Sewing your blocks/rows together
 

When you sew your blocks together, do you sew them across or do you make rows up & down? I find myself sewing blocks together across first. Then I sew the second row all the way across. When I come to the last row, I go back to the first & sew it to the second all the way across, etc....This way, it is easier to "nest" the seams.

I've also heard that the first row you are supposed to sew left to right, then the next row right to left, but I've never followed that...it works out ok--

how do you sew your blocks/rows together? [I realize this method won't work with bargellos]

I sew mine together the way you do most of the time in order to nest the seams. I tried sewing the columns together, but I didn't like that as well. I sew each row left to right.

That is how I sew my blocks together. Works well for me. When using sashing I sew them to every other row, then sew the ones in between to those.

It depends on the pattern. I usually do rows together but on my avatar I did columns because I needed to see the pattern come together.

When I am sewing strips together I sew first one way then the other way on the next rows so they don't go wonky but when sewing rows of squares together I don't think that's necessary because you are nesting the seams which keeps things more true. If you are doing sashing it is easy to get it going wonky from some stretching. If you are sewing a long strip of sashing you should treat it like a border by measuring your row or column and then dividing it into at least fourths, make your sashing the same length, divide it into fourths and match those points. I would then sew the other side of the sashing in the opposite direction. It is very hard to avoid all stretching when you have a long piece of fabric.

I sew the blocks and rows together like you do except I do try to alternate sewing the full rows together left to right and then right to left.

I sew blocks into sets of two going across the rows. Then take the top two blocks and sew them to the next row to make sets of 4 blocks. I continue sewing in that manner and end up only having to sew one long row together. Makes my life much easier!

I do the same.

Me, too. Some patterns it just works better to sew vertically than it does to sew horizontally.

Most of the time I sew blocks together in horizontal rows, but for one quilt, I sewed the blocks together in vertical columns, then sewed the columns together because it was much less work to do it that way.

It depends on the size of the quilt. for my king size quilts, i usually will divide the quilt into 4 quadrants, sew them together and then sew the 4 quadrants together. although, I have never sewed blocks together vertically.

I am making a tumbler quilt, and I found in order for them to fit together properly, I had to sew them together top to bottom. Otherwise, they would not fit together correctly. Usually I do go across and then down, but with the tumblers, I could not do that.

I usually do it in the blocks -> big blocks -> bigger blocks method. I hate doing long seams, so when I'm going row by row I often balk at that point. So by breaking it up I get it done faster.

Neither. I sew the blocks into four patches. Then I sew the giant four patches into even bigger four patches until I have the top in four quarters. I only have one full width seam to sew that way and only have more than half the top on the machine once. Plus the whole top comes out straighter and squarer that way.

I know Eleanor Burns sews down the rows, but i've always picked up mine going across and sew them that way. I do try to press one row one way and the other the opposite. that does help with matching seams. and no, i don't put one row in one way and the other the opposite end. I just sew.

I number my block across with 1A, 1B 1C...... the 2nd row as 2A, 2B, 3C.......

As I number them I pin them into pairs and sew them altogether. Then I pair them up again until all the rows have been sewn. Then I sew row one to two, row three to four and continue sewing until I have the blocks all sewn.

I also sew them together in 'chunks' of blocks, like 3X3 or 4x4 I hate those long seams and this way you usually have to sew only one. The only thing is I have to pay close attention to how I press my seams because I want them to nest.

It appears several of us sew our tops together into squares, then bigger squares....to me known as the Mary Ellen Hopkins "Twosie-Foursie" Method. This cuts down on the amount of seams you have to abut in rows across the quilt, which, indeed, makes the quilt fit better, squarer.

Jan in VA

the twosie-foursie method makes sense....{sure could have used that info before I made an irish chain--what a mess that was to match & SO frustrating!}--thanks for that demo, JAN, ...where DO you find these little tutes?

I write and do the graphics on all of these myself using the Paint program on my laptop. Thanks for the comments. :)

Jan in VA

Jan, thank you! I didn't understand the twosie, foursie method until I saw your illustration. This is totally new to me! Sure could have used it when I made that huge king size comforter!

Thanks Jan. I always enjoy your posts and learn so much.

I divide quilt into four and sew together in sections. Saw this suggestion here. Makes lining up much easier and only requires sewing one long seam.

I do mine the way you do and it works great...

I hadn't thought of alternating rows, but will try it soon. I learned a good way to be sure your blocks line up perfectly, and learned it here on the qb.
Baste the blocks together with big basting stitches. It really holds them in place well, and not nearly the 'taking out.'
Mariah

Once again Jan gives excellent information. This is how I do my large quilts as it makes them easier to handle.
I too learned this from Mary Ellen. Thanks Jan.

I chain piece my tops. I sew column 1 block 1 to column 2 block 1, then chain piece column 1 row 2 to column 2 row 2, then column 1 row 3, etc the length of the quilt. Now you have column 1 and 2 chain pieced together. Then I add column 3. So...take the column 1 and 2 section and add column 3 block 1 to the top, column 3 block 2 next, etc.
I do this for the entire quilt and you end up with a completely chain pieced top. I now know which way to press the seams and they match up! If for any reason you mess up, just stitch near the end of the oproblematic one and keep going. If this makes no sense or you want a diagram, let me know and I will try to draw it out. This method has helped me make straighter quilts!

Love your remark about the quilt being like life, this is so true.

Jan,
Thank you for your self-explanatory and concise instructions. Your a gifted teacher, who uses technology and knowledge exquisitely. I do appreciate your comments and suggestions. Thank you indeed!

I chain piece mine in columns causing a web effect. I don't need as many pins in doing it this way and the seams match up easier for me. Bonnie Hunter has a tutorial on her website on how this is done. My other method has been the same as Jan described. Both method have served me very well.

I do this also.

I learned from a quilting teacher in my class to sew the first two rows together, left to right, then the next two rows together, then the next two, etc. When the pairs are sewn together, then I sew the two top together, then the next two sections together, etc. Then I do the last seam, which should be in the middle and the last seam. This is also how I put rows together when I do sashing, putting the short sashing on the block first, then sewing the top row together and the sashing to it and the top of the next row, which has been sewn together. I hope you understand, if not, pm me if you want more info.