Tutorial 2: Hand Machine Sewing a Block

Hand Piecing a Block (The Ohio Star Pattern)

Check List:

• All fabrics have been washed and ironed.
• You have made the templates (if not, refer to tutorial 1).
• You have your thimble, quilting thread and needles ready and itching to begin.

After cutting out the pieces of the block, it is a good idea to pin them in place on a tea towel. In this way you can view the finished block. Does it look good? If not, now is the time to rethink colour placements. Actually I usually take several photocopies of a line drawing of the quilt. Then, using coloured pencils or textas, colour it in using different fabric colours in different places. It is amazing the effect changing the colours can have on the look of the block.

Before you commence sewing, it's a good idea to look at the block and work out the sequence in which to sew the pieces together.

The general rule is to join the patches together to make small units and then join the units together to make larger units.

Now join the top strip together using two background squares on each end with a star point in the middle.

The same for the bottom strip. The middle strip has two star point squares with a centre square sandwiched between. Finally join the three strips together.

It is possible to sew fairly difficult seams by hand that can be quite awkward if using a machine.

You will soon discover the piecing order that works best for you.

To begin, carefully line up and pin two small patches. Make sure that the pins go directly through the seam line at the beginning and the end as well as in the middle of the seam.

Make a knot in the thread, leaving a tail about 1" long. Beginning at the right hand pin, insert the needle straight into where the pin is. Remove the pin and turn the work over to make sure the needle has come through on the seam line on the under patch. If it hasn't, lift the under patch off the needle and insert the needle again into the under patch directly into the start of the seam. Make a small back stitch to secure the start. Sew together using small running stitches, it is possible to comfortably thread about 5 stitches on to the needle at one time. Before pulling the needle through, turn the work over again to check that the needle is following the marked seam line. If not remover needle and try again. It may be necessary to realign the patches.

Continue stitching making a small back stitch every 1.5cm until the last pin is reached. Make another back stitch and thread the needle twice through the loop to form a knot. Snip thread leaving a short tail.

Sewing Two Units Together/Sewing Through a Seam

As in the previous section, carefully align and pin the two units together. Fold the two seam allowances in opposite directions and put a pin down right into the corner of the seam line where it meets the already sewn seam. Turn over, check that the pin is in the right spot on the second unit.

Begin sewing in the usual way until you reach the middle seam. Make a small back stitch to secure the seam at this point. Now, simply pass the needle through the seam allowance on the top unit, flip both seam allowances to the right hand side, make another back stitch right in the seam line. (This will ensure that there isn't a hole in the work where the seams meet).

Continue to stitch, making the little back stitches along the seam, until the final pin is reached knot off in the usual way. Continue to join patches into units and units into strips. Then finally the strips into the finished block.

Finger Pressing

When hand piecing, its easy to finger press seams that is using a firm surface, push the seam allowance to one side and press down with your finger. Don't open the seam, keep the seam allowances together. Only press with the iron when the entire block is finished.

Pressing the Block

The beauty with hand piecing is the flexibility of the seams. Because they aren't sewn down it is possible to move them around to distribute the bulk of the seam allowances more evenly.

As can be seen in the diagram, press all seams in the same direction around the central meeting point. If you carefully work around the entire block, it is possible to distribute the bulk of the seams.

You will notice when units are joined that some seams will protrude or stick out past the normal 1/4", most noticeable on triangle and diamonds. Snip these off.

To machine piece the block, the basic principles are the same. However the templates are made using the broken line which includes the seam allowance. Use the sewing machine foot as a guide for the seam. Most sewing machines have a foot that is 1/4" wide. If not, a strip of masking tape or cardboard taped onto the sewing machine 1/4" from the needle will act as a guide for the seam allowance.

Seams will be sewn from the edge of the fabric and when sewing through seams it is advisable to have each seam allowance facing in the opposite direction. Pin through both the front and back seam allowance to anchor the join.

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