Quilt as you go tutorial

Here is a step by step tutorial just to help out those visual learners when finishing their Life is Beautiful quilt. Of course you can apply the technique to many quilt designs.

Firstly complete your 63 blocks as per the instructions in your Pattern pack. They will already be quilted as per the instructions or your own choice. Lay them all out in nine rows of seven on a large floor space so you are happy with the layout – use the photo as a guide.

Pictured below is the back of one block. Pinned right side to the side is a 1 1/4” strip of sashing fabric.

now turn the block to the front and pin a 1” strip right sides together to this side.

 

 

see, the larger strip on the back, the smaller one on the front, pinned through all layers.

   

now stitch using a 1/4” seam allowance. Because you are stitching through batting it may help to use your walking foot for this.

 

stitched through all layers – remove pins

the front –

 

and the back

now, sit it back on the floor next to its neighbour

now flip it over on top. We are going to stitch through the 1” strip and the next block. Line up the raw edges and make sure the centre seams also are in line with each other. Pin

see the pin in the centre, it is matching those centre seams with the block underneath

stitch again with a 1/4” seam and your walking foot.

open out the two blocks and the front will now look like this – yes a 1/2” finished sashing.

flip over to the back- see your 1 1/4” strip still open there.

turn under a hem twice and bring the fold to cover the stitching line. pin in place

using a needle and matching thread, slip stitch the sashing into position.

join each row of seven blocks like this, then join all of the nine rows together in exactly the same method using the 60” strips. (there is a 1/2” extra allowance on these strips so trim it off it you don’t need it. Don’t forget to pin match all the seams and sashing strips along the length of each row.

Now you can finish the quilt by adding your small Template C circles to all of the junction points of the sashing strips. Have the red on the tan squares and vice versa. Lastly you will add your binding as per your pattern instructions.