The Charlotte Quiltalong Week 6 - Quilt Top Construction
If I’m being totally honest, this is one of my favorite and least favorite parts of the quilt-making process. I love watching the quilt finally come together into something that looks like a real quilt — but I do not love sewing long seams!
That said, this step is always worth it because once your rows are joined, you get to step back and see the entire quilt top in one piece. It’s such a satisfying moment in the process! Until it's time to baste the quilt of course.
Tips for Quilt Top Construction
Here are a few things that make this step a little smoother for me:
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Press carefully. Before joining your rows, take a little extra time to make sure your seams are pressed well and lying flat (or to the side). This will help everything line up nicely and pay off nicely in your finished quilt.
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Pin generously. I like to use pins at intersections to keep things aligned. For this quilt, I will pin about every 2" when sewing. This may seem like a lot, but I think it makes a big difference. Of course feel free to pin as frequently (or as infrequently) as you like.
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Don’t rush. These long seams can feel tedious, but slow and steady makes for a neater quilt top.
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Press again. After joining each row, press the seam before adding the next one. This helps prevent any shifting. I also go through and trim any rogue threads at this point.
Video
Where We Are in the Quiltalong
At this point, your quilt top is nearly complete! If you’ve been keeping up each week, you now have your fabrics chosen, pieces cut, blocks sewn, rows assembled, and now a finished quilt top. Next week we’ll move on to finishing steps, but for now, take a moment to enjoy how far you’ve come.
What's Happening This Week?
This week at 1pm PT on Instagram, I will be doing something a little different for our live video. In addition to a Q&A, I will be working on my quilt during the video. I've never done this before so I'm not sure how long I will sew or how much of the quilt I will work on but I'm going to give it a try.
Share Your Progress
I would love to see your quilt tops! Share a photo on Instagram using the hashtag #thecharlotteqal and tag me @kitchentablequilting so I can cheer you on.