I did my basting by machine. I used the longest stitch my machine would allow. Then after I quilted my blocks and cut off the excess batting and backing, the block was already stitched around. That was a surprise, but I did not have to do that step.

[QUOTE=VickiM;5418218]Will you share some pictures with us of the quilts you have made using this technique???

Has anyone else used this technique and if so would you share pictures of your quilt with us??

Here's my grandson's graduation t-shirt quilt using the method we're currently going through. Once you get the hang of it, it's actually very easy.

I agree....stay on your current plan.

Vickig... very nice. I really like the backing of your quilt also.

**TIP** On sewing down the back sashing.

Since the front sashing becomes 1/2" wide, if you adjust your needle (if your machine can do that) to just inside that 1/2" mark, your stitching will be inside the sashing. I'm still perfecting this myself and still wander off some time but, hey, as my quilt instructor always taught me....."Can you live with it?" If not, redo.

On a separate note, did I miss the post where you state what widths to cut the sashing strips? I cut mine 1" and 1-5/8".

Thanks !! I figured when he gets bored with one side, he can flip it over. His mom helped me pick out the sashing and backing colors.

Since 2 of the center blocks were 14", I didn't realize this until I had already started cutting the squares 12-1/2" (duh !!). So I had to figure out how to work around them. That's how the center came to be. Took 2 days to figure it out.

Now, the 4 corners ended up as basic quilt blocks because she couldn't steal any more shirts from him and I needed it to be balanced (kinda anal that way).

I was actually pleased with how it turned out, using all those colored shirts and getting them balanced was fun to figure out.

I've been doing this method for 2-3 years now but have decided I want to learn more methods. I've already picked up a few tips so this is going to be so much fun !!!

Vickig626 - Yes you can machine baste. :)

http://www.quiltingboard.com/blogs/p...ps-b10137.html

For the current method I am doing the strips are suppose to be 1" inch width by the length of your block and the Back side Sashine is 1-3/4" width by the length of your block. If you click on the blog link in my signature you can easily find the posts for each segment of the current tutorial. :thumbup:

This is a great thread , so happy I found it !

Welcome Raedar63; I hope you will join in our discussions and please share your QAYG projects with us as well. Questions are always welcomed. :thumbup:

Well, here are my pictures so far. I will try to explain how I quilted each block. I am new to this, so please don't judge my efforts.

The first block, the pink and green block, I did what I think is a meandor in the center and a leaf design on the white part. I do not know if you can tell much by looking at the back.

Block 2, pink star, I did stitch in the ditch and a diamond in the center.

The backs of my blocks do not want to upload. I will take some more pictures and finish uploading in a few minutes.

Block 3, yellow star with blue flowers, I did it all meandering.

Block 4, yellow star with yellow and burnt orange flowers, I echoed around the star and did a square in the center.

Block 5, pinkish red star with pink flowers on biege background, I did what I call a repeat of echoing around the star.

Block 6, mauve star with blue center, I tried to make a vine pattern.

vickig626, that is a nice looking tee shirt quilt.

I am planning to use this technique on my next major quilt as my shoulder objects to my quilting twin and larger on my home machine. I've done it before, but not lately.

ssnare - i believe that was answered previously. You would use whatever fabric YOU wish for the backing. Just cut it to the size rcommended in the tutorial being used. You apply the backing as you quilt each block individually, and BEFORE attaching blocks 1:1 - you are quilting both the front and back of the quilt as you go.

most quilters prefer 100% cottons, but i would want to 'match' the materials you are using in the front of your blocks. You can cut your backing blocks all from one fabric, as seen in the picture below;
[ATTACH=CONFIG]353849[/ATTACH]

or in different fabrics for each block, as seen below.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]353848[/ATTACH]
Hope that helps!

I never thought about doing this, what a great idea. I have had a few bobbles where I had a seam not lay flat and had a do over, this would solve that!

[QUOTE=vickig626;5419843]This is so gorgeous. I LOVE the backing fabric you used, and how the tshirt layout came out. For the tshirt fronts - did you spray baste them to the batting?

VagabondIndigo and VickiM ... My complements to both of you for the matches being nice and straight and square on your quilts. I haven't done this QAYG technique, have liked the concept, and have been wanting to try it thru this thread ... though I have had hesitations, as store samples in several stores that I've seen done have not fully matched up or been straight and square. What a turn off .... and you've proven, it does not need to be such! :)

I dont know if this has already been posted, but I like this method that doesnt have the fold on top when blocks are joined.

http://lilysquilts.blogspot.com/2011...ng-blocks.html

I stumbled upon this today and thought it was a good tute with lots of pictures. I learn best by viewing.

I've made several QAYG quilts, but have always made the backing larger than the front of the block that creates a front fold

[ATTACH=CONFIG]353908[/ATTACH]

Can I join? The method she has been showing is exactly how I did my flip flop quilt and the one I just finished called my nature QAYG. The third picture is the back of the nature one. These are my nr. 1 and 2 quilts of this type I've done.

