Friday, July 10, 2009

one a day quilt along-assembling the top

Are you all done with your one a day blocks? It's time to assemble your quilt top. Before jumping in, I think it's necessary to state that there are probably a dozen different ways that you can assemble it. This is the way I chose to do it.

You will need about 3.5 yards for the sashing.
All sashing strips are cut 2.5" wide.
(I am using bleached muslin.)
All seam allowances are 1/4".
I chose to press all seams toward the sashing.
Press after each step.

Cut 80 pieces of sashing 2.5" x 6.5".



Attach one piece of sashing to each 9 patch block. (You will have 10 left over.) For this step, I didn't bother pinning. I sewed all 70 at once and then pressed all 70.
Layout in a pleasing arrangement, 7 blocks wide by 10 rows high. It helps to take a digital photo after this step to check for color balance.

Sew the rows together. With the extra 10 sashing strips, add one to each row. Each row should start and end with a sashing piece and it should have 7 blocks in between.

Measure the length of your rows and take an average. For example, I had some rows that measured 58 1/2" and some that measured 59". So I cut all my pieces 58 3/4" long.

Cut 11 pieces.

This is where you will need to pin. And pin. And pin some more.

It is helpful to pin the sashing at each end. Then pin in the middle, then alternate the pinning from side to side. This will help you ease in the extra bulk if there is any and distribute it evenly along the seam.

Attach sashing to each strip. Then attach the strips together.

Next, you will need 142 2.5" blocks. Sew two strips 41 blocks long and two strips 31 blocks long. Attach the side borders first, then attach the top and the bottom borders.

Lastly, cut 4 long sashing strips for the outside and add them to the quilt. (For this step I didn't measure the length, I just sewed them on and pressed, then cut off the excess.)
Step back and admire your pretty new quilt top!
This one measures 66 1/2" x 91". A perfect twin size.

This does take some time to assemble because of all the sashing...it took me about 2 1/2 days. But so worth it!

I've been detaching myself from this quilt ever since I started it, because I have a recipient in mind. But once I added the white sashing, I had to start the detachment process all over again.

91 comments:

Karen said...

This is so gorgeous! Maybe you should keep this one for yourself?

Thanks for doing all of this for us. I've been sort of in limbo since my 9patch blocks have been finished. Did make a charity baby quilt top this week and some square in a square blocks for another quilt.

I will begin going through all the scraps/blocks now and begin cutting loads of 2-1/2" squares.

Karen L.

Joan from Hawaii said...

LOVE this quilt! I think this is something I can do....I found A LOT of white sheets in my mom's closet from some thrift sale (A LOT!). I don't think its 100% cotton. Do you think I could use the white sheets in between each block? I'm a beginner and would like your feedback before I invest time into cutting all the many sashes.

Angela Nash said...

It looks wonderful! Makes me want to start my sashing (which I hate to do!)

Thanks for the detailed steps on how you did your sashing.

Ashley said...

it's so beautiful!! I think I'm just 6 or 7 away from being able to assemble mine!

Anonymous said...

Wow, I've loved watching all of the quilts on flikr! Thank you so much for doing this quilt a long!

Diana said...

Thanks for the final set of directions. Roughly, how much sashing material did you need for this?

ilovebabyquilts said...

Nice tutorial. Love!

Hey, come check out my blog today for a designer fabric contest/giveaway!

HMaas said...

I love it - thanks for the detailed instructions - I think I will have to try to make one myself!

Mushyhed said...

Wow, yours looks great! I'm hoping to get mine done this weekend. We'll see. My to do list gets longer and longer! Have a great weekend!

Wendy said...

Its the perfect summer quilt! The pieced border really adds so much -
I think its a keeper so you can use it for summer naps!

Anonymous said...

Another corker!! So wish I'd joined in with this quilt a long but I came across it too late.
I adore the patchwork border, just perfect!

Julie S said...

Aw, shucks. Now I wish I had started the one-a-day when you did. Your quilt top is just lovely. Well, I will have to put this one on my list of "I-wanna-make-it-some-day"!

