I thought for today, I'd do a quick tutorial on how to do Crazy Quilt Foundation Piecing. This might be especially helpful for those of you who are planning on taking my
Color and Composition Classes which will be starting on January 1st, 2013.
I use the Sew and Flip method of piecing for my crazy quilts so that is what I will be sharing here.
Step 1:
I use a medium weight muslin for the foundation. Then, with a black permanent marker, I measure out my block. In this case, the block is a 6 inch square. I add an inch on all sides and draw that line as well. There is a method to my madness! The black marker will show through to the backside of the foundation. Why do I do that? You'll see shortly.
Step 2:
Choose your first piece of fabric and cut a 5 sided piece. You'll be working off of this center piece.
Step 3:
Choose a 2nd piece of fabric and with the right side down, sew along one side of your center piece.
Flip it over and press.
You'll want your fabric pieces to be large enough to cover over that extra 1 inch allowance.
Step 4:
Choose another piece of fabric and repeat the process on another seam.
Step 5:
As you go along, be sure to cut away an excess fabric from beneath the pieces. If you don't cut that excess away, you'll be stitching through multiple layers. That will make stitching a chore rather than fun.
Step 6:
When you have your block all pieced, flip it over to backside.
Can you see the method to my madness? The black marker shows through to the back! Top stitch on the OUTSIDE line, all the way around the block.
Step 7
Step 8: Flip your block to the back again and run a hand basting stitch along the INSIDE line.
The inside line is the sewing line so the basting stitch gives you a good idea of how far you can go with beads and other embellishments. When you finish stitching your block, just pull the basting stitch out.
The reason for the excess fabric is because the stitching and embellishments can distort the shape of the block. With the extra all the way around, you can get a good straight square when you trim your piece for finishing.
And that's all there is to it!
