Great tutorial! This is a wonderful way for someone who doesn't have a long arm or can't afford paying someone to do it. It comes out looking beautiful. Thank you!
I just discovered you, and I am SO glad. I am a retired English teacher, and sometimes I can be a bit critical, but there is nothing to criticize with you. Your pace is fantastic, your explanations are clear, and you empower your viewer. Great job!
Leah, as always, amazing tutorial. I have been following you since your first RU-vid videos and the 365 days of free motion tutorials. I love how you are still so generous with your time and sharing your amazing talents! Thank you for being the wonderful soul that you are and for making us better Quilter's 💜
Very versatile easy and neat work .I tried ma ny ways to join the blocks but they never came as neat as you showed brilliant tried and I was shocked with my own work .Keep it up good work well done perminder
Hello Leah, this is not criticism it is rather a celebration to you, coming back to teaching. The decision that you made with your husband about cancelling the Facebook part of transmission of your knowledge was so wise. You are a born teacher and the accuracy of your work, your teaching methods and all of your very precise comments are the best in the business. Thank you so much for coming back to us and congratulations on your beautiful work, each and every one of them are a real piece of art. PS You look and sound so happy, that it must have had positive effects on your family living and on your sleep. Good bless. Roseline, Québec
Thank you Roseline! I'm so happy you've been enjoying the videos even after we closed the Facebook Groups. It was a tough decision, but I have been much happier without that extra work every day just to keep people being nice!
Thank you for providing us all with such an amazing Quilt As You Go tutorial. I was so scared to try this technique but I think using your tutorial is going to make putting my 18 inch blocks together for a King size quilt so much easier.
I always come back to your tutorials when I am reviewing a skill. I completed the dancing butterfly a few years ago and find myself with a different quilt as you go project and couldn't remember the joining strips for the best finish. Thank you!
So is this Binding used like Sashing? TY, Sheila.....I know this is a Old Video But I am New to Quilting and This is my First Time seeing it...It would be Nice to get a Answer to my Question....Sheila
This was amazing! Thank you for this video and thank you for explaining this process so well! I’ve been struggling because I do not have a quilt frame yet and this has solved my quilting drama!!! Again thank you !
Hi Leah...thanks so much for simplifying joining the QAYG blocks. You've restored my faith in the method. LOL I was all set to give up and your method is great. Blocks are connected and now onto the rows!!! Thanks so much. Susie
Leah I'm so glad you showed the back of your blocks after sewing together no one else does that I always wonder what it looks like after sewing together,thank you
I went back to this tutorial to refresh my memory about the widths of the front and back joining strips and found it as clear and helpful as I recalled. Thanks so much. A tip that some might find useful: my completed quilt felt 'floppy' where the blocks were joined so I've been fusing a narrow strip of fusible knit interfacing to hold the batting edges together before folding over and topstitching the front strips in place. On some quilts, I've also added a line of decorative machine stitching down the centre of the strips; that's worked well for the quilts made for my grandsons that are laundered frequently.
That’s a great suggestion! I did decorative stitches to secure the binding for Dancing Butterfly and I swore never again. LOL! Guess I probably will be trying that again!
I love your precision Leah! Do you have a video tutorial on trimming and connecting QAYG blocks with NO front binding (only a strip on the back to cover the raw edges? Thank you.
Nope. I don't particularly like that method so I haven't shared a video on it. I have an alternative curving bias binding method and I'm working on a pattern to teach it.
Hello :-). I've been using this method from some time / your previous tut./ and find it veeery useful. Especially when you have to quilt really Big Quilt / it is much, much easier to quilt smaller parts / when it is possible/ and then put them together than to struggle with " The Monster ". Thank you Leah :-):-):-)
Leah, your video is wonderful and very clear to understand. I made my first Tee Shirt Quilt using your quilt as you go. I amazed myself. I would like to send you a photo, is that okay?
