Lake Garden Quilt Sew Along
Week 4
Welcome to Week 3 of the Lake Garden Quilt Sew Along.
Week 4
Welcome to Week 3 of the Lake Garden Quilt Sew Along.
Our units are completed (fingers crossed) and now it's time to sew all our blocks together and make our quilt tops!
The Lake Garden Sew Along will be taking place in both the Facebook Group and on Instagram. If you post in Instagram, be sure your account is set to public so we can all see your posts using the #lakegardenSAL and #lakegardenquilt hashtags.
If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Make sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics, so you can catch up and join in the fun.
The Lake Garden Sew Along will be taking place in both the Facebook Group and on Instagram. If you post in Instagram, be sure your account is set to public so we can all see your posts using the #lakegardenSAL and #lakegardenquilt hashtags.
If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Make sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics, so you can catch up and join in the fun.
LAYOUT
Once both the Half Flying Geese and Rectangle Drunkard's Path units have been completed it is time to decide on a layout.
I'm still lucky to be able crawl around on the floor so that's my method. I do have a design wall but it's no where near big enough. I know some people like to use a spare bed, but I don't have one of those either.
Once both the Half Flying Geese and Rectangle Drunkard's Path units have been completed it is time to decide on a layout.
I'm still lucky to be able crawl around on the floor so that's my method. I do have a design wall but it's no where near big enough. I know some people like to use a spare bed, but I don't have one of those either.
Do what works best for you.
I will have already uploaded a video of me working on my layout. I like to place the Half Drunkard's Path units down first and then fill in the gaps with the Half Flying Geese units.
It's a slow process and I definitely spent some time tweaking the colour placement, but worth spending the time on I think.
I also do like some of the happy accidents that occur when similar colours end up being next to each other.
It's a slow process and I definitely spent some time tweaking the colour placement, but worth spending the time on I think.
I also do like some of the happy accidents that occur when similar colours end up being next to each other.
If you are following the pattern and would like to make a block at a time, this is when you start to sew both units together. I made my first two versions this way. I find working on a large block nice and easy and then it means at the end there less seams to sew!
An extra tip I found very helpful was when it came to sewing the 4 units together, always place the Drunkard's Path Unit on top. Then you can sew along the previous stitch line (curved piecing) and it ensures you catch it perfectly in the seam.
It's a bit hard to see the stitching in this photo, hence the pin, but the idea is to have this seam from the Drunkard's Path Unit on top, then you can sew a perfect ¼" seam.
Next I want to share with you a different method of sewing the units together.
Next I want to share with you a different method of sewing the units together.
This involves a big stack of paper plates and the ability not to spin things while sewing.
So instead of sewing a block at a time like above, the plan is to sew the quilt top together in rows.
This involves piecing the two units together as you go.
This involves piecing the two units together as you go.
I am making the large throw so I have 10 rows of pairs to piece.
Grab you paper plates and stack the units together in their pairs. Make sure to keep all the blocks the correct way around on the plate.
This technique saves getting up from the machine and gathering you blocks as you go.
Each row will be stacked on their own paper plate.
I always piece from left to right. So the bottom pair of units on the paper plate will be from the right side. Then work across stacking more blocks from that row on top.
I then mark each row using a row marker pinned to the top left of the first unit in the row.
Grab you paper plates and stack the units together in their pairs. Make sure to keep all the blocks the correct way around on the plate.
This technique saves getting up from the machine and gathering you blocks as you go.
Each row will be stacked on their own paper plate.
I always piece from left to right. So the bottom pair of units on the paper plate will be from the right side. Then work across stacking more blocks from that row on top.
I then mark each row using a row marker pinned to the top left of the first unit in the row.
Then take that pile of units and paper plates to the sewing machine and start piecing.
I found that when I first started with this method I had to think a little more and also try not to spin any of the blocks. Once I got my head around the pattern it came together super fast.
Once each row was made, I pressed the seams from each row in opposite directions so when they were sewn together they nested nicely.
I found that when I first started with this method I had to think a little more and also try not to spin any of the blocks. Once I got my head around the pattern it came together super fast.
Once each row was made, I pressed the seams from each row in opposite directions so when they were sewn together they nested nicely.
I am super happy with how my quilt top turned out. These are not my normal colours that I work with but I have been really challenging myself to create new colour palletes from what is already in my stash. If I wasn't doing that I would have never used these fabrics in a quilt and I think it looks awesome!
Next week I will be sharing my domestic machine quilting tips with you. I have quilted all four versions slightly differently with combinations of horizontal and diagonal straight lines.
So stay tuned for all that.
I am also extremely excited to see the photos of your finished quilt tops, so keep up the sewing and sharing to our facebook group.
Emma x
Leave a comment