Sew Many Strips Quilt-Along: Week 3 and 5 Tips

Getting a 1/4" seam is important for this quilt. How do I get consistent seams?

Maintaining an accurate seam allowance is essential to assembling this quilt properly. If your seams aren't accurate, the pieces may not line up correctly. See a video of 4 tips for getting perfect 1/4" seams here. If you have a 1/4" presser foot, this is a great time to use it. If you don't have a 1/4" presser foot, you can make your own 1/4" guide with masking or washi tape. See the process of making your own seam guide here.

How can I save time and thread while piecing all these strip sets?

Try chain piecing! It's the process of feeding pairs of pieces under the machine needle without lifting the presser foot or breaking thread. You can see a video of this technique here.

What's the trick to pressing the strip sets without distorting the fabric?

1. Set Your Seams: Before pressing a seam open or to one side, first just press the seam as it was sewn, without opening up the fabric pieces. Doing so helps meld or sink the stitches into the fabric, leaving you with a less bulky seam allowance after you press it open or to one side.

2. Keep It Straight: Straight seams should be pressed from the right side of the fabric with the iron parallel to the straight of grain. This helps avoid pressing tucks and pleats into the seam.