2023 Community Quilt Block Tips
I’ve heard from a handful of people that the blocks are really challenging their sewing skills. The other volunteers and I would never choose something we weren’t confident that the members could handle. That’s why we did the piecing of the strip sets for you. So, while we covered the instructions we created and the details Lo & Behold gave us, I want to review some information that I found useful in making Blocks 1 and 3A. (Block 3B is virtually identical to 3A. Block 2 is referred to below.) If you find that, after giving it a go, these blocks just are NOT working for you - bring the block (in whatever condition it is) to the Sew Day and we can troubleshoot from there.
Measure, Measure, Measure!
Before you do anything with sewing the pieces, press them. Then measure them against what you are supposed to have in your kit. We (the volunteers) are only human and may have made an error. My own purple square for Block 2 was .25” short on one side! Replacement pieces can be provided, though, so just reach out in the comments below and let us know.
If you haven’t worked with them before, strips are tricky, They have to be cut precisely, or the partial threads in the grain will cause them to be loosey-goosey as you sew the full length. We had these cut by Accuquilt to get as close to perfect as possible, That means they won’t have alot of give and you can’t fudge the seam allowance with pressing. The other thing to remember is the width. At 1.5” wide, these are NARROW. As you sew and then press, I encourage you to measure everything. When joining 2 strips, ensure each is now 1.25” wide. When joining with a third strip, ensure that the now-middle strip is exactly 1” wide.
After you join each section, measure them against the expected dimensions. Try to course-correct as you go instead of waiting until the end and then finding out you have an issue.
Precision:
Because of the width of the strips, the margin for error is tiny. Like, a matter of threads. Not only do you need to be concerned about the scant seam allowance, you need to be really careful in other areas. Pin like your life depends on it if you feel you need to. When laying the RS of the fabric together and placing under the pressure foot, pay attention to whether both fabrics are edge to edge or if you have one even a few threads past the other.
See that mint green sticking out by a smidge? You absolutely don’t want that.
Scant Seam Allowance:
Lo & Behold Scant Seam Alliance Tutorial
Okay. Here’s the thing. You can only sew and rip out so many times with the community fabric before it’s going to get chewed up. Take some scrap strips and sew them together to get comfortable with how scant you feel your seam allowance should be. I personally found between the “scant” and “too scant” was where I did the best. You have to find what works for you. I can assure you, it won’t be 1/8” and it won’t be a full 1/4”…
You can see here, it is literally a matter of a few threads.
So you measured everything, you pressed correctly, you feel like your seam allowance is solid…and your block isn’t the right dimensions. First, take a deep breath. Get up and walk away for a moment. Whatever. If you are “too scant”, your block will be too big. If you measure again, you will probably see how you are over a thread or two somewhere, and that makes all the difference. MY Block 3A was 6.5”x6.75”. I had 5 seams to fix and a 1/4” to somehow use up.
On the right is my original seam allowance. On the left is the seam I stitched right next to it. I did this on all 5 seams. I pressed, prayed ;) and remeasured the block. I was at 6.5” square.
If your block is too small, you’ll need to go back and identify where the seam allowance is too big. Check the entire length of the strip, just in case you wobbled as you sewed. Hopefully it is a single seam or two and you can adjust it surgically without taking everything apart. If you cannot, and you have to restitch every seam, take note of the holes in the fabric from the previous seam and stitch to the RIGHT of the holes. If you are successful, when you re-press your block, you will see the holes now exposed. Don’t forget to remeasure as you go, too.
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Things we want you to remember! We are using a stitch length of 1.8 to sew the blocks. Please use a light beige thread, no heavier than 50 wt. Do not aggressively press the strips open from the front. Press, don’t iron. You may distort a perfectly good seam allowance. We suggest not starching or misting because someone reported that their strips shrunk. These are Moda Bella Solids, for what it’s worth.
Cheralee plus Connie, Rose, Patti, Peggy and Kathy
PS- If you have any tips or tricks, please share them below in the comments so we can keep all of the info in one place. Good luck!