Erika said...

I like it very good job

alicia said...

this is beautiful! (and tedious)

Kristen in OK said...

Amazing! Such a beautiful blend of colors....thank you so much for the tutorial. It is so vibrant and fresh!

I don't think I could part with this quilt - it is so YOU! :)

Chris {frecklemama} said...

It's GORGEOUS! I love how it turned out. I finished mine and gave it to my sister. It was hard giving it away so I know how you feel! It was my first stippled quilt so I was very proud of the finished product. (especially after washing and drying it into crinkley goodness) Well done!

Bonnie said...

This is such a beautiful quilt top! If I were you I would have to really work at detaching myself from it!

Amanda Jean said...

diana,

thanks for asking the question about the sashing-i added it to the post. you will need about 3.5 yards.

aj

OurCrazyFarm said...

What a beautiful way to use left over scraps! I didn't get in on the quilt along, but I just might have to start this on my own. Great job!

Annika said...

It´s so nice! A sparkle of colors.

roseylittlethings said...

Very cool top! Such a fun quilt along!

Meg said...

So pretty! Can't wait to get started on mine!

Kim said...

I've been sitting in my sewing room staring at my 70 squares, putting off doing this. But now you've motivated me to get going again! Your quilt top looks gorgeous- I hope mine turns out ok because I just used whatever scraps I had lying around and there isn't any sort of method to that kind of madness. Thanks again for the motivation and the awesome idea to do a quilt along with you!

Julie @ Jaybird Quilts said...

so i guess in the end... this was a block every other day for me! b/c i've got 35 done.. i've had 35 done for a while.. then life got busy... so do i try and catch up?... or make a baby quilt?...hmmm

Maria Harrits said...

Lovely! I´m still missing the long sashing and all the blocks in the border, but i´m on my way!

Always Sewing said...

Gosh I love this! It is amazing how such a simple pattern can be so striking. I think sometimes we think a quilt has to be some fancy involved pattern.
Great job on this quilt I am sure whom ever you give it to will cherish it.

CJ said...

GORGEOUS!!! I still plan on making this, maybe it will be my fall project - 70 days of fall quilt. :D

Sarah - Red Gingham said...

I've just completed mine and it looks so much like yours! I guess they all will when using multi coloured fabrics. I'm very pleased with how it has turned out. Thanks so much for the idea of making one and showing me how to do it.

Meredith said...

Hi Amanda!
My sister-in-law are co-hosting a swap for novetly squares to make I-SPY quilts if you're interested...just thought I'd pass it along...
www.madebymeredith.blogspot.com

Heather said...

This quilt looks awesome. I love it.

Sarah said...

Absolutely gorgeous! The white sashing really adds so much to it...love it!

Solidia said...

Thanks for the instructions Amandajean! I have my blocks finished and I am ready to start adding the sashing. Yeah!:)

pippinsequim said...

Just curious, why press the seams toward the sashing? I always press away from white when possible because I worry about it showing through.

imquilternity said...

Your quilt is gorgeous and I can see why you would have trouble giving it away! This quilt-along has been so much fun! I'm ready to do my sashing, but might try using a print or a solid color. At least, I'll audition a few choices and may possible end up using white anyway because it looks soooo good!

Andi said...

Beautiful quilt.
The sashing makes such a difference!!!!
Really brings out all the beautiful colours.
Andi :-)

Joyce said...

I tend to use black sashing on scrap quilts but I see now that white is the way to go! I love it.

connie said...

Thanks for the motivation. I am assembling my quilt also. I make have to make a few more squares because I would like mine to be a queen size but it is in motion.

Jacky O said...

I love it!! I can't wait to get started piecing mine!! It's so cute!! I would have trouble giving it away also!!
Thanks for all the time that you put into this!!
Thanks Again,
Jacky O

Frogdancer said...

I'm also curious about the reason for pressing towards the white. I looked at the bleached muslin in the shop, but went for bleached homespun as it seemed to be sturdier. You know, more like a good quality cotton. I was worried about colours showing through.

