Quilt-As-You-Go; An Overview Part 3

Back again with Part 3 of my Quilt-As-You-Go overview sharing the third of five methods I presented to the BoulderMQG at our September meeting. You can see Part 1 and Part 2 by clicking the links if you missed them.

Just a reminder that these posts are not QAYG tutorials but they do include links to the tutorials I used. My hope is that you will be inspired to give QAYG a try. I know I certainly learned a lot and will definitely be using them in future projects.

Method 3: Block by Block with Joining Strips

Yesterday, in method 2, I discussed joining quilted blocks without joining strips. This method results in seams with a double layer of batting which means bulky seams. The extra bulk is manageable but even so, it's there. One way to eliminate this bulk is to use joining strips between the blocks. When joining strips are used there are never any areas where the batting is doubled up. There is no extra bulk.

The basic process involves sewing your blocks as you normally would. Once the blocks are complete, they are individually layered with batting and backing and quilted, block by block. It's like quilting several mini quilts. Then the quilted blocks are joined together with strips that are sewn to both the front and back side encasing the seams.

Standard joining strips finish at 1/2” so that it just covers the seams when two blocks are butted together. The photo below shows a 1/2" joining strip.

However, these joining strips can be any width you want. Wider strips just mean adding strips of batting to fill the gap.

Whether the strips are narrow or wide, they will appear as sashing between the blocks. But they can also be cleverly blended into the block to eliminate the appearance of sashing. This Bento Box design is a good example of how the strips are camouflaged and appear to be part of the block. Notice the additional quilting lines that have been added to the joining strips. This secures the batting in place.

My favorite tutorials for QAYG using joining strips is by Marianne of The Quilting Edge.
She does amazing QAYG work and in many cases you would never know how the pieces are joined.
Here is her tutorial which covers both narrow and wide joining strips.

Another good resource is YouTube video which covers the basics of both narrow and wide joining strips.

Method 3 Summary

PROS: 

• Works really well for large projects.
• Seams are flat because there is no batting in the seam allowance.
• It’s easier to machine quilt smaller units like blocks or sections.

CONS:

• Not all designs look good with sashing between the blocks.
  Look for ways to camouflage the sashing so it appears to be part of the block.
• Requires more batting and backing fabric.
• Working with long joining strips to join the rows can get more cumbersome
  but is still quite doable. 

TIPS:

• I prefer fusible batting which makes quilting the individual blocks easy since
  there are no pins to deal with. 
• Before joining blocks, sew 1/8” around the edge of the rimmed block to secure any quilting that might be cut when the block is trimmed.
• Batting and backing fabric should be at least 1-2" bigger all around to provide something to hang on to when quilting the blocks.
• When adding joining strips, especially narrow strips, check your 1/4” seam to be sure the seams butt together and there is no gap in the batting. I strongly recommend doing a small test join before cutting all your strips to ensure you have the right strip width and the right seam allowance.

There are many different tutorials out there. The cut width of strips varies. Some require pressing an edge under while others use a double layer folded over. This double fold uses more fabric but creates a much cleaner edge to stitch down and is much easier to do. Read several tutorials and see which one makes sense for you.

I'll be working on finishing my Bento Box quilt over the next several weeks and will post about it when I'm done. If all goes well, this will be the first queen sized quilt to be finished entirely my me.
Wish me luck.

I'll be back tomorrow with Method 4: Row by Row with Backing. In the meantime, check out my QAYG Pinterest board for pins of these and other tutorials on QAYG methods. I also have pinned quilts that I thought might work well with each method.

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Quilt-As-You-Go; An Overview Part 2

I'm back today with Part 2 of my Quilt-As-You-Go overview sharing the second of five methods I presented to the BoulderMQG at our September meeting. You can see Part 1 here if you missed it.

Just a reminder that these posts are not QAYG tutorials but they do include links to the tutorials I used. My hope is that you will be inspired to give QAYG a try. I know I certainly learned a lot and will definitely be using them in future projects.

