Hand Piecing Your Quilt Top
Are you one of those purists that insist a REAL quilt must be handpieced as well as hand quilted? Let's talk about piecing quilts by hand.
But are you sure you're ready for this? I might warn you it took me almost 5 years to hand piece and hand quilt this Grandmother's Flower Garden!
The 1/4 inch seam is all important whether piecing by hand or by machine. In machine piecing the presser foot can be used as a guide, but this is not an option when piecing by hand. How then can we keep that seam consistent in handpiecing?
The pattern templates must tell you if the 1/4 inch seam is included in the template, or if you must ADD the seam allowance.
Most templates do NOT include this seam allowance so we will need to add it. Do not despair! It is simpler to add it as we cut out the fabric pieces than it is to draw lines within each pattern piece if the template includes it. Here's how:
The template pattern in a book should be traced onto stiff cardboard, thin plastic, or sandpaper as you want it to stay the same with no rounded corners, etc. from use. I like to use sandpaper as it will cling to the fabric as I draw around it. I make several copies of each piece needed, marking them as the pattern shows. Sandpaper can easily be marked on the back.
If the pattern has grain lines, be sure to mark them on the templates you make as grain is important. Remember "with the grain" is parallel to the selvage, and "across grain" is across the fabric, selvage to selvage. And don't try to use up all your fabric by placing templates at angles with the grain as that will result in bias edges that STRETCH and your blocks won't fit together or lay flat.
Draw around the template. Leave a space of at least 1/2 inch and trace the second piece, and so on. When you cut out the pieces, cut at least 1/4 inch FROM THE LINE. You will be sewing ON the drawn line and the 1/4 inch seam allowance will then be there.
Plan first to make one block before cutting out the rest of the quilt pieces. Cut out the pieces for that first block, sew them together, press, and check to see if the block lays flat,and the points and corners meet within the block. A four patch is a good practice block if you have never tried handpiecing before.
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