Currently I have 2 more started--one with odd blocks which will be a scrappy quilt--hope it turns out decently as I'm not really impressed by my blocks--I need a killer sashing fabric. The second one I have started but not finished is one where I embroidered some bluebells on 17 - 9" squares and will alternative them with a patterned fabric that is quilted.

Anway, here are my first two. I'm completely satisfied with both of them. The nature one, I made 1/2" seams instead of 1/4" seams so my sashing ended up being 1" wide instead of 1/2" wide. I like it as well but I also really, really like how the flip flop quilt turned out.

I did all of the finishing of the strips as hand work. The two I'm doing now, I'm going to try to machine stitch the strips down.

Justflyingin, your quilts look terrific. Wow!

vhord620 and Justflyingin, your quilts look terrific. Wow!

I also have a question. Can you use one fabric for the front of the block as sashing and a different fabric for the back of the block for sashing or joining the blocks?

Of course you can ... like most things in quilting, you can do whatever you want!
I believe JustFlyingIn's 2nd and 3rd pictures are the same quilt, showing you the two sides.

[QUOTE=vagabondindigo;5420729]Thanks to ALL the nice comments on my grandson's tshirt quilt. I got a BIG hug from him when he opened it too so I know he liked it. Since his mom kinda "stole" the shirts out of his closet, I was afraid he would be upset that she had them cut up but he loved it.

As for spray basting - I think I just pinned it with straight pins. I didn't want to do a lot of quilting which might take away from the shirt names so I marked about 3" in from the edges to create a very wide "echo" type square. Plus, since the shirt itself was stabilized with lightweight fusible interfacing, spraying that side was definitely not necessary. Part of the reasons I took a couple of shortcuts is that I only had about 10 days to complete (I had been very sick the previous 2 months and didn't even go near my sewing room during that time). My step-daughter's co-worker was nice enough to iron on the interfacing to help me out.

I hope that answered your question.

Hey everyone, Great postings. I love all of the wonderful examples of finished "QAYG" All of the projects are unique and beautiful.:thumbup: I was out all day having summer fun with my family. Laid out in the sun and watched my DGS playing on Lake Michigan Beach building sand castles with my DD. It was a very relaxing day with Pizza for lunch. :) I will work on getting caught up on the posts reading tomorrow and get replies out to any questions that have not been answered. :) Have a wonderful evening Ladies.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]353986[/ATTACH]

I've done this several times but you really need to stay organized while cutting and sewing so you don't get yourself mixed up. You can guess how I know this.....:-)

justflyin -- very nice. I like how you used alternating colors going across.

Oh Jenniky ... he's adorable!
And what a great pic you captured.
Now you just go and relax ... and enjoy the rest of your day/evening and don't stress about responses!


I forgot to respond about the different technique questions.
I'm with the others ... stick with the one technique and explore all the variables, before going onwards to a different type of QAYG.

It'd become just too confusing, to get too far into other techniques at the same time.
(I confuse easily, and already am getting confused with the extras that have been posted!!:))

I hope you'll stay with this technique until finished...then maybe the fun & done. I am interested in any QAYG that I can do TOTALLY by machine...I don't do much handwork.

Also, thanks to everyone that made the nice comments on my fun & done projects.

WOOT! I did something Nancy does!

lol, yes, I use a similar method. i dont usually bother to cut them down much, I now just save all the scrap fusibles from various projects for a quick basting. I have never done it with a whole quilt top, nothing larger than 36" square. little dots, or bits, or squares, or whatnot about 3-4 inhes apart - like you would baste with pins. I do the top first, then the backing. My favorite part - it allows me to center a backing really easily if I have a pattern or otherwise want a certain fabric motif in a certain place on the back. I get impatient with shifting pins for something like that, so this works into my quilting ADD perfectly!

Thanks. That was out of necessity as I didn't have enough dark pink to do all the strips like I originally wanted. So, I decided to go with yellow also. In the end, I liked it just fine.

The VOTES are in. :)

It seems it unanimous to stay with the current method. So that is what we will do. We will continue to explore the variations on this method.

Vhord - Thanks for sharing a QAYG Link with us.
Ssnare- Love your Quilting, Great Job.
Pinkiris- Thanks for sharing the info on the Wonder Under Scraps

Just found this thread, and am excited to get started. I can't find how to bookmark anymore so I subscribed to it and had it e mailed daily. Hope this will work and help me keep up. Thanks for doing this Jenniky.

Granna of 5 - Welcome Im glad you have found us. Subscribing and Bookmarking is basically the same. I think that Subscribe is just the new term with the QB's new system. :thumbup:

We will all look forward to seeing the squares you select for this project. I also want to invite you to share your QAYG experiences with us and participate in the discussions. And Questions are always welcomed. :)