amma

The first picture shows the pieces that I am working on, on the left
Starter scraps in the middle
Some other blocks I have cut and stacked that I keep beside my machine


The second picture shows that I have sewn onto my starter scrap and I have butted my first block right up close to it,( I like to leave about a 1/8" to a 1/4" gap between them) and I will start sewing on it. I use these scraps over and over again, I keep several to the side of my machine.

The third picture shows that as soon as I come to the end of the first block, I have placed the second block right up to my presser foot and will start sewing on it leaving a small gap.

It doesn't matter whether your blocks are square, triangles, circles, or a combination of these... you can chain piece like this with most all of them :D:D:D

Your beginning and ending seams won't get sucked down into the needle hole, you save on thread (you don't have long thread tails to trim off of the beginning and ending seams) and it is a real time saver too :wink:

amma

I also try to keep a stack of blocks next to my machine that are for an on going project. I use these instead of starter scraps. This way, I am sewing on two projects at once :wink: and I just cut them off and press them with my other blocks and put them in stack.
It is amazing how many of these you can sew while working on another project :D:D:D This is what you see in the first picture, I am done chain piecing this set of blocks, and I am ready to sew on to this "block as you go" as I call them. I will cut off the chained blocks behind it, and leave that little block there in my presser foot, ready to use on my next set of chained pieced blocks.

The last picture shows that I have taken my chains to my ironing board. One set I used a starter scrap to begin with, the other I used a "block as you go" to start with. I will cut them apart and then press them. I will take the starter scrap back to my machine, and the pressed block as you go to the stack with the others.

Sometimes I might even sew 4-6 of these blocks as you go in a row.... I don't always like to just sit and sew a bunch of these at a time, so this way I get through them faster and it is way less monotonous :D:D:D These blocks can be any size, shape, etc... Just cut a bunch out, leave them stacked by your machine, and have fun being twice as productive :D:D:D

omak

Bless you, Miss Amma ... you are such a help! Thank you!<wave>

Ninnie

Great tute, amma!!! Chain Piecing Rules!!!! :-D :-D
I only learned how to do this after joining this board :-D :-D

Quilt Mom

Best explanation I have seen for this! Thank you so much!

Marjpf

Thanks Amma. I like the idea of having an ongoing project for the starts and stops with chain piecing. I will try that.

littlehud

Thank you. I love all the help you give us. :-D

amma

You are all very welcome :D:D:D

cindyjean

The pics and lesson is wonderful. Thank-you! You are a good teacher.

wvdek

Since reading about your starter scrap, I have been using this and thank you thank you. Duh, why didn't I think of this before?

Chain piecing is great. Saves lots of headaches once you get the hang of it.

Thanks oodles.