How I sewed my blocks into rows
and rows into quilts.

Chapter 4...

1) I got four X blocks from the layered and cut square set.

The top two X blocks  "a and b" are for one complete block (Y)
The bottom two X blocks "c and d" form the second complete block (Z).

I stacked all of my matching blocks on top of each other on my table.

Once again:

I ran into some confusion because the stripes on the triangles that point to the middle of the four squres  are different for the two blocks that make finished block Y and Z. 

The "a - b" set has  different colors on the pyramid triangle than the "c - d" set.

See in the outside vertical stripes (the wells), the white stripes are on  opposite sides on the top set and facing each other on the bottom set.  I figured out that this is correct.

Okay, I stacked my matching sets on top of each other. 

 2) 
 
Okay... heads up!

I had to print out this chart and keep looking close... 

X  blocks "a" and "b" make finished block Y
X  blocks "c" and "d" make finished block Z
 
3) 
 setting blocks for block Y
4) 
Finished block Y

5) 
setting blocks for block Z
6) 
Finished block Z

7) 

Often when you pre-press seams to one side or another, you will end up with the seam allowances going in the same direction when you go to sew two seams together.

 8)  Problem is, it is harder to match them when they are that way... so...  The easiest thing to do, is just flip one seam in the other direction and they will nestle together (called seam butting by the best of quilters!).  If you did not pre-plan the pressing direction or have seams sewn over already on the other side of the block, you may end up with twisted seams.

That is why #1, I don't sew down my seam allowances when I know this will happen. 

So you have to decide if you want to twist your seams for easier matching, or just try to sew them going in the same direction.
9) This is seam butting!

If you have the top  seam going in one direction and the under seam going in the opposite direction, when you sew that seam, the bulk of the two seams makes them snuggle right up against each other and fit perfectly.  I never even have to pin them.  I just match-em-up and hold tight, then sew.

Some like the top seam toward them and some like it away from them.  You test them and see what you like best. 

When the top seam is away from you when under the needle and the bottom seam is toward you, when you sew over them the machine pushes the seams right together.  It is so slick.
 10)  Now this won't always happen that the top seam is away from you  as some of the seams will be toward you on top and away from you under because of the way it is sewn over in the previous stitching. In that case, I just adjust the  two seams  with my fingers so they fit tight together, and hold back on the under fabric with my finger till I sew to the seam...the feed dogs of the sewing machine pulls the bottom seam up to the top seam till they snuggle togther. It works great! 
11) When I sewed my blocks together, I had to make sure that the opposite ends are like fabrics.  I didn't do this right the first time and to rip out. 

Green line area floral is the same, red lines area purple are the same ... very important!
12)  Look in the yellow area in the block on the right... this is NOT correct. This is what I did the first time.  You should have the same fabrics next to each other like in the correct sample above. 

(Yes, I sewed it that way and had to rip it out ~)
13)

Two blocks together...
14)  Two blocks together but opposite sides.

This forms the design of the quilt. It is now time to find a place to lay out all the blocks on a design wall, arrange them on a sheet on the floor, pin them to my drapes... somewhere...
15)  This is how I laid out the blocks for my quilt.  I laid out the blocks I had  in the proper order.  You may have more or less blocks/rows depending on the size of quilt you want to make.

I sewed the blocks into rows and then I sewedthe rows together to make my quilt.

Remember to butt your seams!  I discovered that if you sew each block in order into a row, you will have the best chance of not getting lost... 
 

The last step will  be borders Page 5...
Back to  "Water World" Introduction  Page

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