Method 2: Block by Block without Joining Strips

Another way to QAYG is to make quilt blocks as you normally would and then, before sewing the blocks together, each block is quilted individually. Once the blocks are quilted, they are joined together to make the top. The top is then layered with the backing fabric and minimal quilting lines are added to hold the layers together. This also works well to join blocks made using the Stitch and Flip method I reviewed in Part 1. 

In the sample below, the string blocks were made using a Stitch and Flip method with strips of fabric sewn directly to the batting. The blocks were then sewn together as usual and the backing was added with minimal quilting along each seam line to secure all three layers together.

The end result of this method is minimal, visible quilting on both the front and back because all you see is the straight lines along the major seams that secure the backing in place. If you would like more quilting detail in the blocks, you can add it before the backing is attached.

When sewing the quilted blocks together, it can be helpful to grade the ends of the seam allowance to reduce the bulk.

Virtually any quilt could be done using this method but some are better suited than others. I would use caution with blocks that require a great deal of seam matching because the extra bulk of the batting can make matching the seams more of a challenge. Not impossible though. Good choices are string blocks or long sections of string piecing. 

Something to consider is that the seam allowances can show through your backing so choose the backing fabric carefully. You can see below how the seam creates a slightly darker shadow under the yellow fabric.

Maureen Cracknell Handmade has a great tutorial for this QAYG method using strip piecing in long panels. She also just added a new tutorial for a braided quilt using the same basic QAYG method.

The block by block QAYG method also works well for quilts constructed from panels or sections. I used it for the quilt shown below which was constructed from panels. This quilt, called Rhythms and Reps, was the April Quilt of the Month featured by the Modern Quilt Guild. You can read more about it here.

When I made this quilt, I hadn't planned to QAYG. It was a decision made after the the panels were sewn. There was a lot of seam matching and it worked out fine. In retrospect, there were a few things I would have done differently. I would have added even more quilting, used slightly wider seams for the panel joins so the seams would feel more secure and used a busier backing fabric. Due to the way this design was quilted, I didn't quilt along both sides of the major seam joins. Without this quilting, the bulk in the seams wasn't held down and created ridges on the back. Just something to keep in mind. Wider seams are more easily pressed flat and quilting along both sides of the seam helps keep the seam flat minimizing any ridges on the back.

Method 2 Summary

PROS: 

• It’s easier to machine quilt smaller units like blocks or sections and then join them
  into larger projects.
• It’s a good way to use up small pieces or strips of batting.

CONS:

• It can be harder to match seams on the front because of the extra bulk.
• The extra bulk from the batting in the seams can create ridges on the back.
• The seams can show through the backing fabric.
• The backing will be looser than the front since the quilting is less dense unless your blocks are smaller or additional quilting is added.

TIPS:

• Use low loft batting to decrease the bulk in the seams. I don't recommend poly batting due to the ironing that is required. 
• Consider a wider seam allowance if possible because it's easier to press wider,
  bulky seams flat. 
• Steam press the seams open to get them as flat as possible.
• Use a busy, darker print for the backing to minimize the ridges and show through from the seam allowances.
• Quilting along both sides of the seam will help hold the seam allowance flat and minimize ridges on the back.

I'll be back tomorrow with Method 3: Block by Block with Joining Strips. In the meantime, check out my QAYG Pinterest board for pins of these and other tutorials on QAYG methods. I also have pinned quilts that I thought might work well with each method.

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Quilt-As-You-Go; An Overview Part 1

Earlier in September, I did a presentation about Quilt-As-You-Go (QAYG) for my local quilt guild, the BoulderMQG. The intent of the presentation was to give an overview of different QAYG methods
and briefly cover the basics of each technique.

I'd like to share the information I covered in the presentation here on my blog over the next few days. These posts are not QAYG tutorials but they do include links to the tutorials I used. My hope is that you will be inspired to give QAYG a try. I know I certainly learned a lot and will definitely be using them in future projects.

