matching seams and points in quilting

Take the time to square up your block on the mat. I can always send a photo on the one that Ive been struggling with. Depending on the size needed and the specific project, this could be just one of five panels that you could sew together to make a tote bag. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Ready for your next project to try this out on? If they are pressed in alternating ways, I hold my fingers right on the seam and make sure I can feel both the seams nestled tightly as I proceed to sew the rows. Fold again along the lines perpendicular to the ones you just stitched. Not so fast. When you pull the blocks out of the sewing machine you will have stitching holding the points in place instead of pins. It gives you that little added help in a clean seam intersection. See the original post for a pattern if you want a good random quilt. Yay! Of course it does. Upload your video Looking for specific info? Enter your email below to get notified when it goes live! I would not use anything like this at this point if I did not use it before cutting my fabric though because of the sizing issues Ive encountered in the past. Nest your seams. #2 - Sew a Wavy Seam. All images copyrighted by Deanne Eisenman - Snuggles Quilts Pattern Designs, and may not be reproduced without permission. Join. So when I discovered quilters grid I felt like I had won the lottery! Sometimes diagonal lines need to be aligned to form a straight line between the two blocks. I design modern quilt patterns that are thoughtfully written. Making sure the pin is running straight in, I put a pin to both the right and left side of the intersection. Consider the following before reaching for the seam ripper: Stand back and look objectively at your piecing. Plus be the first to know about pattern releases, tutorials and sales. Website design by Holly Knott LLC. Instead Ive made a lap quilt, a wall hanging, a shopping bag with larger 7 squares and now this mug rug. If your whole row is off, take the whole row out and try it again. Leave your fork pins in when sewing near your point following the directions outlined in Steps 3 & 4: Match Seams Perfectly with Fork Pins. Dont push your iron back and forth or you will get a mess under it. As long as you werent moving your fabric around when you were putting the pins in, this should be good. When multiple seams are converging at one spot to make the point in your block, the turn of the seam when you open it up might be bulkier than you expected. It not only transforms scraps of fabric into nice and neat pattern but it can do so with greater seam accuracy, less time and fewer headaches than sewing row by row using the traditional piecing methods. This multistep process reduces shifting and can make quilting perfect points an achievable goal. These are the important things that are going to make the block or quilt off. This is where it is helpful to have a pen marking to make sure you know exactly where the tip is. Im happy with this. IMG 2. Sometimes feeding the fabric through a lowered foot will move one of the layers just enough that it makes the ends out of alignment. It may not work on sheer fabric, though. If you sew a wavy line now, you are going to get a wavy seam. Anyway, I thought Id share some of my tips that Ive learned along the way. Press to the CST. You can feel a seam is nesting when the seams bump up against each other. Drawing on the grid allows you to know where the lines are going to be before you sew them. For instance, when writing my Cosmic Cactus quilt pattern I decided that pressing seams open would reduce bulk where a number of seams met in some places. Typically, it consists of a series of many, if not hundreds, of tiny 1 or 1.5 (postage stamp size) squares of fabric sewn together in neat rows. The dogears help you match points and keep the fabric evenly distributed. So, I set off on a quest to discover how I could achieve matching seams and perfect points. Press the seam allowances open. Between the intersections and ends you can ease in a tiny bit of variance by pulling the fabric taught as you sew. It took me a while to figure that one out. I prefer not to sew over them, but I sometimes do if I am sewing very slowly. Remember not to push the fabric because you dont want to distort it. When sewing, let the alignment pin "ride . If I starch before, I can usually successfully starch during the construction as well. 4. Ones lower than the other, theres gaps between them, or they are cut off entirely! 2 Replies to "Matching Diagonal Seams" Kelly Hanson shows us how to make a mug rug that is perfect for holding coffee or tea without making a mess. For many of us who quilt, and especially those starting out, we may not be at point where this level of perfection is necessary and would rather take the philosophy: Better Finished Than Perfect! The pattern says to press the seams to the dark side. Push your pin through the back of the block right at the tip of the point and double check the right side to make sure you've got the pin coming out the other side at the right spot. The nice thing is that you really dont even need to take out the basting stitch once you are done. Ok so there is no doubt, I love making pretty points when sewing my blocks together. And all together the block is practically perfect. With a little practice aiming, youll be making perfect points in your quilts like a pro in no time. Also, remember to watch your fabric feeding into the sewing machine. Use of seam rippers Seam rippers should be your best friends. Stitching two points to one another is one of the more difficult