Week 1 - Round Trip Quilt Sew Along
May 29, 2024 - 8:31pm
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Round Trip Quilt Sew Along
Week 1
Welcome to Week 1 of the Round Trip Quilt Sew Along.
This week is all about cutting the fabric and planning your quilt layout.
If you have just joined the SAL, welcome! Be sure to grab the pattern, read up on all the details and choose your fabrics soon so you can catch up and join in the fun!
Grab the Pattern Here.
Grab the Pattern Here.
SHARE ON INSTAGRAM
Don’t forget to post a pic of your cut fabrics to IG and be sure to the use the #roundtripSAL and #roundtripquilt hashtags to make it easier for others to find your photos.
Don't worry if you’re ahead, or you see other people sewing blocks already, this is supposed to be fun. If you feel like sewing, go for it. This sew along is all about enjoyment so there are no rules, stick to the schedule or move ahead, do what's right for you.
I'll give you a tip, this quilt pattern is addictive. You'll end up making more, especially with the different block sizes and versions!
There have been some fabulous fabric combos popping up on Instagram and in the Facebook group and I'm excited to watch these quilts come to life. Check out some inspiring fabric pulls below.
CUTTING TIPS
This quilt is made up of rectangles and squares, so give your fabrics a good press and swap out your rotary blade for a new one. You deserve it!
This quilt is made up of rectangles and squares, so give your fabrics a good press and swap out your rotary blade for a new one. You deserve it!
To speed up cutting I like to cut 4 layers at a time. I know this can be a bit daunting but I promise if you have a nice sharp blade it's easy. Just remember to concentrate because if you make a mistake, you will make it 4 times!!
If you are making a quilt using the fabric requirements from the pattern, just follow the cutting out instructions for the size quilt you are planning to make.
If you are making the 6" block and would like to use Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes or Fat Eighths scroll down for some extra cutting instructions.
PRE-CUTS
Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes and Fat Eighths are great for the 6" block.
Please refer to the cutting out instructions for more information.
Please refer to the cutting out instructions for more information.
Please note:
FULL BLOCK = This means that you get one whole full block from the fabric you are cutting. Both Fabric 1 and Fabric 2.
These can then be split and paired with another fabric to make a block.
This is a great way to cut out a scrappy quilt and what I used for my sew along version.
These can then be split and paired with another fabric to make a block.
This is a great way to cut out a scrappy quilt and what I used for my sew along version.
eg: 48 Fabrics = 48 Blocks
MAIN FABRIC SETS: Fabric just for Fabric 1.
BACKGROUND FABRIC SETS: Fabric just for Fabric 2 (Background)
BLOCK PREPARATION:
Once you have cut all your fabrics, the next stage is to pair them. If you are using the same background fabric, this is easy. If you are using lots of different background fabrics, it's best to lay them out. It ensures no double ups or repeats.
If the scrappy vibe was your plan, then this is the perfect time to make sure the pairs are all different. Try laying them out on a table to pair them up, it makes it much easier to see. If your table isn't big enough, the floor can work too.
I am undecided with my layout and am planning a big play over the weekend. It's between a random mix up of all the colours or a colour wash of sorts. Stay tuned, it will be interesting to see where this quilt ends up.
If the scrappy vibe was your plan, then this is the perfect time to make sure the pairs are all different. Try laying them out on a table to pair them up, it makes it much easier to see. If your table isn't big enough, the floor can work too.
I am undecided with my layout and am planning a big play over the weekend. It's between a random mix up of all the colours or a colour wash of sorts. Stay tuned, it will be interesting to see where this quilt ends up.
The corners of the Round Trip blocks are made with flips as mentioned in the pattern on Pages 18 - 20.
To do these, you need to mark the centre of the squares with a diagonal line on the back of the fabric.
To do these, you need to mark the centre of the squares with a diagonal line on the back of the fabric.
However, to be honest, with the 6" block I didn't mark. I felt the distance was perfectly fine to eyeball. It's up to you, so do what feels most comfortable.
Marking definitely happened with the 9" block, and with the 2 colour quilt it was easy because there was no directional fabric. It's a great job to get done in front of the tv.
When sewing with a directional fabric I found it much easier to work one block at a time. Follow the steps below to see what works best for me.
Marking definitely happened with the 9" block, and with the 2 colour quilt it was easy because there was no directional fabric. It's a great job to get done in front of the tv.
When sewing with a directional fabric I found it much easier to work one block at a time. Follow the steps below to see what works best for me.
I am going to jump ahead and give you some tips on piecing. This is not a complicated quilt and I'm sure some of you will be itching to get going so I wanted to share this with you all now.
PIECING:
Step 1: Sew the rectangles together.
This is a great step to chain piece. These were sewn together in batches and it sped up the process no end!
Step 2: The next step is to work out the direction of the fabrics. I am a visual person so for me, it works best to lay the squares in the correct position and then flip them with my fingers. This confirms they are going to end up in the right direction. Yay!
The striped fabrics were actually pieced differently in the scrappy version. The stripes were placed horizontally in the centre rectangle of the block and the corner squares were placed vertically.
Step 3: Mark the back of the fabrics with a water soluble pencil or pen diagonally through the middle. I like to use a sandpaper board, it stops the fabric moving and guarantees a straight line.
Step 4: Stitch on one of the pencil lines, then spin the block and sew the next line without cutting the thread. Continue around the block until all are complete. It's chain piecing in a circle. You spin me round round, baby right round.
Step 5: Using a ruler and rotary cutter, trim the corners ¼" away from the seam line. Try trimming the joined threads at this stage too. They can get caught up when you iron so it's good to cut them off.
Step 6: Press all the flips to the outside of the block. And done!
Next week we will be making blocks and more blocks.
If you have any questions, you can always email me!
Once again thank so much for joining me on this sew along. I hope you're
enjoying the process and meeting some other sewers from around the world.
Keep checking the hashtag #roundtripsal, it's a great place to discover other Trippers and it also might inspire and motivate you.
Keep checking the hashtag #roundtripsal, it's a great place to discover other Trippers and it also might inspire and motivate you.
Emma x
