Piecing a quilt is the process of creating the quilt top by sewing together all of the individual pieces. Piecing a quilt involves joining smaller pieces into bigger pieces, and then joining those bigger pieces. If you’re working with blocks, piece together the pieces to form the blocks, then piece together the blocks. Whether you’re joining two small or larger pieces, though, the basic piecing process is the same.
- Mark the 1/4″ seam allowances at the edges of the two pieces that you’ll be joining. Mark them on the wrong side of the fabric (the side that won’t show in the finished quilt).
- Place the pieces so that their right sides face each other. Align the two edges that you want to join. Make sure that the marked seam allowances align.
- Pin the fabric with straight or quilting pins to keep it aligned during sewing. Place the pins perpendicular to the seam allowance at increments of about 1″
- Hand- or machine-stitch along the 1/4″ seam allowance to join the two pieces.
- Once the seam is finished, open up the two joined pieces so their rights sides are now facing up. Flatten the seams toward the darker fabric. By flattening the seams in this way, you prevent the dark fabric seam allowance from showing through the lighter fabric.
Repeat this process to join all the small pieces into larger pieces, and then to join the larger pieces. Remember to always use a 1/4″ seam allowance.