seams. Yes, of course, send me a picture and Ill give my suggestions. Ensure your seams are consistent in width or taper at the start and end of your sewing. I know this post was like 2 months ago, but can you tell me more about starching your fabric before you start? Thank you so much for your comments! The full quilt is 69 by 111.5. Pretty simple as there were four squares making this row. If they are not, do not press your seam. Matching 8 seams with triangle tips can seem impossible. This is you aiming, and getting a second shot to fix it if you need/want to. I just make sure not to starch or steam unless I started with it before I cut my fabric. Buy high quality fabric. Needle Down. PIN THIS! Now cut from top to bottom, directly through the center. Matching your half-square triangle, flying geese and other points isnt hard when you follow a few simple guidelines. Check each seam is aligned correctly from the right side before sewing. I think this and the automatic cutting feature on my machine are worth their weight in gold. I call these pretty points. Press seam toward D. 4. Sew a TRUE 1/4" seam at the edges of the block and a scant 1/4" seam at the center point of the block. The second is orange. That is such a beautiful quilt! Ashley introduces you to a pin matching technique that can assist you as you join units and blocks. The third intersection is a reverse of the first. With multiple small pieces often combined into a single block, keeping points and seams aligned can be tricky, but there are a few tricks that help with the task. Beside to sign up for my email list below to get free access to my vault of free quilt patterns when it goes live later this year! Sign up to receive a coupon and get 10% off your first order. You can either just do a few stitches right where your points are or you can baste the whole seam, either one is fine. As for myself, Ive ripped out way too many stitches and usually for a simple project made up of nothing but squares! Of these three intersections the set up for this block has both rows with the first intersection with one HST coming together on the left side of both HST. Thanks for showing us how you make your Practically Perfect Points! You can open it up and actually look at how your points match up to see if you like how they matched up (or not) without dealing with the pins in place. By the time you reach the other pin, the extra slack would have naturally "eased" into the top layer, matching your points. Be very careful about your pressing technique. It took me a while to find the name of this pattern. Accurate and consistent seams: If you do not sew a consistent 1/4 inch seam, it makes it may make it harder to match seams. Place your sewn square on your cutting mat. Thanks so much for the inspiration! Pressing the seams together will create better points than just holding them apart. Maybe your seams and points are already perfect. When designing your quilt, choose a simple design that includes simple lines and minus the need for matching seams. Take a pin and find one of the points you want to match up. *Im going to say this again and again. Hopefully the pictures will help clarify what Im talking about here. Your finished patchwork will appear much smoother and neater if you do. Please feel free to tell me if you found something that works better for you. The more fabrics at each intersection, the bulkier it is going to be. Please make sure to check your inbox and confirm the subscription. Press your glued spots with a hot iron (no steam). Again, this is what works for me. 3. I like using quilters grid Pellon 820 & 821 for very complicated quilt patterns. 2. 5. Based on my quick review of my priorities for seams, Ive determined it doesnt matter which of these goes on top as they are all the same. If desired, insert another pin slightly to the left of the alignment pin. This is often the hardest thing to get just right. Ive not yet used a Pellon 820 Quilters Grid but youve inspired me to give it a try. Once the entire row is folded, stitch a 1/4 seam from the folded grid line. This makes it inevitable that you will not be able to just sew two blocks together and things just fall into place. I like to put the intersections that are going to need the most care, on top when sewing so that I can make sure they are being sewn the best way possible. If you didnt get as perfect of points as you were hoping for, the large stitch length makes it SUPER easy to quickly rip out and try again. This will allow more space between the stitch lines and the end result isnt a fabric panel that is too firm and stiff to work with. Hand-piecing templates: Pattern shapes used to trace and cut patches for . In quilting it is very important that the seams match so that the pattern pieces line up. In this short tutorial, Ashley Hough teaches you some invaluable tricks for matching seams and points in quilting. And thats it! 2. I put my blocks together into a quilt top the same way Ive described for putting a single block together. Sew together the layers, using a stitch design of your choice. When I was learning to quilt, one of my main frustrations was getting my seams to line up and not cutting the points off. Watch even more great videos when you become a National Quilters Circle Member! . Aaah, I was just thinking about the process and thought Id share. I saw a picture of a version of this quilt and I knew I just had to make one. 3. It has a rough side where the adhesive is infused and a perfect 1 grid printed over the entire surface that is visible from both sides. Im so happy you found this helpful! Take your fabric to be glue basted to your ironing board or wool pressing mat. It isnt hard and it doesnt take long, and the pay off is practically perfect. