Posted in Quilting

The two essential parts of quilting is measuring & sewing accurately.

The best way to get your seams at a scant 1/4 of an inch - scant meaning it is a few threads less than 1/4 of an inch is to make a sewing guide on your machine.
Spend a few minutes reading these wonderful instructions I found on the web & make a masking tape guide. It is soo worth doing this now before you sew.

OK to sew our 9 patch.

Lay out your block how you wish it to look finished.

Then pick up the first two blocks going across the row. Place right sides together
sew your scant 1/4 inch seam - do not cut your thread - leave it all on the machine.
Now pick up the middle two first blocks & sew your scant 1/4 inch seam - leave thread on machine
Pick up your last two blocks & sew your scant 1/4 inch seam. Cut the thread.

They should look like this. - And you have just completed your first machine chaining - a very fast way to sew quilts.
Open them out


Now repeat sewing each block your scant 1/4 inch in chain piecing as we did above.

Now take the time & iron your rows.
Do not use a steam iron just dry hot iron.
I always press my seams open - many quilters do also - but others don't they press the seams together towards the dark fabric.
I learned to sew clothing (including my wedding & bridesmaids dresses) and we always open seams.

I also find it easier to get nice points if my seams are ironed open.
Take top row & middle row - and right sides together
Place a pin thru the middle of the top seam
then line that pin up to go thru the middle of the next join.Make sure the two centres of the join marry up.
Taking the time to do this will help you get your centres straight.
Then do the same for the next row
Your block should look like this.
Measure your block - if you have sewed it correctly it should measure 12 1/2 inches square.
But if not don't worry here is a great instruction on how to square up your block

If it is smaller that 12 1/2 inches your seams haven't been 1/4 inch - go back & have another look at these instructions

If your block is not right, be it finished size or your points don't match - take the time to correct it. My unpicker is my best friend - no one likes unpicking - but it is soo worth taking the time now - as you will find if you leave the wonky block - you will always see it in your quilt.
If you are working with a child - they don't like the actual unpicking part - so I do that for them & yes tears happen - but once they see their first block as good as any quilters they will feel very proud.

BUT also remember the  Amish never make a perfect quilt - only God is perfect so in every quilt they have a mistake. And at the end of the day your family will love the quilts you have made them - they care about the love & time you have put into it for them - not how straight your points are. -

Leave me a comment with a link of your & your child's finished block & I'll share it with everyone here. - And for the HSB's that were making blocks of the month with previous lady - here are mine so far.

Oh and tomorrow I begin sharing how to make your scrap quilts along with this block of the month - hope you have been gathering up your scraps. (I am using two colours - scraps in pink & green)

Have fun & make some memories with your family - (oh don't forget to start reading the Little House books)

- Posted by Leanne of At The Good Life.