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!

ARRANGING YOUR QUILT TOP

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

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

COMING UP IN WEEK 3 – BASTING YOUR QUILT

THESE COURSE NOTES ARE FOR THE EMAIL RECIPIENT ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT COPY OR SHARE THEM. IF YOU HAVE A FRIEND THAT WOULD LIKE A COPY PLEASE ASK THEM TO JOIN QUILT CLUB BY SIGNING UP TO THE NEWSLETTER.