I get a lot of questions about how to join Quilt As You Go blocks. . .
- Do I have to use a special needle?
- Do I have to use a special thread?
- Do I have to trim the batting out of the seam allowance?
- How do I press the seams?
- Aren’t the seams super bulky?
The answers to all of these questions is NOPE.
Seriously. You don’t have to do anything special. Basically, just pretend like the batting isn’t even there. Watch. . .
See? Nothing fancy. No special skills or tools.
If you’re bummed that I didn’t show exactly how to press that seam open or show an entire quilt back, bum no more! This video shows how I press the seams open, and this one shows a big section of quilt back before I attach the backing. That second link also shows how to attach the backing.
I think a lot of the questions come from people who just can’t believe how easy it is. Like, there’s this nagging feeling that they must be missing an important, fussy step. For example – trimming the excess batting out of all the seam allowances. I can’t imagine anything more tedious or less fun and I’ve had several people ask if they have to do that. *shudders at the thought*
It really is dead simple and super easy. Have fun with it!
Here are my posts about trimming quilt blocks.
- How to Trim Finished Quilt Blocks
- How to Clean a Fuzzy Cutting Mat – trimming finished blocks WILL make your mat fuzzy
- Quilt Block Sizes for Alternate Grid Layouts
And here are my posts about how to assemble Quilt As You Go Blocks
- How to Join Quilt As You Go Blocks
- How to Assemble and Finish Your Quilt As You Go Quilt
- How to Assemble a Quilt that Uses an Alternate Grid
Finished with this topic?
Return to the Let’s Make a Quilt main Table of Contents.
Move on to the lessons about basting and final quilting.
Happy quilting!
Here are my posts about trimming quilt blocks.
- How to Trim Finished Quilt Blocks
- How to Clean a Fuzzy Cutting Mat – trimming finished blocks WILL make your mat fuzzy
- Quilt Block Sizes for Alternate Grid Layouts
And here are my posts about how to assemble Quilt As You Go Blocks
- How to Join Quilt As You Go Blocks
- How to Assemble and Finish Your Quilt As You Go Quilt
- How to Assemble a Quilt that Uses an Alternate Grid
Finished with this topic?
Return to the Let’s Make a Quilt main Table of Contents.
Move on to the lessons about basting and final quilting.
Pingback: Dresden Plate Quilt
I can spend hours on your blog site. Short informative videos, clear directions and such a happy shiny place to be! Thanks, Wendi!
THANK YOU! I have a standard table-top machine (with quilting accessories) — which is great. But actually quilting a REAL [BED] QUILT is basically impossible (just, barely, “finished” a full size quilt — frustrated that I couldn’t physically quilt the designs I saw in my mind).
Anyway, my question is this:
Can I actually quilt a fully-quilted block at a time (top+batting+muslin), and then join these fully quilted pieces together with a basic 1/4″ seam before adding the backing? This would be amazing if possible — I’m afraid of it compromising the integrity/quality of the quilted design. Until I can get myself the crazy-fancy long arm I’d like, this [prospected] technique may have to do! *Worried about the “bulk” of pre-quilted blocks put together . . .?
Yes – you can join fully quilted blocks with a 1/4″ seam before adding the backing. (You mentioned a muslin back but I don’t do that in mine – just the top + batting.) They seams are not nearly as bulky as you would expect, once you press them flat. Remember you MUST use all cotton batting so you can press those seams open without melting the batting. 😛 If you’re worried about the bulk you can use a very open zigzag stitch or even a decorative stitch to quilt the top to the batting, compressing that seam even more. I do all my quilts this way now and they wash and wear beautifully!
I’m so happy that I found you on YouTube! I am working on a queen size Dresden plate quilt and I do not own a long arm quilting machine. I found your How to join quilt as you go very helpful. Thanks for the lesson.
Can I put my backing on each block .. front batting backing then sew together ? I am doing my first qayg and I purchased batting im pretty sure it’s not 100 percent cotton but it’s light weight Wich is what I wanted I just don’t want to melt my batting ..
If you want to do that you need to use a different QAYG method that will cover the seams between the blocks later – usually with strips of fabric. It ends up being more work (and not work I enjoy) so I came up with the method I use now. 🙂 You can always test your batting to see if it works – just cut a small square and try pressing it. If it’s mostly cotton (even down to 80%) it should be fine – as long as the poly isn’t a scrim sitting on the surface of the batting.
It has been awhile since I started my farm quilt but ready to get back at it. Your tutorials are soooooo easy to pick up any time!
Then with this method how do you do the backing ?
There’s more info about attaching the backing here. https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/2014/01/video-quilt-3-finishing-quilt.html