AboutConnie Hester Expertise Quilting and applique expert.Can advise on the following topics:quilting, art quilts, quilt design and construction, machine and hand quilting, paper foundation piecing, machine piecing, hand piecing, raw edge applique, turned-edge applique and fiber art.
Experience Winning awards in international fiber and art competitions since 1983; http://www.conniehester.com/
BS,MS
See my work and books at http://www.conniehester.com/
Expert: Connie Hester Date: 10/22/2006 Subject: very new at quilting
Question Help please - I am making a quilt that will be 6 squares accross and 6 squares in length. I have completed all the squares including the batting and the back of each square. My quetion is - how do I put all those completed squares together in hand-sewing the squares to form a complete quilt?
thank you
Answer Hi, Amy,
While the top layer of a quilt is pieced, the batting and backing normally are not. The squares on the top layer should be sewn into horizontal rows of six squares each, taking 1/4" seams. The rest of the squares will be joined into horizontal rows of six squares each as well.
Press all seam allowances in the first row of squares towards the right (do not press seam allowances open). Press all seam allowances in the second row to the left. Continue pressing seam allowances in alternating directions on each row.
Join each horizontal row of 6 squares to the adjacent horizontal row of six squares with one long seam across the entire width of the rows, matching seamlines as you proceed across the row (alternating directions of seam allowances will make them "lock" together tightly and will keep bulk within the seams to a minimum). Press seam allowances in one direction, either upwards or downwards.
Lay entire pieced quilt top layer face down. Lay 1 large piece of batting over the wrongside of the pieced quilt top, overlapping about 2" larger all around than the pieced top edges.
Lay 1 large piece of backing down over the batting, the same size as the batting, and wrongside of backing against the batting.
Turn quilt sandwich of 3 layers over so that pieced quilt top is now on top, facing up. Smooth all layers and make sure all seamlines are squared up. (If quilt is too large and unmanageable to flip over in this manner, begin the process of laying the layers out with the backing on the bottom, wrongside up. It can be easier to center batting and backing and trim them to size in the order I originally describe above, though.)
Baste all layers in place, with white thread and needle, with basting lines about 1 1/2" - 2" apart.
If you have a local library, it would be wise to check into a basic quilting book for more detailed considerations.
If the batting inside a quilt is not one, uncut piece, it will bunch up with use and leave empty areas which will both be visible from the outside of the quilt, as well as weaken the entire structure of the quilt.
