PATCHWORK: This is reprinted from "Heirloom Legacy" Nov/Dec '07 by Carol Harris.

Cutting and Piecing

1. Pre-wash fabrics. Straighten with heat and steam if necessary. Cut each fabric into strips as follows:

a. Fold fabric lengthwise aligning selvage edges. Fold lengthwise again and place on the self-healing mat, positioning the folded edge nearest your body.

b. Position the wide ruler on the folded fabric and align a marking on the ruler with the fold. Make sure all layers of fabric extend beyond left edge of the ruler and butt the 3" x 18" ruler flush against it.

c. Hold the 3" x 18" ruler firmly in place and remove the wide ruler. Using the rotary cutter and cutting away from you, trim raw edges off on left side of the fabric. Continue using rotary cutter in the same manner and cut the number of 2 1/2" strips required as determined in previous calculations.

d. Crosscut each strip into 21/2" squares using the ruler and rotary cutter. Stack the squares of each fabric in five stacks.

Note: The preceding steps are written for a right-handed person. A left-hander should substitute the word “right” where the word “left” occurs in the instructions.

2. Arrange the squares in a pleasing pattern that is 8-9 blocks high and 10-11 blocks wide.

3. Stack the squares in each column in order, having the square from the top of the column on top and the bottom square on bottom.

4. Being careful not to disturb the order of the stacks, move Stack 1 and Stack 2 to the sewing machine. Flip the top square from Stack 2 onto the top square from Stack 1, aligning raw edges. Stitch a scant 1/4" seam along the right-hand edge. A patchwork foot is helpful.

The 1/4" quilting foot shown on the Brother Pacesetter ULT2003 makes patchwork sewing fast and accurate.

5. Do not tie off or cut the thread; just sew off the edge of fabric squares. Slide next pair under the presser foot and continue sewing until all squares from Stack 1 and Stack 2 have been joined.

6. Cut threads between fabric units, taking care to keep them in the proper sequence. Do not press seams until all horizontal rows are completed.

7. Return to the sewing machine and “chain-piece,” as described in Step 5, the squares from Stack 3 to the two-square units, keeping all in sequence. Cut apart as before. Continue adding squares until squares from all stacks are added to complete all rows.

8. Press seams on all rows, alternating the direction seams are pressed. Press odd rows toward the left and press even rows toward the right. When setting each row aside, be sure to keep them in the pre-planned order.

9. To join rows, begin with Row 1 and Row 2. Place right sides together, matching the seams. The alternating directions of seam allowances allow squares to “lock” so the seams line up perfectly.
Continue until all rows are joined. Press seam allowances down and set aside.

10. Prepare second patchwork block by the same method. After joining rows, press seam allowances up.

11. Mark pattern front and back placement on patchwork; stitch on cutting line. Stitch again 1/4" inside cutting line. Cut out front and back on the stitched cutting line.

12. Construct garment according to pattern instructions. Side seams of the patchwork should “lock” resulting in perfect matching at sides.

CLICK HERE for a printer-friendly pdf of the patchwork instructions.

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