Piecing the Quilt Top: Part II

Figure 1.1

A couple of weeks ago I left off with piecing the sashing onto the quilt. The next step of this quilt is to piece together the rows. Right now, all but seven of the pinwheels have a sash attached to it. There is no right way to put the rows together. So if, and when, you being piecing the rows together for your quilt, change what ever you like. This is just how I was able to accomplish this difficult task.

The first thing I did was lay out the quilt top again. Since the pinwheels and sashing are attached, be careful to have the sashing facing the right direction. Also, now is the time to choose where you want the pinwheel colors to be. Once the row is sewn together, there is no going back on what color touches what. Then, line up the long sashing in between, just to know what you are working with. Once all of that is complete and you have a basic workup of your quilt top, it’s time to sew the rows.

Figure 1.3

Figure 1.4

The first step in producing rows is to sew together two blocks with sashing, see figure 1.2. Find the row you want to start with and located the two blocks that are farthest to the right. We start with the right so you have an end piece with out sashing on it on the right side and an end piece with sashing on the left side.

Put these two pieces right sides together with a sashed side meeting a non-sashed side. Sew a ¼“ seam to connect the non-sashed side to the sashed side, see figure 1.3. Once the two blocks are sewn together, press out the block, so that the whole block lies flat. Now you have ⅓ of the row complete. Repeat with the next two blocks so that you only have one pinwheel left, see Figure 1.4.

Figure 1.5

Then, place the two block on the left (just before the single block) on top of the two block on the right. The piecing should look like Figure 1.5. Just like the first part of the row, sew together both of the two blocks to make one row of four blocks and four sashing.

Figure 1.6

This remaining pinwheel shouldn’t have a sash connected to it. Finally, complete the row by adding the final pinwheel to the entire row. When you are done there should be no sashing on either end of the row.

Next comes placing the sashing, but that is another post.