Tutorial: How to make a patchwork...anything!

Have you noticed the patchwork craze? 

Images from Vouge

It's really everywhere you look....  I even saw some premade patchwork at Joann's, and although cute but very basic (plus those seams aren't lined up), 

it wasn't what I was looking for

While making the Patchwork Sleeping Sack, I decided to document the process since AMH did not in her book.  I really would have no idea how to do this if I hadn't taken a quilting class a few years ago and made these.  That's alot of piecing! 

You will need:
1/4 yard's of various fabrics or you could always use scraps too!
Coordinating thread

These will make your life much easier too:
Self Healing Mat
Quilting Ruler
Rotary Cutter

Lets get started!

I cut each of these squares 3".  I wanted my finished product to be 2 1/2" square. So, the 3" allows for a 1/4" seam all the way aorund.  You can make your squares larger or smaller, depending on the project you are making.  Keep in mind, the smaller the square, the more work you are creating for yourself...somtimes I'd rather eat dirt than piece tiny little squares together, so just a fore-warning.

This patchwork piece took me about 1.5 hours to complete.  For the Sleep Sack, I needed a 20x24 piece.  I calculated in order to get that, I needed 8 squares across and 10 rows down at 2 1/2" each.

Here we go....

Start by taking your 1/4 yard of fabric and lay it on the mat with the

selvedge edge on the right and the fold is on the left

Fold it up so now you have 4 layers of fabric on top of each other

Take your straight edge and cut off one end

Now take your quilting ruler and measure 3" over

A nice clean cut

For my calculations, I only needed 3 cuts, which would equal 12 squares, becuase we are cutting through 4 layers at a time

Now turn one of those 3" blocks and cut the other end off

Take your ruler and measure 3" across.  Right now your block should be a true 3" square, once you make that final cut.

Voila... Now 4! 

Cut the rest of the fabric just like this until you have all the squares you need

I always lay out my design before I start sewing.  This is to make sure that you keep everything "patchwork" looking, with no real pattern.  I was thinking as I was making this it might be cool to actually make one that has a pattern to it, like diagonal consistencies...hmmm.  Maybe next time!

After the design is laid out, take the square in the upper left had corner and lay the second square in the row on top of it, RST 

Take it to your sewing machine and sew a 1/4" seam

Put it back in place and put the third square on top of the second (not shown) and sew a 1/4" seam.  Continue this until all the squares in one row are sewn together. 

Press all the seams open. Do the next row by repeating the same steps.  You will end up having several sewn up rows....in my case, I had eight.

Her are all the rows individually sewn and pressed.  Take the second row and place it on top of the first row, remembering which side to sew.  I always keep my finger on the side to sew for the whole 2 steps it takes me to get to the sewing machine.....

I don't trust myself to remember for one thing, and I will be doubting myself the whole time Im stitching....so it helps with that whole psychosis.

First, pin the raw edge on the end, that's easy.  Starting from the left side, match up the seams of the first two blocks, making sure that the seams are aligned.

Carefully pin each seam allowance down to the other one on the other side.  Do each seam this way.  There is nothing worse than seams that don't match. (well, I guess there are worse things, but you know what I mean)  If you have alot of gap, just ease in the fabric... and pin it in the middle too.

Sew with a 1/4" seam

Press seams open and finish with the rest of the rows

Finished with seams pressed (Back view)

Finished (Front view)

Now, take your pattern piece and lay directly on your patchwork.  It seems a shame to cut and not use some of it, but you can treat it like any other stash and use it up some other time. 

Here is my finished product that I used for my patchwork.

Sew many possibilites!

Are you gonna make something now?  Post it to the Flikr Group

so we can all see, kay?

Toodle-loo

I am linking to all the party's here or you can laways visit them on my Party's Page!

Like