Let’s learn how to “piece a quilt top”. “Piecing” is when you take fabric, cut it into smaller pieces, then sew them back together!
THE PATTERN
Choose a simple pattern. For this tutorial, we are using my free “In Love With Fall” table runner pattern.
THE FABRIC
At the top of most patterns, you’ll find the fabric requirements. Choose good quality cotton quilt fabric. If purchased from a quilt shop, it is your choice to wash first or not; there are opinions on both sides. I generally do not. However, if you are using fabric from a big box store, I recommend you wash in cold water on gentle cycle with a color catcher (such as Shout) before using. It may shrink, and a little bit of the dye may run. Vintage fabrics should be soaked and hand washed.
Before cutting the fabric, you’ll need to press your fabric. A key point is to “press” your fabric, not “iron” your fabric, (press and lift, press and lift, repeat), you do not want to stretch the fabric. Use a nice clean iron – I use the cotton / steam setting. I like to use a product called Best Press, others prefer starch, or simply steam. The purpose is to get a nice crisp finish on the fabric, making for more exact cutting. In the photo below, you’ll notice I keep a spray bottle of water nearby in case my iron runs out of water. And a really handy spray bottle called the Iron Maiden, which I keep filled with Best Press. It sprays a nice VERY FINE mist. And occasionally, I do use starch.
CUTTING THE FABRIC
Looking at the pattern again, after the fabric requirements, you’ll see the cutting instructions. For each of the 3 (12.5″ x 12.5″) leaf blocks we’ll need –
- 2 – 5″ x 5″ squares (print fabric)
- 3 – 4.5″ x 4.5″ squares (print fabric)
- 1 – 1.5″ x 7″ rectangle (print fabric)
- 3 – 5″ x 5″ squares (background fabric)
- 1 – 4.5″ x 4.5″ square (background fabric)
After pressing, you need to straighten the edge of the fabric. For a full width of fabric (approximately 44″ wide), fold it in half, selvage to selvage. Hold each folded end with your hands, and let the edges drop naturally. The bottom edges might not exactly meet depending on the cut.
The next steps pertain to right-handed individuals. Line the bottom edge of your fabric on a horizontal line on your cutting mat. Place a 24″ x 6″ ruler on the right side of the fabric, lining up the top and bottom of the ruler with vertical lines on your cutting mat. Hold the ruler steady, with your pinky finger to the left of the ruler. CAREFULLY, with your right hand, use a rotary cutter to straighten the right side of the fabric. These steps are just the opposite for left-handed individuals.
ALWAYS CLOSE YOUR ROTARY CUTTER WHEN NOT IN USE! IT IS VERY SHARP!
Next cut a 5″ strip from the side of the fabric we just straightened. Once again these next steps pertain to right-handed individuals. Carefully rotate your cutting mat so that the straightened edge is on the left. Using the 24″ x 6″ ruler, line up the left edge of the fabric with the 5″ mark on the ruler. Steady the ruler with your left hand, keeping the pinky finger to the left of the ruler, and cut the fabric with your right hand using the rotary cutter. These steps are just the opposite for left-handed individuals. Note we used the markings on the ruler, not markings on the cutting mat.
To cut the actual pieces we need for the leaf block, first we’ll straighten the end of the 5″ strip.
And then we will cut the appropriate number of 5″ square blocks, 4.5″ square blocks and the 1.5″ x 7″ rectangle. These steps will be repeated for each of the 3 leaf blocks. And then for the leaf background blocks.
These are all the cut pieces we’ll need for our table runner, from left to right –
- the binding
- the outside border
- the inside border
- the 3 leaf blocks
Once again, you’ll find the sizes of all the pieces needed in my free “In Love With Fall” table runner pattern by clicking here.
Aren’t these Ruby Star Society fabrics just gorgeous! You can find them at the Pindrop Shop.
I had to be really careful cutting the stripe fabric for the outside border! I wanted to make sure the stripes were all at 90 degrees to the inside border. Notice I used the lines on my ruler to make sure the stripes stayed straight.
PIECING THE QUILT TOP
When piecing a quilt top, I use a Schmetz 75/11 Quilting needle. For thread, I use a neutral color (white, off-white, light gold or light gray) 50 weight Aurifil thread. I set my sewing machine for a 2.0 mm stitch length. And when piecing fabric together, I do not worry about locking my beginning and ending stitches. I think this combination gives a nice secure piecing stitch and is barely visible. Practicing to get that perfect 1/4″ stitch is a must!
First up, let’s make the half-square triangle (HST) blocks. There will be four in each leaf block. There are numerous ways to make HST blocks. I will share two here. For both of these methods you place your two square fabrics right sides together (RST). In our case, we are placing a 5″ x 5″ leaf print square right sides together (RST) on top of a 5″ x 5″ background square. In the example below on the left, I have drawn a line from one corner to another. I then sewed a 1/4″ stitch on each side of the drawn line. In the example below on the right, I used a nifty 1/4″ ruler, placing it from one corner to another, and drawing two lines, one on each side of the ruler. I then sewed along those two lines. In both examples, you then use scissors or a ruler & rotary cutter to cut the square in half.