This will take me a bit longer than 2.5 days to do. School starts again on Monday. Our winter holidays are over....

Linda said...

It's looking quite lovely! Were your long sashing pieces cut on the lengthwise grain of the fabric? or did you have wide fabric to begin with? I have two blocks to go and I will be done with my blocks. I am only doing 48 blocks for a lap size, though.

Cheryl Arkison said...

I really like the border! Another great finish.

holynickel said...

This is beautiful!!!! I love it.

rachel griffith said...

it's amazingly beautiful.
i really, really ♥ it!!!
i'm a sucker for quilts with lots o' white!!!

One Flew Over said...

Oh WOW! I love the coloured sashing against the white! How can you part with it??

-girl from the bush said...

i loved this project. so glad you did yhe quilt along coz it kept me so motivated, now to do the sashings. hope to see so many more getting finished on the flicker page, thanks so muchm love your blog sue

Shawn said...

Sew pretty!

allsewnup said...

Your quilt is quite the jewel, so beautiful. I'm going to finish mine this coming week (I have 2 baby quilts to finish first) and I am determined to take and post pics. Thank you for this wonderful quilt along, it's been so much fun and I look forward to your next. I'm going back to my stash for a baby quilt (9 Patch) to donate to the hospital that my first born and I spent one month.
BIG HUGS, Carolyn cdn

Marianne Penner said...

Gorgeous. The scrap border really ties things all together!

Lina said...

Looking really good Amanda Jean, love how this is turing out. PS Happy belated birthday btw!

Rebecca Maples said...

How are you going to quilt it, I'm leaning towards quilting it like the inspiration quilt. I'm planning on giving it as a Christmas gift to my Mom, that way I can still visit it often!
Rebecca

Dorrie said...

It's beautiful. . .I can feel your attachment/detachment pain!

Julie said...

Thank you so much for posting this - I jumped ahead because I just couldn't wait. I'm definitely doing more. Thanks again. Here's mine:

http://straussming.blogspot.com/2009/06/borders-on.html

Gari in AL said...

I started reading your blog after you were well on your way in this project so I did not participate. But I love the quilt you have constructed. Will you be quilting it?

Janet said...

It's wonderful, doesn't it look great? I'm a sucker for nine patches.

Jocelyn said...

wow I love how this is coming together. The sashing always makes those 9 patches pop!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

What a great instruction for the use of the nine patches! Thank you! Yours turned out so cute - it sure would be hard to give that beauty away.

The Wooly Wumpus said...

I love your quilt top and the border is so perfect! Can't wait to see this one quilted! (No pressure...lol!)

2ndAvenueStudio-Rachel said...

Oh no I am WAY... behind!
I better get on this ... drat it to heck!
it looks great!

Rose said...

For some reason, I always choose prints for any sashing, and I really love the white to set off the colors, on any quilt I see! I'm totally gonna start loving up on the solids on my next projects.

Lindsay said...

so cute! I just finished quilting mine, and i love it! Thanks for the great idea. It has kept me busy and gotten me quilting again.

sinceseptember2008 said...

you prove it! It's super cute and colorful. I can't wait to see when it's finish. I have a lot of 3.5' ninepatch from exchanging with friends in quilt guild. This gonna be one option for me to put them together.

Eila said...

Truly a wonderful and beautiful work!

Barb said...

Turned out super....

Coffeebean's Dailies said...

Hi Aj! I did not partake in this. I see now I wish and now will put on future to do list, after the 36 have been completed!

It's wonderful! Thanks for sharing with all of us.

Alia

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

Your quilt top looks gorgeous! Thank you for keeping us motivated :)

Victoria Findlay Wolfe said...

detatch! You'll make more lovelies!
Make another! Looks great AJ! :-)

heather said...

I love this quilt! I really could make a lot more!!! I'm calling mine "i spy" some girl just gave that to me because she said you can spy all the fabrics you used in other quilts. I thought that was a fun idea so I'm using the name.:) You quilt top looks great!! I LOVE a 9 patch!!! Thanks for doing this for us.