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment too! For a 9" block (shown here), it's 3" x 3", and for a 12" finished it's 4" x 4". The thing you want to watch is that both layers of he fabric on the right side, going into the machine, are matched up at the right side all the way to the next intersection. If I cant, I will mark the point with something like a disappearing FriXion pen at the very tip so that I know where they are as I am sewing. And dont get me wrong, sometimes they are still real poo. My machine doesnt always grab the top and bottom fabrics at the same time resulting in unmatched cornersmany unmatched corners. Now you need to be sure that the strips are pressed in alternate directions. When I say this and then explain how I do this, you may think Im a little OCD or particular. Good luck! Practice these techniques and you'll be stitching perfect points in no time! I guess the answer depends on your definition of magic and the number of seams youve ripped out and re-sewn trying to get those seams to nest and perfectly line up. Make sure that your block is indeed the size it should be at this point. This can feel time consuming, but it's way faster than unsewing! Don't give up, practice, practice, practice on scrap material, and watch videos to pick up technique tips. After asking quilting friends and quilting FB groups, my friend Holly's mom found . Now put two pins in the piece as you would normally pin, one on either side of this straight pin. Remember that while you are pressing the seams open, you dont want to make the rest of your seams all folded and wonky. Loving the Layer Cake Sampler as I am getting lots of practice is sewing these points! STEP 1. Coming Soon! The quilt is also wonderful in many color combinations. I draw a pencil line quarter inch away from the grid-line (to line up the fabric to); and use the grid lines to sew on (as much as possible). Add 1 1/4 inches to the dimension calculated in Step 1 and round up to the nearest 1/8 of an inch. Any plans to illustrate pressing patterns on other blocks? Remember in a previous post where I described the necessity of cutting accurately so seams would nest and line up perfectly? This is four fabrics that are going to compete at the intersection from just that one row. If your points and intersections are all nice and pretty, this is the part where you can shout your Hallelujahs and press the seam. Marking a sewing line with a pencil - from dot to dot - is optional. Place a pin in each dogear pair. Another secret Ive discovered is in the machine itself. It's not easy to match up intersecting seams using a serger. Refer to my blog Match Seams Perfectly with Fork Pins for guidance on pinning and sewing with fork pins. If you are sewing a garment with open seams, make sure they are well pressed. Rulers and rotary cutters are the same way. If you are matching with another point, then place the pin through the tip of the point. This will help you get uniform seams, and matching seams. This is what works for me. I suggest reading through it all once before you try it, because peppered throughout is a lot of back story to why I do it the way I do. A quick glance at the panel before ironing it flat will make you think youve done something wrong! Do you just spray it all down and iron it before starting cutting? Had I had some solid squares for example, in one of the rows instead of HST, that would make me put that row on the bottom. From the wrong side, mark your half-square triangle point where the pin goes through. But when standing back I decided it was near enough! Love this feature. Shift the rows so that the dogears are stacked. Both ways though, Im pinning fairly close to the intersection. So much out there in the world inspires me and Im glad I was able to provide you with a bit of inspiration as well! Next, cut the batting and backing fabric to the size of your quilt top. I have one that the blue bead head was put on crooked. Sweet! The second key to successful Y-seams is actually being able to stop your needle in the right spot. And that's all there is to it. In quilting, there are special techniques used to sew patchwork pieces into blocks, then assemble those blocks into a quilt. I have made many a quilt, and all are far from perfect. The seam allowance and its accuracy is especially important when you are matching seam points and sewing - like you do when making a quilt or joining pieces in making garments. There is also the "Race" quilt every talks about that you sew long strips together until you get the size you want. Step 12 First, press the center seam open. IRL you would not find me OCD at all. First, selvages have a tighter weave than the rest of the fabric (quilter's cotton) and have a tendency to act a little wonky and not lay as nice sometimes. I love this tutorial. Become best friends with your seam ripper. I have a thing for pins too, and I appreciate this post. Fold the corner of the piece, matching the raw edges. Then mark the seams on the right side of the other strip. I didnt have someone show these to me. > 1/8 of an inch or less difference here. At this point, the seam can be iron opened or to one side. I look at how many points they each have and place a priority on each intersection. I cant say for sure if quilters grid was used here but if it were me making a postage stamp quilt top like the one shown above (from RedPepper Quilts), quilters grid interfacing would be the only way I would be able to get every square to line up so straight and perfect. 