Next we set the seam by gently pressing and then lifting with your iron. Open the HST and finger press the seam in the direction you want it to go. In this case, we want the seam to be pressed toward the leaf print. Now we are ready to press the seam in that direction. We don’t want to stretch our fabric, simply press and lift.
Now let’s verify that our HST is exactly 4.5″ x 4.5″. Place a ruler with a 45 degree mark on top of your HST. Line up the 45 degree mark with the center diagonal line of your HST. Trim the top and right side as needed. Turn the HST around with the newly cut sides lined up with the 4.5″ markings, with the 45 degree mark again on the center diagonal line. Trim the remaining two sides as needed.
Repeat the above steps to make all the half-square triangles (HST) for the 3 leaf blocks.
Next let’s make the stems for our leaf blocks. There will be one in each leaf block. Once again there are numerous ways to make this little stem block. This is what I did. Take a 5″ x 5″ background square and cut it in half, corner to corner. Fold each triangle in half along the long edge. Finger press. Fold the 1.5″ x 7″ leaf print rectangle in half, and finger press it also.
Place the rectangle right sides together (RST) on top of one of the triangles, lining up the creases. Sew with a 1/4″ stitch. Set the seam with your iron, and then press toward the rectangle. Lay the remaining triangle on top of the rectangle, right sides together (RST), once again, lining up the crease marks. Sew with a 1/4″ stitch. Set that seam with your iron, and press toward the center rectangle.
Now we need to trim this stem block down to 4.5″ x 4.5″. Place a ruler with a 45 degree marking on top of the stem block. Trim the top and bottom. Turn the stem block around, lining up the newly cut edges with the 4.5″ markings on the ruler. Make sure the 45 degree marking on the ruler is lined up in th middle of the stem. Trim the remaining edges.
We are now ready to sew together our leaf block! With the 9 pieces of our leaf block in front of us, turn the column of blocks on the right over on top of the middle column of blocks, right sides together (RST). We’ll stitch them together using a 1/4″ seam.
There are several ways to insure a 1/4″ seam. The middle picture below shows my 1/4″ seam foot. The last picture shows the needle moved over to the 1/4″ using a “piecing stitch” on my machine. You can also use the markings on your needle plate; some like to place a colored piece of tape more clearly showing the 1/4″ marking on the needle plate. USE YOUR PREFERRED METHOD, BUT KNOW THAT AN ACCURATE 1/4″ SEAM IS VERY IMPORTANT TO INSURE YOUR BLOCKS FIT TOGETHER NICELY!
Rather than stitch together each individual piece, we’ll “chain stitch”. Chain stitching allows you to keep going without having to stop and restart on each piece. For this pattern, we’ll leave that little piece of thread attached.
We now have the right and middle columns attached via chain stitching. With our iron, we’ll set the seam, and then press the top and bottom seams in one direction, and the middle seam in the opposite direction. You’ll see why soon!
Now we will stitch the left column to the already joined right and middle column. We’ll chain stitch, set the seams with our iron and press in the same directions.
And this is our leaf block! Two more leaf blocks to go, one in each of our printed leaf fabrics!
Once we have all 3 leaf blocks, we’ll stitch them together using a 1/4″ seam.
We are now ready to add the inner border. We cut three width of fabric (WOF) strips at 1″ each. Take one of those strips and place it right sides together (RST) on one of the long ends of your three leaf rectangle. Stitch with a 1/4″ seam. There will be just a small amount left. Don’t trim it yet. Place another 1″ WOF strip right sides together (RST) on top of the other long side of the rectangle. Stitch with a 1/4″ seam. Next with your iron, set the seams, and then press the seams towards the border.
Now we will trim. Place a ruler along one of the short ends of the rectangle, lining up both ends of the border. Trim with your rotary cutter.
Next we’ll add the inner border to the short ends of the rectangle. Take the third 1″ WOF strip and place it right sides together (RST) on top of one of the short ends of the rectangle. Stitch at a 1/4″ seam. You will have a lot leftover this time. Trim the leftover with scissors about an inch past where you stopped stitching. We’ll even things up after we do the other side. Place the leftover right sides together (RST) on top of the other short end of the rectangle. Stitch at a 1/4″ seam. With your iron, set the seams, and then press the seams toward the border.
Now we will trim these ends. Place a nice long ruler along one of the long ends of the rectangle. Trim. Do the same for all four ends.
Our table runner is starting to take shape. Our inner border is finished. It should measure approximately 37.5″ x 13.5″.
Let’s move on to the outer border. It will be pieced on to the rectangle following the same instructions as the inner border. Attach one of the three 2.5″ WOF strips to each of the long sides of the rectangle. And use the remaining 2.5″ WOF strip for the short sides of the rectangle. Set the seams, press the seams toward the outer border, trim, and we now have a finished quilt top for our table runner! If you are following along, your quilt top should measure approximately 41.5″ x 17.5″.
Next up – quilting your quilt top. For a quilting tutorial, click here!
And for the free table runner pattern “In Love With Fall”, click here.