top and right edges. Rotate the block
180 degrees, and repeat the process
to trim the other two edges.15
Repeat Steps 10-14 to make
a total of 55 Cross blocks.Assembly
16
Lay out the Kiss and Cross
blocks in 11 rows of 10 blocks,
alternating the blocks and arranging
the colours in a pleasing way.17
Place a 1^1 ⁄ 2 x 5in vertical
sashing strip between the
blocks in each row. Join the sashing
strips and blocks in your chosen
order, pressing the seams towards
the sashing strips. Replace the rows
in the layout as you go.18
Measure the width of your
rows – they should all be the
same length. If they’re not, unpick
some of the seams and re-sew them.19
Join the remaining 14 grey
11 ⁄ 2 in strips, end to end, to
make one length and press the seams
open. From this long strip, cut 10
strips the same length as your rows
(horizontal sashing).20
Matching the ends and centre
points of the rows and horizontal
sashing strips, join all the rows and
sashing strips together alternately,
pressing the seams as you go.21
Join the six 2^1 ⁄ 2 in grey strips
for the border, end to end, to
make one length and press the seams
open. From this long strip, cut two
strips to the same measurement
as the horizontal sashing (top and
bottom borders).22
Matching the ends and centre
points, join these border strips
to the top and bottom edges of the quilt.
Press the seams towards the border.23
Measure the length of the
quilt through the centre and
cut two strips this length from the
remainder of the long 2^1 ⁄ 2 in strip.
Sew them to the left and right edges
of the quilt, pressing as before.Finishing
24
Cut the backing fabric into
two equal lengths, remove
the selvedges and sew the two pieces
together, side by side. Press the
seam open.25
The quilt top, backing and
batting are ready to take to a
long-arm quilter as they are. If you’re
doing the quilting yourself, smooth
the backing fabric on the fl oor, right
side down, and secure it with
masking tape. Lay the batting on top,
ensuring it is smooth. After pressing
the quilt top, lay it on top of the
batting, right side facing up. Baste
the three layers together with safety
pins (or thread if hand quilting).26
Quilt as desired. Melissa free-
motion machine quilted a large
meandering or stipple pattern on her
quilt using a variegated grey thread.27
Trim the excess backing fabric
and batting level with the raw
edges of the quilt top.28
Join the 2^1 ⁄ 2 in grey strips cut
for the binding end to end,
with diagonal seams, to make one
long strip. Trim the seams and pressthem open. Fold the strip in half,
wrong sides together and long edges
matching, and press.29
Melissa completely machine
stitched her binding as follows.
With raw edges together, stitch the
binding to the edge of the quilt back
with a^1 ⁄ 4 in seam, mitring the corners
as you go and referring to the Binding
Diagrams on page 80 for details.30
Turn the binding over to the
front so it covers the previous
line of stitching and machine stitch it
in place very close to the folded edge.
(Of course, you can sew the binding
to the front and hand stitch it to the
back in the usual way if you prefer.)
Label and date your quilt.For contact details for Melissa
Gottliebsen, of Ms Midge, turn to
Stockists at the back of the magazine.MELISSA’S BINDING
TIP Try machine binding your
quilts. The quilt police are coming
to terms with this technique, and
there are tonnes of tutorials out
there. (I have one on my blog.) I’ve
met lots of quilters who are amazed
that I don’t hand sew the binding
on, and are even more amazed
when they discover that you can
master a neat and quick binding
finish with the machine methods.
It also leaves more time to sew
more quilt tops!Diagram 61in 1in2in 2in3in 3in4in 4in4in 3in 2in 1in 4in 3in 2in 1in5in 5in5in 5in