sewing across these seams later
Setting the seams sets the stitches into the fabric, making the stitches stronger and lay flatter when ironed
When pressing you may choose to use steam and/or starch, that is entirely up to you
ARRANGING YOUR QUILT TOP
TASK | Arranging your cut squares for quilt top |
TOOLS NEEDED | Pins |
SUPPLIES NEEDED | 49 x 9” squares (and any other spares you may have) Print and cut out “Column Number Cards” OR write out and cut to be the same |
1. GET YOUR TOOLS AND SUPPLIES READY
Take all 49 x 9” squares and start roughly laying them out
Start by laying out 7 columns
Then lay out 7 rows
Then fill in all the blanks with the remaining squares
Arrange until you are happy with how all the squares are placed
You may have a pattern in mind, or you may want them to be randomly placed
Some things you might want to look for are:
- two of the same fabric sitting next to each other
- the same fabrics on the borders
- too many of the same depth of color together
- too much of the same pattern type together
- check patterns are sitting in the right direction
- sometimes it’s useful to take a break and come back to it with fresh eyes
- you can also try taking a photo to see it from another perspective to see if anything looks out of place
2. PIN THE COLUMN NUMBER CARDS TO THE TOP OF EACH COLUMN
Print and cut out “Column Number Cards” OR write out and cut to be the same
On the top row, number the squares 1-7 by pinning your “column number cards” to each square
3. PIN YOUR QUILT TOP TOGETHER FOR SEWING
Pin each numbered column loosely together OR if you prefer you can stack them
Carefully fold each column to prepare to sew
SEWING YOUR QUILT TOP TOGETHER
TASK | Sewing your quilt top together |
TOOLS NEEDED | Pins, scissors, seam ripper, quarter inch foot, sewing machine, iron, ironing board, sewing machine needles |
SUPPLIES NEEDED | 49 x 9” squares prepared for sewing together, thread |
1. GET YOUR TOOLS AND SUPPLIES READY
Set up your sewing machine with lots of space, so you can freely move and access your scissors, seam ripper, etc.
Adjust your stitch length to 2
Ensure your ¼ foot is attached
Check your sewing machine is stitching correctly by doing a practice run on scrap fabric
2. SEW YOUR SQUARES TOGETHER
Take squares for column 1
Follow the *** Sewing a column steps***
*** Sewing a column steps***
Starting with the first pin
Remove the pin
Line up the beginning, end and edges of the squares
Pin together at the beginning, middle and end
Sew
Repeat these steps until you have sewn all squares together in the column
Take squares for column 2, repeat *** Sewing a column steps ***
Repeat for columns 3 – 7
3. SET AND PRESS YOUR SEAMS WITH AN IRON
Take column 1
Set your stitches by pressing every piece sewn together in your column
Work out what direction you are pressing, this is on the “Column Number Cards”
Ensuring you are going in the right direction
Finger press the seam
Press the seam with your iron
Repeat for columns 2-7
4. SEW YOUR COLUMNS TOGETHER
Pin columns 1 & 2 together, paying extra attention to where the seams meet, and nesting them together
Sew columns 1 & 2 together
Check you are happy with your where all your seams meet, if you are not happy unpick your stitches and start again
Pin columns 2 & 3 together, paying extra attention to where the seams meet, and nesting them together
Sew columns 2 & 3 together
Check you are happy with where all your seams meet, if you are not happy unpick your stitches and start again
Repeat until columns 1-7 are sewn together in the correct order
5. SET AND PRESS YOUR SEAMS WITH AN IRON
Set your stitches by pressing every column sewn together with your iron
Press seams in the direction that works best for you
Finger press the seams in the direction you decided on
Press the seam with your iron
6. CUT OFF LOOSE THREADS
Cut loose threads that are on the right side of your quilt top
TASK | Preparing your backing |
Basting your quilt | |
TOOLS NEEDED | Quilting basting pins, scissors, painters/masking tape, sewing machine, iron, ironing board/mat |
SUPPLIES NEEDED | Batting, backing, your finished quilt top |
NOTES | You may want to use a spray baste, I have always used pins, but this is entirely up to you |
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