Scrappy Lines Quilt Along - Week 4

Week 4: Assembling Your Top

This week you will be sewing all of your blocks together to complete your quilt top. In between each block you will be placing a piece of sashing. Once you have made a row, you will add long sashing strips in between your rows.

Sashing

The first time I read a quilt pattern, I had no idea what the pattern designer was talking about. I had made a couple quilts on my own with no pattern, so I was unfamiliar with quilt language. Sashing refers to the fabric that goes in between your blocks. You will see this on many block based patterns. This pattern uses a lot of sashing and I think it is what turns this quilt from looking scrappy to clean. 

To start, your sashing will go in between your blocks in your rows. Create each row one at a time and set it aside. Once you have all your rows, sew sashing strips onto the bottom of each row except your last one. You will need to sew 2 or more strips together for this sashing strip in most instances for this. Once you have sewn on your sashing, you can sew all the rows together and finish off your quilt with your border strips.

Layout

Last week, I discussed a bit how to plan the placement of your strips in each block. If you remember, my main advice was not too stress to heavily, but try to spread out the color throughout your quilt. This advice holds true for this week as well. I do not overthink my layout too much, but I balance color representation throughout the quilt. In the picture above, I have too much of the same orange fabric clustered together. It wouldn't ruin my quilt to keep it like this, but I will rearrange these blocks to bring in more variety here. 

Snapping a quick picture of your layout may help you also. Often seeing my quilt through a picture helps me to step away and find problem areas. After looking at your photo in color, change it to black and white. The color will be represented as a variety of shades of grey with some black and white. It is easier to see how well the gradients of grey are dispersed through your quilt this way.

As I am planning my layout, I place all my blocks into rows and columns just as I plan to sew. Once I have decided on the best layout, I will pick up my blocks row by row. This way when I am ready to sew, I have all my pieces for each row ready and in order.

Finishing Your Quilt

Our quilt along will end with assembling our quilt top. Once you have a quilt top, you still need to baste it, quilt through all the layers and add the binding. If you are new to quilting this is overwhelming, and too much information to cover in one blog post. Don't worry, I learned all of these steps through youtube. If you have never done any of these steps, I highly suggest looking for videos online. They are very helpful in detailing how to finish a quilt. 

Week 4 Prize

For the end of the quilt along, I have decided to split up the two prizes for this week. The prize this week will be a lovely fabric bundle from  Cottoneer Fabrics. I will randomly select one of you from the pictures posted this week to receive the curated fabric bundle below from their shop. All you need to do is post a picture on Instagram of your progress.

I have one more prize this week which I am going to extend into the following week as well. On February 8, I will choose an additional winner to receive a gift certificate from Lamb & Loom Fabrics. For this prize, I will only be choosing from people who have completed their quilt top and shared a picture by February 8th. I hope many of you will have it finished within the next 2 weeks! As always, use the hashtag #scrappylinesqal and tag me. If your account is closed, you can still be in the running for prizes by emailing or direct messaging me a picture.

I am so looking forward to seeing finished quilt tops this week! If you have any questions, please email me. I'm always happy to help.

Happy Sewing,

Bess