I saw the TV show on Column Quilting by Nancy's Notions , and then ordered the book because it looks like a fun, quick, easy way to make a quilt. Now I'm thinking I should have ordered the DVD too because I find the instructions in the book confusing. This CAN'T be a hard technique, but the book demonstrated the technique with the front and back out of the same fabric, so I can't seem to figure out what I'm supposed to do next. I wrote Nancy's Notions and they said they would "walk me through it" on the phone. I am looking for an easy tutorial (without ordering the DVD) -- Can anyone help?

I think this is all it is. Create strips of fabric.

For example, make a strip of patches that is 4.5" inches wide by however long your quilt is going to be. (In her Youtube video, Nancy makes this strip out of alternating 4-patches and 1-patches.) Cut another strip of border fabric, maybe 4.5" inches wide by however long. Cut another strip of sashing fabric, maybe 2.5" by however long.

Layer your backing fabric and batting together. I would probably spray baste these together so they don't shift while you are working.

Lay down your border fabric, right side facing up, along the left edge of your batting sandwich. (You probably want to mark a straight starting line on the batting, and pin the strip to the batting, to make sure your first column gets sewn on perfectly straight.) Lay your patched strip on top of the border fabric, right side *down*, and align its cut edge with the cut edge of the border fabric on the right. Sew 1/4" away from the cut edge. Basically you are seaming the two long strips together through your batting sandwich, so they are being quilted at the same time.

Finger press the patched strip open so it is now facing up. Pin in place. Place your sashing fabric, right side facing *down*, on top of your patched strip. Again, sew through all the layers so you are creating the seam right through the quilt sandwich.

Honestly, I think that is all there is too it.

If you can find a video tutorial on how to piece strips onto a foundation, that is exactly the same idea except with column quilting the "foundation" is the entire batting/backing layer. You start at one side of the foundation and work your way steadily to the other side.

Edit: Hmmmmm..... Not sure I am correct because Nancy mentions that the bulk of the quilt is always to the left of the machine. Maybe she starts with a center strip and works out to each side??? This would be similar to string-piecing strips of fabric onto a foundation square, where you start with the strip in the middle.

Oh my -- This is a wonderful explanation! I'll give it a try. Your explanation is easier to understand (I keep saying 'I'm not stupid!) -- Maybe Nancy can hire you as a writer :-P Thanks for your time to send this information!

I saw this too and ordered the book and the DVD, but I learn much more easily when I can watch how to do it. Maybe they will let you get the DVD separately, I think it is worth it. i am going to make the adorable baby quilt she had with all the different shapes and colors, and it's easier to understand on the DVD than in the book

I think it would be hard to publish an entire book on this method. Maybe that's why the book is hard to understand? It just happened that I made a quilt like this many years ago, based on instructions from a different quilter (whose name I can't remember at the moment). The design was different, and it wasn't called "column quilting", but the technique looks the same.

maybe if you ask the specific questions that have you stumped we could help you along the way, it is a very simple technique but we need to know where the confusion lies in order to help sort it out :thumbup:

I recorded the first episode but the TV station had technical problems about halfway through. So when the second episode was supposed to air they ran a message across the screen saying that because of the technical problems for the previous week they were re-running the first episode. Now I haven't been able to find the second episode. I'm thinking of ordering the book.

I recommend you get the DVD too