Ask Penny Halgren

Now You Can Travel and Not Give Up Any Quilting Time Have you ever taken a long car trip, gone on a cruise, or had a bunch of appointments and wished that you had a portable quilting project? Now you can learn how to make a quilt one block at a time while you are traveling, waiting, or just because you want to make it that way. Read more - - -

The Most Common Method for Quilt as You Go Projects

Many quilters love Quilt as You Go projects. In a quilt as you go project, you piece and then quilt one block at a time (instead of sewing the quilt top together then quilting it).

As a result, you finish individual blocks which will be connected to each other to become a quilt. Below is a brief Step-by-Step for completing a beautiful Quilt as You Go project. This is the most common method quilters use for these projects.

Step 1

Create a quilted block. The batting and backing should extend beyond the quilt top block

Create a quilted block – with batting and backing extending beyond the block – be sure to allow for sashing, if you are going to include it.

Step 2

Square up the block and trim the batting to ¼ inch shorter than the block. I trim the batting only on the side I am joining together. The other sides will be trimmed as blocks are added to that side.

Trim the batting on your blocks so it is 1/4 inch shorter than the block

Step 3

Stitch the blocks together using a ¼ inch seam allowance – do not sew the batting or backing.

Sew the blocks together - right sides facing together. Be sure not to stitch the batting or backing as you sew.

Step 4

Secure the batting – it should meet in the center of your blocks. Fold seam allowance of your blocks to one side. Watch the video below for more instruction:

Step 5

To trim the backing, lay one side flat across where the batting meets. You may need to trim this backing so the piece lays flat. The other side of the backing will fold over the top. Make sure you trim the top piece to include a ¼ inch seam allowance.

Mark the backing before you cut. Then lay it across the back of the quilt blocks to be sure that it is long enough.

Step 6

Fold and iron a ¼ seam allowance on the backing piece. This is the piece that will fold across the top of your project and secure the closing.

Fold over and press a 1/4 inch seam allowance on your backing.

Step 7

Pin and stitch the backing piece in place. You can either hand sew or machine stitch this closed. Remember, if you machine stitch, your sewing will show through to the front. Another option is to sew a piece of trim over the seam allowance.

If I am hand stitching, I do not sew past the quilt block. This is because as you add rows, you may trim the backing off, and if your hand stitching knot is removed, the sewing may come out. I prefer to hand stitch any open spaces as I add the rows.

Notice that the backing may not match on the sides where the blocks have not been sewn together. This is not important, because the blocks on the front of your quilt match, and this excess backing and batting will be trimmed as you add rows or bind your quilt.

Pin the backing in place and stitch closed.

Step 8

Add rows to your quilt. Use the same process as you would add blocks. When you add rows, you will match the seams of the blocks just as you would when you sew a quilt top together.

Add rows to your quilt as you go project.

Happy Quilting!

Penny Halgren

©2009, Penny Halgren
Penny is a quilter of more than 27 years who seeks to interest new quilters and provide them with the resources necessary to create beautiful quilts.

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