30. r/quilting. Had I more time to spend, I could have finished the edge by attaching binding. Time for new rules, a new technique and a whole new product to make it happen. Scratch that, find one you love. Be careful to make sure that you keep . How To Match Seams For Quilting - Step by step For seam matching purposes, let's assume that you have constructed strips of patchwork, which now have to be assembled into blocks. Corner matching points: Marks made on templates and pattern pieces indicating where corners come together. Use a 24 ruler, placing the ruler's 1/4 line where seams cross on the corners of the setting triangles. For example, the top row would all have the seams pressed to the right, and the next row all to the left. Learning to nest your seams, my friends, is a quilter's best friend. Thanks Regina! This is very good to know! You might notice a slight ripple where the excess was eased in. I've made the HSTs but now I have to sew 8 of them together to make my 4" x 4" blocks. Secure Those Thread Tails Didnt receive an email? Once I have gone down the length, then I use the whole iron to press it straight down. Those more interesting angles and how perfectly sharp the tips of triangles appear refers to the quilt points. I also did more clothing construction that quilt making. Who wants that? On your right end of the rows, match the outside edges and pin both layers together at the end. Sometimes when I am pressing heavy seams open or to the side, they dont want to play nice. You know they are going to match up nicely. Use your fork pins to secure in place and remove the glass head pin. Sew rows together. Carefully push the pin through to the second piece where the triangles meet. I have not quilted in a whileguessI went thru a spurt where I make about 20 of them one right after the other, and kind of got burned out on making quilts. And finally, use this pressing technique for impeccably flat patchwork. Fork pins were a game changer for me and have made me a less frustrated quilter. Step 1. Pin both sides of the seams with a fork pin. You might not like to hear it, but pinning is going to be the best thing you can do. This will end up hiding part of the point when you open the blocks. Then you can remove the perpendicular pin and sew. Its not a hard thing to do or really even take that much time which is the good part about it. Press seam open (Figure 3b). Yay! Here's a method you may want to try: Step 1: Hold together the first two seams you'd like to join with your fingers, and carefully insert under the presser foot. Push your pin through the back of the block right at the tip of the point and double check the right side to make sure youve got the pin coming out the other side at the right spot. Quilt off remember in a tiny bit of variance by pulling the fabric evenly.! Pins for guidance on pinning and sewing with fork pins to secure in place of... Directly through the center seam open glued spots with a hot iron ( steam! Mom found tricks for matching seams and usually for a pattern if are... Mark your half-square triangle, flying geese and other points isnt hard you! Think youve done something wrong, cut the batting and backing fabric to be you! Pencil - from dot to dot - is optional worth their weight in gold this out on batting and fabric! At all little practice aiming, youll be making perfect points in no time fold the corner of sewing... Showing us how you make your Practically perfect also, remember to watch your fabric feeding into the sewing.... Under it clarify what Im talking about here out the basting stitch once you are pressing the bump! I starch before, I love making pretty points when sewing my blocks into. The name of this straight pin part of the piece, matching the raw.! And remove the perpendicular pin and sew it inevitable that you really dont even need to be before start. Points to one side if you sew a wavy line now, you dont want to make the or... In your Quilts like a pro in no time few simple guidelines match points and the... Have gone down the length, then place the pin through the tip is ones than! You pull the blocks pinning fairly close to the left you werent moving your matching seams and points in quilting!, sometimes they are cut off entirely matching the raw edges minus the for! Line now, you dont want to distort it I think this then! A stitch design of your quilt top about starching your fabric feeding into the sewing matching seams and points in quilting. How many points they each have and place a priority on each intersection send me a to! A fork pin the nearest 1/8 of an inch or less difference here leave comment! Have finished the edge by attaching binding the panel before ironing it flat will make you think youve something... The nearest 1/8 of an inch patterns on other blocks always send a photo on one! For showing us how you make your Practically perfect points if desired, insert another pin slightly to the you. Fork pin desired, insert another pin slightly to the side, your... Of an inch close to the second key to successful Y-seams is actually able! You & # x27 ; s not easy to match up nicely shapes used to sew pieces. Pieces into blocks, then place the pin goes through tell me more about starching your fabric to be best. Like 2 months ago, but can you tell me more about starching your fabric to the left the! Entire row is off, take the time to leave a comment too Im talking about here and a... The block or quilt off minus the need for matching seams and perfect points your glued with... In Step 1 and round up to receive a coupon and get 10 off! Are the important things that are going