I offered to do the presentation because I have always been curious about QAYG. As someone who doesn't really enjoy the process of machine quilting, I wondered if using QAYG would provide an easier way for me to finish my quilts. At present, I finish about 1/3 of my quilts myself, 1/3 are sent to a longarm quilter and sadly, the final 1/3 are tops hanging in a closet waiting . . . and waiting . . . and waiting to be finished. Can you relate?

I've used QAYG in the past to make a couple of small projects including this couch runner which was included in the book Stitch 'n Swap: 25 Projects to Sew, Give and Receive" by Jake Finch. (the book is out of print but is still available on Amazon in case you're interested)

Stitch and Flip runner with additional wavy quilting added after piecing.

Until I started the research, I had no idea just how many different ways there are to do QAYG.
I was actually quite overwhelmed with the number of methods I found online. Every quilter seems to have their unique take on how they do it.

In the end, I settled on five different methods that I felt gave a broad overview of QAYG.
These category names are of my own making.

QAYG Methods:

1. Stitch and Flip
2. Block by Block without Joining Strips
3. Block by Block with Joining Strips
4. Row by Row with Backing
5. Self Binding

I'd like to share a brief summary of each of these five methods over the next 5 days so you can decide for yourself whether QAYG might be right for you.

Method 1: Stitch and Flip

Stitch and Flip is probably the most recognized technique. The process is very similar to foundation piecing but instead of using a fabric foundation you piece directly onto the batting. A piece of fabric is sewn in place, flipped open and another piece is added and flipped open. The top is secured to the batting at the same. This method works well for simple quilted projects like pot holders, mug rugs, placemats, and table runners. It also works for small quilts.

Stitch and Flip can be done with or without the backing fabric in place. It will primarily depend on what type of piecing you are doing and whether you care about how the back looks. When the piecing starts and ends off the edge like side by side strip piecing, then the backing fabric can be included and the only thing that will show on the back is each seam line running from edge to edge.

Piecing starts and stops off the edge so seam lines run edge to edge with no cross over.

Here is a good tutorial for QAYG placemats like the one above.

Stitch and Flip also works well with piecing that starts in the center and builds outward.
A log cabin block is a good example.

Log cabin strip and flip piecing sewn directly to the batting and backing.

As you piece outward, the stitching lines that show on the back will cross over on the ends. If the backing fabric is a busy print, this stitching probably won’t show up that much. It all depends on how much piecing is involved and whether it matters how the back looks. You can see how the stitching lines cross over below.

This photo shows how the seam lines cross over on the back side of the log cabin shown above.

    

If you don’t want this look on the back, then piece/quilt using only the top and batting. Attach the backing later with minimal additional quilting to hold all 3 layers together.

One place where you may not want to include the backing is when additional quilting lines are added as the pieces are sewn in place. This type of QAYG is great for making pillow tops and panels for bags or other small projects where the back is never seen.

Front side of Stitch and Flip QAYG with additional quilting added as each strip is sewn.

The additional quilting lines will cross over each other and create a much messier looking back as shown below.

Back side of pink example above shows how quilting lines cross over each other.

I used this tutorial for the above sample.

Method 1 Summary

PROS: 

• Stitch and Flip is quick and very easy for small projects, especially ones made with strips.
• It’s a good way to use up small pieces of batting.

CONS:

• Stitch and Flip with the backing included can be harder to handle on large projects. In my opinion, managing all three layers at once on a larger scale simply defeats the purpose of making the quilting easier.

TIPS:

• Use a walking foot.
• I don't recommend poly batting due to the ironing that is required. 
• Cut the batting and backing oversize by approx. 1”. The quilting tends to draw up the overall dimensions so it’s best to allow for this and trim to size afterwards.
• It can be helpful to draw an outline of the area to be covered with fabric on the batting so each piece of fabric added is large enough to cover the area.

