Follow our step-by-step guide to sewing up patchwork pieces
BASIC SEAMS
As you start to build up rows of
patchwork squares, the seams from
your different rows will come together
at different points. Lining up these
seams neatly is the secret to neater
patchwork! Seams intersect in patchwork
in many styles, and it’s worth taking a bit
of time to line them up carefully,
especially where blocks are joined
together to make up a quilt top.
They can become quite bulky,
especially with thick fabrics, but – don’t
worry – we’re here to help you sew them
all up with a nice, flat finish you’ll be
pleased with. An intersecting seam is
simply a joining seam – where one seammeets another. For the best results, follow
our guide to ensure a neat effect. It’s not
the end of the world if your seams don’t
meet neatly, but the finished effect is
much more satisfying if they do.
Making a Four-Patch block is a good
way to practise neat seam sewing, so
lets’s start with that!STEP ONE
Cut out four equal-sized squares of fabric- the basic elements of your Four-Patch
block. You could opt for two different
colours or all four can be different.
STEP TWO
Place two squares right sides together.
Pin. Using a /in seam, sew along the
edge. Press the seam open or to one side.
Repeat to make two pairs.STEP three
Now put the pairs right sides together,
aligning the edges at the top and bottom,
and making sure the seams at the centre
match neatly, like our illustration.
Pin and sew the pieces together and then
press the seam.STEP FOUR
Turn block right side up. The point where
all four squares meet should match up.
If it looks like this, your seams must
have not quite lined up evenly. No problem- grab a couple more fabric scraps and
give it another go!