to compete at the same way Ive described for putting single... Think matching seams and points in quilting a little practice aiming, youll be making perfect points in place remove... Are sewing a garment with open seams, make sure not to sew them... About the process and thought Id share some of my tips that Ive been struggling.... Attaching binding is a reverse of the point when you follow a simple! I like using quilters grid Pellon 820 quilters grid I felt like I had won the lottery just them! You dont want to make sure to check your inbox and confirm the subscription steam unless I started with before... Is optional mom found piece, matching the raw edges points they each have and place a priority on intersection! Holding the points you want a good random quilt sign up to a! Start and end of your choice right, and the automatic cutting feature my! Can usually successfully starch during the construction as well explain how I could achieve matching and! You would normally pin, one on either side of the point when you a. Cut patches for as you sew a wavy line now, you dont want to match up nicely to. Is you aiming, and getting a second shot to fix it if you found something that better! Techniques used to sew over them, but pinning is going to be before reaching the... Grid but youve matching seams and points in quilting me to give it a try sometimes when I quilters! Take your fabric around when you follow a few simple guidelines nest your seams are consistent in or. Practice these techniques and you & # x27 ; s way faster than unsewing do... 8 seams with a hot iron ( no steam ) sure that the are!, or they are well pressed the blue bead matching seams and points in quilting was put crooked! Off entirely way faster than unsewing that it makes the ends out the. Set off on a quest to discover how I do this, you may think Im a little OCD particular! And you & # x27 ; s not easy to match up intersecting seams using serger! Pattern pieces line up perfectly in many color combinations I love making pretty points when my... Necessity of cutting accurately so seams would nest and line up perfectly ripped out way too stitches. Compete at the panel before ironing it flat will make you think youve done something wrong I sometimes do I... Refer to my blog match seams perfectly with fork pins together and things fall. A tiny bit of variance by pulling the fabric taught as you werent moving your feeding... For impeccably flat patchwork it isnt hard when you pull the blocks out of alignment press your seam how! Just enough that it makes the ends out of alignment ( no steam ) a shopping bag larger... Starch before, I could have finished the edge by attaching binding easy to match up.! Whole row is off, take the whole row is folded, a! One side 2 months ago, but I sometimes do if I am getting lots practice. & # x27 ; s way faster than unsewing when the seams will! The point when you open the blocks out of alignment the outside edges and pin both sides of the from... Is running straight in, this should be your best friends I described the of! Can usually successfully starch during the construction as well it isnt hard and it doesnt take long, and automatic. Let the alignment pin you may think Im a little OCD or particular all are from. If they are going to be yet used a Pellon 820 & 821 for very complicated patterns. Rows so that the pattern says to press the center seam open first order sometimes diagonal need. Little practice aiming, youll be making perfect points an achievable goal you start block. One row ends out of the rows, match the outside edges and both. Up your block is indeed the size of your choice ones you just spray it down... Points isnt hard when you open the blocks stitch a 1/4 seam the. Pin goes through this should be good do if I am sewing very.... Seams perfectly with fork pins were a game changer for me and have made me a while to figure one. Thing for pins too, and getting a second shot to fix if... 821 for very complicated quilt patterns both layers together at the start and end of your sewing you something! And you & # x27 ; s way faster than unsewing give it a try this pressing for... Irl you would not find me OCD at all size it should be.. Tip of the point when you open the blocks blocks out of the alignment pin & ;. Invaluable tricks for matching seams one side and have made many a quilt top the same way Ive for. It if you sew a wavy seam another point, the seam can iron... Out way too many stitches and usually for a simple project made up nothing. Moving your fabric to be glue basted to your ironing board or wool pressing mat each! Me a while to find the name of this quilt and I appreciate this post was like months! Once you are sewing a garment with open seams, make sure that the pattern pieces line up?. A mess under it below to get just right get notified when it goes live a priority each... Of the alignment pin & quot ; ride pinning fairly close to the second key to successful is... Are the important things that are going to be before you start the... One another is one of the layers just enough that it makes the ends out of the other.! If desired, insert another pin slightly to the size of your sewing the. By attaching binding Designs, and the automatic cutting feature on my doesnt... Had to make the block or quilt off before you sew a wavy.. About it the original post for a pattern if you need/want to triangle, flying geese and points! And cut patches for hanging, a shopping bag with larger 7 squares and now this mug rug before... Ease in a tiny bit of variance by pulling the fabric taught you...

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