Basic Quilting Tutorial: PIECING

I promised to write a quilt tutorial for a reader who asked that I help her to get started with a small, easy quilt. Read that post here.
I'm publishing this now with the hopes that anyone who sees an error or has a suggestion or tip will chime in.  Email me at mary.marcotte@gmail.com and I'll add your ideas or make changes.

Chain stitching

I been think it's probably necessary to include a little of everything: basic piecing, applique, quilting, and finishing; but I've decided that to make things easy I should divide the tutorial into the four sections. Today I begin with piecing.  For the neutrals quilt that I'm working on, I cut four and a half inch squares. 

Any size squares will work, but I'm doing the math for the 4 1/2 squares.  Because I want this quilt to be a little larger than crib size, I've chosen to make 12 strips of 10 blocks each for a 40 x 48 inch quilt.  (Crib size is generally 36 x 40).

Once you have the 120 blocks cut, begin stitching by chain piecing the squares.  Put two squares together right sides facing and stitch the first pair, then get the second pair, make 2-3 stitches with no fabric under the needle, and slide the square under the needle.  Continue in this fashion until you have a long chain of pairs all connected by the thread.  Cutting them apart takes only seconds and your ready to begin the second chain. 

Snip the thread so the pairs are separated and you're ready to begin the next chain.  Open two sets of squares and place side by side.

When you sew the two sets together, you will get a row of four squares all lined up in one line.  You should sew up several of these.  For your first quilt, don't worry too much about keeping all the fabrics in a particular order...that can drive a girl nuts!  Instead, just have fun matching pairs and rows so that there aren't two of the same next to each other.  Eventually you'll have just rows of four.  

Repeat the process to get rows of eight.  But wait!  Don't sew everything into eights!  You need 10 rows of eight.  Then you'll add another four set to an eight set to make a row of twelve squares.  That's your goal, remember?  10 rows with 12 squares each.  

The easiest way to arrange your rows is to put them on a design wall, but arranging them on the floor or a large table works also.  First press the rows so that the seams are all going one way.  ONE way: all to the left or all to the right.  

Once they are pressed, begin placing them side by side making sure the seams now alternate directions.  The seams on row 1 go right, then the seams on row 2 go left and so on until all the strips are arranged.  This will match up the seams so that you will be able to stitch quickly and efficiently and the quilt will look neatly put together.  I put it all together then check the seams one more time because it's easy to get mixed up when moving the strips around.  

Now it gets interesting.  You have the strips in order but you need to get them to the sewing machine without mixing everything up.  This is what I do--keep in mind that you sew on the right side of the fabric--take the top strip and fold it down over the adjacent strip and pin.  The trick is to put the pin in the right place...at the top of the strip with the head of the pin pointing to the right side.  So take the strips in your hand as though you are going to put them under the needle.  Pin them together near the top and make sure the head of the pin is on the side that will go under the needle.  Your pin is always your way of knowing where to begin.

Now you're ready to arrange the next set of strips.  Ah, how do you keep them in order?  I number them.  A sticky will do, but I don't trust anything that is supposed to keep me in order, so the same pin holds the paper slips, tells me which way is up and which side to sew on.  Here they are all stacked neatly and ready to sew.  Notice that the pins are not in the way of the needle so that they can stay in the fabric while all the strips are sewn.

I don't pin anywhere else on the fabric.  Instead, I hold the strips together at the first seam.  Remember all that arranging so that seams are going in different directions?  Now it pays off.  Hold the first seams (seam allowance going away from each other) with your right hand and begin sewing at the edge going all the way into the seams.  Needle down, let the machine do the work of holding that seam in place while you catch the next one.  Again, seam allowances going away from each hold the seams and sew through the seam.  I let go of the seam when it's going under the presser foot.  (I'm not at all afraid of my machine...it's my friend!)

It takes a while for this chore.  There are six sets of long strips, but goodness it's beautiful when it's done.  Notice that I've moved my paper numbers to the front of the strips.  Now they are pinned near the seam that I just finished.  I won't move them again till the quilt is finished.  

Notice also that they are numbered backwards.  #1 is all the way to the right and #6 is all the way to the left.   That's correct!  Remember we sew on the right side, so I'll flip #1 to the left on top of #2 and pin.  #3 flips over left on top of #4.  And that leaves #5 to flip over left on top of #6.  I pin each one as I flip and place it on the other one and my pins tell me which end is the top; the pin head tells me which side I'm going to sew on just like before.  No other pins needed, I just sew exactly the way I did before: hold the seam and sew.  

At this time I leave the chain-stitches intact.  Since I always sew in the order of the numbers, the chain-stitching is just another way to make sure that I don't mix up the order of things.  Later, when you make a trip around the world or some other pattern that requires keeping everything in exact order, you'll be glad you've practiced this.

By the time you've finished stitching this set, you'll be ready for the final round.  Do it all over again, but this time you're working with three sets of four strips and, once you stitch the first two together, you will add the third set to it.  And you've got a completed quilt top!

Again, email me if you see an error or have a tip for our new quilters.  
Happy Quilting,

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: N E U T R A L S

In the midst of making an all neutrals baby quilt for a friend, I thought I'd share some of my inspiration ideas.  

And to close it all out, the Alex Anderson quilt that started my infatuation with making a neutral quilt.  Doesn't it look difficult? It's not so impossible if you see the 16-patch and the alternating pinwheel patches.  Of course, Alex tossed in a few 9-patches with a large center just to mix it up a bit.  