I'm working on completing a set of placemats using this method so stay tuned for the final reveal. I will also eventually finish the pink wonky log cabin and perhaps make a small pillow from the top.

I'll be back tomorrow with Method 2: Block by Block without Joining Strips. In the meantime, check out my QAYG Pinterest board for pins of these and other tutorials on QAYG methods. I also have pinned quilts that I thought might work well with each method.

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Quilty Update

Bit by bit I'm making progress on my quilt-as-you-go projects that I wrote about last month. All 25 blocks are now done for the bento box quilt. I really struggled with these blocks for reasons I'm still not clear on but once they were cut into quarters and rearranged into the final blocks things got better.

I had to clear a wall in my bedroom and put up a queen sized piece of batting in order to have enough design space to work. Not the best lighting but I go to bed staring at all the fun fabric combinations.

I chose spiral quilting for the blocks and so far have 3 done. It's just so much easier to spiral quilt something small.

I also finally made an attempt at free motion quilting the first row of my disappearing 9-patch quilt today. I'm using a new to me QAYG method for this one and am hoping it works. If this method goes well I might use it to make a new version of my Cascade pattern because the design lends itself well to quilting in columns.

I've only got a month to go before my QAYG presentation for my guild. Now that I'm getting the swing of things, there are so many other ideas I'd like to make as samples. Just not sure if I'll have time.
Wish me luck.

I'll write a more thorough post about the whole experience later in September. Until then, hope you're enjoying summer and your making.

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In the Works

Seems like I haven't posted many quilty things on the blog lately so unless you follow me on Instagram it might not seem like I'm quilting anymore. Trust me though . . . I am. Several different projects are actually in the works.

In the fall, I'm scheduled to do a presentation on quilt-as-you-go techniques to my guild. I have very little QAYG experience but have always wanted to learn. Since the quilting part is my least favorite thing, I've often wondered if QAYG might be a good solution to my 'fear of free motion'.  FOFM.  No better way to learn something new than by committing to demonstrate it to others. Wish me luck.  : )

I have a disappearing 9-patch that is pieced and ready for quilting. Fell in love with this print that I picked up last year and then filled in with various yellows, pinks, corals, and oranges. These are the big 9-patches before cutting them up. As you can see, I added lattice to the blocks after seeing this quilt by my friend Elizabeth of OPQuilt. My blocks aren't as big because I wanted more blocks for more variety while still having a relatively small lap quilt.

This is how it looks pieced into rows. Next up will be a new to me quilt-as-you go method done row by row.

I have also pulled out all my old fruit and veggie fabrics. I plan to use them by making napkins, QAYG placemats, maybe even a QAYG picnic quilt. Given their end use, I decided to prewash which I don't usually do. What a mess of threads that made!

I still have one more small load to wash and then I'll get started. Summer is the season when I use fruit and veggie dishes as part of my kitchen/dining decor so these will fit in nicely. Just need to get them done before summer is over.

For the last several days, my studio has been swimming with fabric in aquas, dark teal/blues and chartreuse as I cut for a bento box quilt. Years ago I became intrigued with an aqua/chartreuse color scheme I saw in a gift shop and have been collecting fabrics ever since.

Initially I couldn't decide what quilt to make with this collection. I've always wanted to make both a bento box quilt and an x-plus quilt. The bento box won out because it fit quite well with the QAYG technique I plan to try. I'm using a modified version of the Modified Bento Box Block tutorial by Film in the Frig. I changed up some of the strip widths to better showcase the large scale prints in my fabrics. Seeing this quilt by Anne of Play-Crafts also helped me decide on this design because the color scheme is somewhat similar to mine.

Once the pattern was chosen, the cutting began. I pulled lots and lots and lots of fabrics. And the mess grew and grew. Then it was unfold. Iron. Cut. Cut some more. Cutting was way more time consuming than I expected once I began to consider which fabrics to cut into which widths. In many cases I cut several different widths from a single fabric but in some cases I didn't have enough for more than one width. Here are some of the first strip combinations.