I have a question that I hope is not that confusing to answer. Although I have made quilts before in the past, I have never made one the way in which I want to make this one. I am making a lap quilt for my daughter and I have made all the blocks and quilted them with one of the methods of the quilt as you go. That means I have left backing extending past my quilting block. Each block still has the backing extended approximately 2" beyond the block. My question is this: I would like to use the backing as the binding instead of making a separate binding. Is this possible, and has anyone else ever tried this? Sorry if some find this question ridiculous, but I am rather new to quilting, however, I have recently made 7 dog quilts and have used the backing for the binding and love doing it that way. My problem is can I achieve the same results with these blocks since I am limited in space to spread the quilt out and do it as most do, and I am unable to get down on the floor to sandwich the quilt.
This is a perfect case for try your idea, test it with a set of small blocks, and see if it works for you. I can't quite follow what you're describing here so I can't advise either way.
GREAT VIDEO! I've wanted to try QAYG, but never found an easy way of joining the blocks. After watching this video, I think I'm ready to give it a shot!!
Hi Leah, thanks for this great technique! I wanted to run this by you. I wanted a larger strip to join my blocks. What I did was - I wanted to see if I cut a 2/12" strip for the top piece and a 1 1/2" strip for the bottom piece. It APPEARS to match up when I sew the top & bottom strips to join the block. I want to make sure before I actually start cutting the strips. Your thoughts?
This is one of those things you're going to have to test and try yourself! Make a few small blocks and connect them together with the method you've chosen. The only way to know if it will work is to test it.
I am newer to quilting. I am curious as to why the fold over binding, that needs to be stitched over the joining seam, is on the front vs the back? Thanks
I can't quite understand what the name of the presser foot you are using it seems you are saying "quilting foot" what is that? I have a singer sewing machine. it came with a walking foot, but it looks totally different than what you are using, please tell me what you are using so i can get one
Can you tell me where I can order the large squaring up ruler 15" that you used in this video. No one in my area has one any larger than a 13" Wonderful video . Definitely will try this. Have been following you for great learning info and demoes. Thanks
I love the idea of the Victory lap, that is probably what helps it to keep the fabric from going loosy and goosey... Thanks, this was a nice video to watch on a technique I'm about to try again and I really enjoyed the tip about the Victory Lap.. :)
Yes, I think that is key for these blocks. Without that lap, it's really hard to put the pieces together without fabric pleating on the back along the edges. Enjoy!
I am a beginner . The technique you demonstrated gave me confidence in the QAYG OPTION. Unfortunately , I did not see you do the blocks so I will try to find the video.
I watched this video about a year ago. I've been going nuts trying to find it again because I forgot to save it. I'm so glad it showed up in my algorithm again! Thank you for a very clear cut tutorial 😊
Great video. But I have a question. I am making a California King quilt with 8" blocks and I have 2.5 " jelly rolls strips that I was going to use as the sashing between each block. Can I just fold the strips in half to make the sashing for each block?
i did the machine top stitching but at the end it was ridiculous to handle, but not bad for a few rows...but however you start you should continue...so beware
Is there a way to qayg with cornerstones? I'm using a pattern that has them and not sure how to do it. Sashing is 1" finished and cornerstones 1" finished. Lovely blocks and excellent videos. Thanks.
I enjoyed the video it was full of information. I would like to about the hand gloves that you have one they look nice and tight. We’re did you get them? Thank you, Julie Leonard
You're welcome! I starched the fabric for the binding strips 2 times before cutting so it was super stiff before it was cut, then I'm always really careful to prep and cut the fabric right before the connection process. If I have to store any binding, I tuck it all in a zip bag so it doesn't soften up too much. You want to keep the fabric as stiff and stable as possible for this technique to work out easily.
For a long time I have been interested in how to quilt as you go 🤔.... Congratulations. LOL... you have succeeded very well in (showing me )how this is brilliantly done ❤ I am so amazed how beautiful your quilt has turned out, (and love) the( close-ups )and your instructions (perfectly explained). So very (thankful) that you have shared this tutorial. And so( thankful) that I have found your Channel, looking forward to seeing the next valuable information how to to.. again thank you so much and God bless you dear😇🥰.... keep them coming...🙂
I hope I'm not repeating someone else's question. I think it would be useful if Ii knew how to search. So, my question, are you using bias binding? front, back?
