If you’re new to quilting, sewing all those little blocks together can be daunting. But don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it looks. In this article, we’ll show you how to sew quilt blocks together with sashing so that you can get started on your next project.
Sashing is the strip of fabric between the blocks and gives the quilt a finished look. It’s easy to do and adds a professional touch to your quilt. It’s a great way to add a pop of color or pattern to your quilt and help the blocks stay in place.
A quilt block is a Patchwork of fabric sewn together to create a larger design, while sashing is the strips of fabric that connect the blocks. Quilters often use sashing to add stability to the quilt, as well as to create visual interest. There are many ways to make sashing, but for the most part, it’s a way to keep the blocks together and prevent them from shifting around. You can make sashing from any fabric you like, whether it’s a solid color or patterned.
Let’s start with the kinds of sashing you can make for your block.
Types of Sashing
Many different types of sashing can be used to sew quilt blocks together.
1. Straight Sashing
Straight sashing is strips of fabric the same size as the blocks. You can make straight sashing from any fabric, including solids or patterns. The most common width for straight sashing is one inch wide.
2. Bias Sashing
You can also use bias (diagonal) strips for sashing. Bias sashing is often used when you want to design a quilt with curved blocks, such as the Log Cabin block.
3. Binding
It is a very common type of sashing. You can use the binding you sewed on your quilt top or buy extra fabric and make the new binding.
4. Double Straight Sashing
In this type of sashing, you sew two or more strips together to make wider sashing. Double straight sashing is often used when you want to add special borders around your quilt.
Supplies Needed
To sew quilt blocks together with sashing, you will need:
- A strip of fabric for each quilt block, plus an extra strip for each row of blocks
- Sewing machine and thread
- Rotary cutter and mat (optional but helpful)
- Quilt ruler
- Iron and ironing board
- Measuring tape and marking pencil
How To Sew Quilt Blocks Together With Sashing
When you’re ready to sew your quilt top together, lay out your blocks in the order you want them. If you’re adding sashing, now is the time to lay that out too. Once you have everything laid out, it’s time to start sewing.
To sew the quilt top together, start sewing the blocks into rows. Then, sew the rows together, attaching the sashing as you go. When you get to the end of a row and need to add more sashing, sew a strip of sashing onto the end of the row before joining it to the next row.
When using borders with your quilt, it is important to sew the border strips together before sewing them onto your quilt. To do this, lay out the border strips and sew them together. Once all your rows are sewn together, pressing is the next step. The best way to press is to use a pressing cloth so you don’t scorch the fabric. Place your iron on a low setting, and then place your pressing cloth over your quilt top and press.
Move the iron back and forth over your quilt top with the iron on the cloth. Doing this will help to keep those seams straight and flat. If you have a small quilt, use a smaller pressing cloth so you can move it around more easily.
Now, the last step is to sew the borders onto your quilt. Just follow the same steps you did when attaching your border strips, except this time, you will be sewing the long sides of your border strip to the long sides of your quilt.
Conclusion
Quilting is a fun and rewarding hobby, but it can be daunting to get started. Sashing is a key part of any quilt and helps to give it structure and stability. Quilt blocks can be sewn together with sashing using a few different methods. The important thing is to take your time and sew slowly and carefully. With a little practice, anyone can create a stunning quilt that will be cherished for years.
Sashing can make a quilt stand out and give it some extra character. It can be a fun way to add a pop of color or pattern and a great way to use up scraps. I hope you got a chance to try out some of these techniques in quilting and sewing.