My original plan was a large lap quilt but once my daughter saw the fabrics she feel in love and this has doubled in size to a queen. I have 12 blocks sewn and quartered and 13 more to go. That means more cutting and more fabric combinations for the new blocks. Slowly I'm getting there. Right now it looks like this.

This one will be a long time in the making since I'm doing a QAYG for this too. It will certainly be a good test of making a large quilt using QAYG methods and I'm more than little apprehensive about it. Wish me more luck.

I'll share more about my exploration into quilt-as-you-go after the presentation. It should be an interesting experience with plenty of pros and cons along the way. I was quite surprised at how many different QAYG techniques there are once I started researching. Marianne at The Quilting Edge is the master as far as I'm concerned. Her work is amazing. She has some good tutorials on her method which you can find here.

 Have you used QAYG techniques and if so, do you have a favorite method?

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Being Creative Beyond Quilting

Wow! The end of May already. Looks like I've become a once-a-month blogger. But you know what?
I'm totally ok with that. Even though I haven't been very active on social media, that doesn't mean I'm not creating. Being creative is in my blood and I get rather antsy if I'm not making or designing.

For the last several years my creativity has been mostly focused on quilting with a few other things thrown in from time to time. Last year at this time I was completely absorbed with our daughter's wedding and all things related.

Besides the wedding itself, we did a lot of things around the house in anticipation of having guests. Nothing lights a fire to finish those long planned home improvements like knowing company will soon be arriving. Know what I mean? Of course we didn't come close to getting all the projects done but at least we got some of them done. Mainly the new guest room which I blogged about here.

The time spent doing non-quilty things made me realize I had become too focused on only one thing. Namely quilting. I tend to do that. Get so absorbed in something that it's all or nothing. I'm simply not very good at balancing multiple activities at once. Unless of course it's scrolling IG and Pinterest while watching Netflix. I can't just watch TV. 

Today is a non-quilty post. It's all about making a wedding scrapbook for my daughter and her hubby. I thought I'd share a few of the spreads I have finished. It's been so much fun reliving the wedding while making a book for them.

My daughter comes over once a week and we craft together. While I work on the wedding album, she's doing their honeymoon. Bit by bit, page by page, we're making progress.

Once the wedding book is done, I plan to continue by working on baby books for both my kids. Seeing as how they are all grown up now, it's about time don't you think? 

I'm still quilting and sewing a little. But truthfully, I just haven't felt inspired to quilt lately. Lots of ideas. Just not the motivation. So I'm going with my creative flow wherever it may lead. I see hiking in the mountains next on my agenda. Hiking is creative for me because being out in nature is always inspiring.

What other creative things do you enjoy? Do you scrapbook? If not, how do you preserve special memories? Do tell. I'd like to know.

The MQG Modern Monthly; Rhythms and Reps

Are you a member of a local modern quilt guild or perhaps an individual member of The Modern Quilt Guild?  If so, I hope you've seen the April issue of their members only newsletter, Modern Monthly. My quilt, Rhythms and Reps is the feature quilt of the month.

The concept is all about exploring various repetition sequences and how they can create a sense of rhythm within a design. If you've followed my blog for awhile you know I love the design process. I spend way too much time playing with ideas and not nearly enough time actually making them into quilts.

One of the benefits of being a member of theMQG is access to a wide variety of resources for members only. In addition to a monthly pattern, there is also a monthly block that always includes a lot of variations on how to use the block. Design explorations are the kind of thing I love about the whole process.

As a member benefit, there are also a lot of very informative webinars to watch plus videos covering all kinds of modern quilting ideas.

I'm a member of the Boulder Modern Quilt Guild so if you live anywhere near Boulder Colorado come visit. We'd love to have you. Check out our website and follow us on Instagram @bouldermqg. Follow me on Instagram too @springleafstudios.

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