MichelleB said...

I'm always amazed at how great this quilt always looks. I'm sure that yours will be quilted before mine - and I can hardly wait to see it.

Needled Mom said...

Very nice. I was actually thinking of doing mine on point with squares between. It will be fun to see all of the results.

Bonus Mom said...

It is beautiful!!! I am sooooo far behind, but seeing the finished product makes me want to go get busy!

Donna said...

What a beautiful quilt!

Lina said...

Looks GREAT! I am almost done with my embroidery, I can't wait to piece the sashing... thanks for doing the quilt along. SO FUN doing Sew Along online...

Emily Cole said...

Wow... that is so pretty!!! Great job! I'm still not done putting my top together from Old Red Barn Co's quilt-along... I've gotten really sidetracked and busy lately!

Annie said...

I love this quilt. It's great. Thanks for sharing the pictures!

Jen said...

Beautiful as always. I have a 9 patch top that has been in the works since the LAST time I was laid off 6 years ago. I had started to piece the blocks together but the entire top is far from assembled. Now that I see yours I think I might disassemble it and add white sashing. It really makes each block stand out on it's own. Right now mine looks a little too mish mash...cute scrap quilt but just not cute enough, ya know?

Judy said...

Just FANTASTIC!!!!

dotti white said...

Amandajean...thanks for the putting it all together directions. I am almost ready for that--hope to get mine done soon! Yours is beautiful!

Maya Sara Matthew said...

That's a beautiful quilt.Great colours

Amanda Jean said...

ircabbit,

i pressed the seams toward the sashing because it was easier than pressing against all the seams of the pieced blocks, if that makes sense. it's just my personal preference.

aj

Brioni Greenberg said...

is there a flickr group for this quilt along? I haven't taken part but i would love to see how everyone has finished theirs. I did a 9 patch quilt a couple of years ago where i set them on the diagonal alternated with plain squares but it's fantastic to see just how many different ways they can be laid out. I'm really inspired to do another one now!!!

Amanda Jean said...

flossyblossy,

the flickr group is here:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/559664@N20/pool/

aj

Renee said...

I love. love. love this quilt! I think this is my favourite from all the ones you've made. :)
Well Done!

Rebekah said...

love love love your quilt top! My husband will be out of town this weekend, so I'm hoping to have a sewing fest to get this top finished (and a couple other projects finished too)

Tracy T. said...

Hurray for you! Your quilt top looks absolutely stunning (as usual!) I just moments ago finished my *90th* block, I s-l-o-w-l-y agaonized over making 70 and then decided *poof* that I needed to do twenty more to make it a queen size!? More agonizing decision-making later, and I am done. Now to sew the sashing on...thanks for the fun project idea!
Tracy

Hillary said...

Wow so pretty! My blocks are coming along! I'm not there yet but seeing your progress keeps me going even if it's not quite every day!

Sandra said...

What a beautiful quilt! Thanks for the detailed instructions of how you made it. Can't wait to try this myself:)

Chara Michele said...

Love this quilt!!!

sulu-design said...

Wow. This one looks like a true labor of love!

Anonymous said...

Oops I didn't know about sashing, too late this time. I will finish this one and it will do, then I will try it the right way. This was a great idea.
QMM

Tom said...

Hi all,

I'm making this quilt for a friend for a christmas gift and it's just a beautiful pattern.

I was wondering though if I should trim all my squares to the same size before sashing?

HaloGolden said...

i love this quilt. it look perfect for a novice. i've made one or two quilts with lots of help from my grandmother. now we are 1000 miles apart, and i am on my own. i am planning to use all of the receiving blankets from my children's baby days to make three different quilts.

i am wondering, on the long sashing, does it have to be all one piece? there is a flannel that i want to use, but i don't have >60 inches of it in a straight shot. can i piece smaller lengths of it together to make the sashing? so long as i stagger the seam it should be ok, right?

thanks for your help. can't wait to get started in the very few spare minutes i have these days.