Nope. These strips are cut on the straight of grain. I have an updated tutorial with bigger blocks here: leahday.com/blogs/machinequilting/how-to-connect-supersized-quilt-blocks-quilt-as-you-go-tutorial
i have watched a number of various quilters demonstrate the method of quilting as you go. This is my favorite, there are a few tools I've see that I think I might want, 1 a rotating cutting surface, 12" or so. and the other is called a batting buddy template. I really like your method of construction the best. I'm going to my first quilting show on the 2nd of June, in Fairfax, VA and as a beginner quilter, i'm excited. Thanks, only an internet troll would thumbs down!
Thank you, and like Nelda said: we learn techniques but also new quiting terms like Poke etc. We should create a quilters dictionary. I love your teaching skills and sharing, can I addobt you? LOL
That's a great idea! Lol! Yes, I'm always figuring out funny ways to say things so it's not too boring. Sometimes I feel like I'm saying the same thing over and over and I gotta mix it up!
Yes, all the fabric is prewashed before cutting. You can find a new tutorial on this here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-k4fQlpvh57Q.html
Excellent tutorial! I’m struggling though. I measured the binding. Starched it at least 3 times(lol). It’s not turning out as wide as yours. I don’t have a 1/4 in presser foot but I know where to sew. I even measured it after and is was dead on. Really wish I could see it in person.
It really makes a difference to piece with a 1/4-inch patchwork foot. That could be where it's going wrong. Even if the binding isn't turning out 1/2-inch wide through the channels, you can trim the seam allowance slightly and the fabrics should nest together. Basically don't obsess about it not being perfect! The more you do this, the more experience you have, the easier it will get!
You are saying "binding" . I thought binding was what you put around the edge of the pieced quilt to finish it. Are you really making "shashing" in this video?
It could be either way, but this is a quilt as you go technique and it's binding strips that connect the blocks together, not sashing. If you're looking for a binding video you can find a great one here: leahday.com/pages/how-to-bind-a-quilt-by-machine
Thank you sew much for this video. I didn’t know how to join my qayg blocks from a class where we didn’t finish so this was super helpful! You are awesome!
This is very good. I found several pieced quilt squares of my grand mothers and want to make a quilt. I do not want to put the entire quilt together in the beginning so this will work beautifully.
Awesome! I'm so happy you found this helpful! Consider joining this quilt along - you can still find all of the blocks and tutorials here - leahday.com/products/machine-quilting-block-party
Hi I’m a novice quilter. I have a question about the process to this type of quilt. What is the benefits to making the quilt in this way? I guess I mean why do you make the blocks and then bind them all together? Binding has been challenging for me to do well, so this process is scaring me lol 😆but I am very curious about why this process is something quilters do. Is it faster? Is it easier? Is it just preference?
The benefit of quilt-as-you-go is to piece and quilt the blocks in pieces rather than in one big quilt. No, it does not save time. It simply makes the quilting process easier because you're not fighting the bulk of your quilt in a small home machine.
Hi Leah. I must say I enjoy your tutorials tremendously. thank you so much! I am working on way memory quilts for my niece's and am ready to square up my blocks. This may be a question with an obvious answer, but my OCD ness must confirm. when you cut your blocks, are you literally cutting on the outside seam you first stitched? leaving only the victory lap seam? thanks in advance!
This is one of those things that does tend to bring out the OCD in most people! LOL! Yes, when you cut down the block to 14 1/2 inches, those outer victory laps should be within the square. You might cut off a bit of the outermost line, but this isn't an issue. Those extra lines of quilting simply stabilize the edge and make the blocks easier to bind together by firming up the edge.
I really like your video and think it may work for my purposes. Would you please clarify, that the top binding strip is 1-1/2" AFTER it is folded, or BEFORE it is folded, leaving a strip just 3/4" wide. Thanks so much!!
This is a great way to QAYG. I'd suggest if you want to hand sew reverse the method, e.g. Complete the same way but putting the 1" on the front and the fold on the back and hand stitch it on the back.
Yes, I completely agree. I used to only teach this reversed and with a hand finish, but then I realized most people preferred to machine finish just to get it done quick!
This is a wonderful tutorial. As always, you've brought a top notch lesson on QAYG. I've learned so much from your videos. I really appreciate them all.
