Andy QAL Week 5: Sew Your Top
We're nearing the finish line!! I honestly don't think I've had this many hiccups with sewing a quilt and hosting a QAL as I have with this one! We've had email server issues, ice storms, and I just went on the most disappointing of a quilting retreat where I thought I'd be able to finish my Andy and video/sew the top and two things happened: 1. the locale was not as advertised. Fine for staying in, horrible for sewing. 🤣🫣 2. when I did attempt to sew, I realized somehow I didn't bring all of my fabric!!! What in the world. So...this is coming a bit late and I'm so sorry for that! But! Here we go!
For this final week of the QAL we're sewing our tops together. It's a fairly simple process in theory: sew your blocks into rows, and then sew your rows together. The most difficult part of Andy is getting those sashings to line up, so that's what we're going to talk about most of all.
Lining Up Seams
Tip 1: Pin, pin, pin
Yep. I know it's annoying. I know you don't always see me do it. But it's so helpful in getting your seams to line up. I don't always do it but here are a few things to keep in mind...first, I'm not type A. I like my quilts to look homemade and it doesn't bug me. And I rarely see a finished quilt and notice those little spots not matching. Second, I sew a *ton* of quilts. It is my literal full-time job. So practicing can help over time! And honestly, after watching a ton of people sew, some people are just naturally more careful and accurate. It's not a good/bad thing to be one way or the other. I just think you need to figure out what you need to do in order to end up with the quilt you want. I'll scream it from the rooftops, but having perfectly lined up points isn't what makes the prettiest quilt. It's prettiest if you love it. And if you love your seams lining up, then pin! Or even try glue basting! Some people love it!
Tip 2: Go slow
It's so easy to rush this step! But you're sooooo close and you'll be finished before you know it. Taking your time will make tackling those long seams less stressful.
Tip 3: Be proud of the work you've put in
You've sewn a whole quilt. The number of people who know how to do that is so few! And it is one of the slower crafts! You've pushed through the parts you didn't love, you've created something lasting, and now it's time to enjoy it!
Note: If you used the pressing method from the previous blogpost, you'll be able to nest your seams on your blocks. But it's going to require a little planning. You'll want to make note of the direction your seams are on your first block of row 1. Then, on the second block of that row, rotate (if needed) to make sure the seams are pressing the opposite direction so they can nest when you place them right sides together. Continue to do this down the length of that row.
Then for your second row, begin with the opposite pressing direction. Keep alternating down the length of that row to nest those blocks. This will allow the rows to nest together as well! Remember!! This only works for non-directional fabrics!
Sewing the Top
Honestly, this part is fairly simple but also a little tough to manage, because it's a lot of long seams. Here's how I do it:
- Lay out your blocks and rearrange as needed to get a good balance of color. You can use the same ideas from Week 2 with organizing your fabrics. I definitely like to take a photo at this stage to use to kind of notice colors that are not well distributed, and also to reference when I'm sewing my quilt top together.
- Place blocks into rows and label! I just use post its and label them by number. And save your labels!
- Sew your blocks into rows, and pin the row label on the first block on the left. Don't take it off until your whole quilt is sewn together!
- Sew the rows together. I pin at each block intersection and then adjust as I sew between the pins to keep the blocks/seams lined up.
- Voila! You have the most stunning quilt top because you did it! Quilting is not fast and you stayed with it!
Next week we will be back with a final installment of the quilt along to talk about how to take that top to finished quilt! Happy sewing, friends!