I know this is so simple for you - it still just scares me....
I want to try a simple charm square quilt - just the 5" blocks sewn together. Is this what I do?----- just lay out the squares so I know what to sew to what, then do two together and then sew those together to make one large square? and make a bunch of those and sew those together the same way - or???? :shock:

You sew one row of blocks together making sure all the seams are pressed in the same direction. Then sew the next row together making sure all the seams are pressed in the opposite direction of the first row. You continue in this fashion until your rows are all sewn. Then you sew the rows together. This is when the seams will butt up to each other and your corners will match. Have fun.

I would lay them out to see what they look like. When you get them arranged like you want, sew them in rows, then sew rows together. Press so the seams are opposing so there is less bulk in corners when sewn together

i think this was just squares sewn together.
yep this is one. larger squares but just squares. I do charms now too!!

Sew them, as mentioned above, using a fourth inch seam.

This is how I do it also.. I pin a whole row together and sew and press. Then I go to the next row.

I then sew the rows together into pairs. Then the pairs together, continuing until I just have the two halves left to sew together, (still pressing after each row is sewn) :wink:

If you are hand-piecing (don't know that you are, since most do it by machine) I find it easier to start at the center and add the squares around each side, then stairstep around the diamond created thus. If this doesn't make sense, PM me and I'll go into more detail.

I never sew a quilt together row by row. Sew the whole top into pairs. Then sew the pairs into big four patches and so on until you have the top sew into quarters. Then sew the top half together and the bottom half together and then the top half to the bottom half. You only have one long seam. You only have half the quilt on the sewing machine twice and you only have the whole thing on the machine once.

This is how I thought it was done - I'm afraid if I make rows, that if I have one off, then that will throw the whole row off.... this way it would be less apparent, or I thought, anyway.

Funny though that there are differences - I guess there is no right or wrong way then! But I should iron the seams in the different directions... although I'm wondering how that works if done into squares instead of rows.... maybe it will be more apparent when I start. Thank you!!

I iron my seams in opposite directions. It's harder to remember which way to iron the seams when you do it this way. I finally bought the directional straight pins made by Fons and Porter to keep track of which way they go. You can get the pins at JoAnn's.

I have done it both ways and I guess for me neither way was better or easier. Maybe try it this-a way and that-a way and see what works for you?

I don't get confused if I sew squares together and then sew rows together. I tried the other way and couldn't keep it straight. Easiest is best for me.
No right or wrong way to do anything and you may even come up with a newer and better way to do it. Good luck, it isn't hard unless you make it hard. Lots of good help on here.

In the past month and a half I've done two quilts like this - one I did by sewing large 4-patches, sewing into rows, then sewing 4P rows together (seams open) (see avatar). The other I did by sewing each individual row of squares, then sewing all rows together (seams to one side or the other). These were my first two quilts, ever.

I personally preferred the 4-patches and open seams. Some do not. It all comes down to your preference...so do this one one way, and next time you try it, try it a different way and see what works for you!

Well, I've started with sewing 4 charms together, one w/9 together... and I can see that I have to make a decision and not get myself all confused! To add to it, I have some panel pieces that I wanted to incorporate - that are 4 squares in size. I had better get this all laid out before I make a real mess! I will probably continue doing 4 squares - then make a row with that - like you said deema.

have fun too. good luck. let us see when done.