She may have all three switching out in a definite pattern, but I can't tell for certain.  Regardless, it's a beautiful quilt, and I wonder how long it took to gather enough browns, grays and beiges to make it.

Stars in Line

You know how it is when the stars line up and everything seems perfect for completing a project?  That is how I've felt the last few days.  Don't get me wrong: the Elsa dress threw a snag in there, but eventually I got that project finished and could work on the REAL project.  Let me explain.

The first star happened a few years ago.  I saw a neutral, low volume quilt in a book by Alex Anderson.  It's taken me a while to gather up enough fabrics.   But I cheated: I tossed in some not-so-neutral fabrics.  They are really a bit too rich but I like the variety and the idea of mixing it up a little.

The second star to got in line when my friend and coworker had another baby.  I wanted to make him a little quilt for fun. Something he can sit on to play with his big brothers or nap under at his grandma's.  

The third star straightened up the line when I realized that I'm spending the summer sewing for myself.  Yes, I am.  There are no "TO DO" lists or "must" chores!  Oh wow!  I've never had a summer like this.  I've read, I've sewn, I've napped.  Wow, I like this star!

A fourth star beamed down.  Yes, a fourth.  This one came from a reader who emailed with a question: how do I make an easy quilt and not get all mixed up?  Aww, how sweet.  We sometimes forget that there are people who haven't made a first quilt.   I decided to answer her with a promise for a beginner-easy tutorial.

That post will appear in a few days. So come back to get the tutorial or, for those of you who already quilt, send your newbie friends.  They may appreciate the tutorial as well.


I plan to include a little of everything: basic piecing, applique, quilting, and finishing.  (I'll add the baby's name to the quilt using fusible web.) To make things easy, I'm going to divide the tutorial into the four parts listed above and spread the tuts out over a couple of days.  Readers will be able to pick up where they need rather than scroll through all of it looking for one part.

What do you think?  If you would like something in addition to my basic plan, email or leave a comment.  I'd love to know what you would like in the way of beginner tutorials.

The Elsa Dress

Our granddaughters are three and four years old.  They are infatuated with the Disney movie, Frozen, and more than just a bit.  No, they are crazy infatuated. 

It does not help that all three girls recently went to Disney World and two of them saw Elsa and Anna.  In person.  Hugs included.  And let's not forget that one set of sisters was able to chat up the other set of sisters.  Oh, yes, we've got it bad.

Enter Grandmay's abilities as a seamstress, sewer, sewist, whatever.  Well, make that costumer because I've spent most of the last three days costuming one of those three girls.  I'd say it's the spoiled one but, let's face it, they are all spoiled to some degree.

I may as well have made the real thing for a grown up.  Momma spared no expense.  The deal was she purchase the fabric, notions and pattern; Grandmay would make the dress; Marley would reap the spoils.  Somehow this is how it works most often.  

But if Grandmay is able to get away with NOT spending the moola, she is thrilled.  I'm not sure that I benefit in any way, except I get to keep the extra fabric and pattern.  Well, it turns out maybe not.  We'll see.

Now, the problem with 3 and 4 year olds is that they know too much.  For example, they know that Elsa has "triangle" sleeves, not the straight ones in the pattern.

And they know that Princesses and Queens have lots of "fancy stuff like necklaces," which to mommas means trim.  Lots of trim.  

And they know that the dress is long in the back and drags on the floor and twirls when Elsa dances.  This, of course, all means that Grandmay has to take the real pattern and make it more real so that the sleeves are triangles and the neckline is trimmed out, and the train is, well, a train that drags on the floor.

Let's just redesign the dress why don't we?  I mean, really, a cathedral train for a four-year-old?  Oh, it's cute.  It's just stunning.  It's just a three day project with all manner of insanity.

And there is not a doubt in Grandmay's mind that one little red-head will wear it to shreds.  Starting with an 8 o'clock princess party for her dance class.  Twirl, baby girl.  This is dress to twirl in!

Pin It Weekly #70 Quilt Displays

There are some beautiful quilts in Pinterest.  I discovered that there are also many beautiful ways to display some of those quilts.  I show some of those display ideas on my "stacked, quilts" board.

A small goat cart makes a darling display... 

As does a reconfigured baby bed...

Of course, old chairs are especially easy display shelves since they can be plopped just about anywhere.  Just be sure that no one moves the quilts and plops themselves on the chair if it is too old to hold them.

Here's a different use for vintage farm implements...

Or if you can use a ladder this way...

Or that way...

How about an empty basket or box...

And if you happen to have an empty cabinet...

And of course, there's always a rack made especially for quilts...

AMB's Blog Tour is almost finished.  Today we visit Fireball Quilts (Utah) and Hollyhock Quilts (Oklahoma) today.  If you haven't been by yet, you should definitely get going.  There are some surprises waiting and, as always, a chance to win some lovely AMB fabrics.

Tomorrow jog on over to Dora Quilts (New Mexico) and So Many Quilts, So Little Time (Arizona).  Then on Friday (our last day of the tour) hop over to Quilt As You Go (Alaska) Barbara Bieraugel Designs (Hawaii).  

I have thoroughly enjoyed following the blog tour and hope you have also.  It's going to be odd not checking in with the tour.  I'm also going to miss reading about the states and the talented quilters who created the license plates.