Children's Quilting Class has begun!

The 9 patch pillow Children's Quilting Class for which I prepared earlier in the summer began last night at our local public library. Once registration for this class opened up two weeks ago, the class filled up within only a couple of hours and then the wait list filled up too! So there are lots of young girls out there wanting to learn needlearts.

As it turned out, one girl did not show up, so we ended up with 5 girls in the class and they all did a great job with their first handpiecing projects. Some picked it up more quickly than others, and they all had homework to complete before the next class on Thursday evening, but they all did a good job and should be able to have all nine squares pieced before the next class. I'll show pictures of their finished projects after the class ends next week.

For now, let me show you what each of the girls received on their first night of class...


This is the program room in our children's library. Isn't it fabulous? On the wall behind where I was standing to take this picture, there are two huge closets for storage and a little area with a sink and counter top and cabinets. Through the generosity of the Friends of the Library, programs like this and so many others are able to be enjoyed at no charge to the community. We are really very blessed to have such opportunities here in Leominster.

Anyway...


...for the first class, each girl received her own little sewing box with pin cushion, pins, scissors, a large spool of quilting thread, and a little plastic case with several quilting needles in it. Each of the girls also received nine squares of fabric.

In the first class, I taught them how to hand piece their 9 patch block together using this method which I shared here previously. A few of the girls got their first row pieced and part of their second row, and a few didn't get past the first row during the class time. But after explaining to them how to continue so that all 9 squares are connected by Thursday evening, they all said they understood and would get it done. So it will be interesting to see how their blocks come out. I'll keep you updated on their progress as the class continues later this week and into next week.

In other news, summer weather has finally arrived here in New England and I noticed that my 400th post is coming up soon. Can you guess what that means? Stay tuned for more information on a 400th post summer giveaway! Yippee! I love giveaways!

Happy Stitching!

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Handpiecing 9 Patch Squares for Children's Quilting Class

I started handpiecing the pillow top for the children's quilting class I'll be doing at the library this summer. Since it is only 9 squares, it didn't take too long. Here's how I did it...


After deciding on the arrangement of the squares and marking the 1/4 inch seam line on all sides of each square, I chose the two I would start piecing and placed them right sides together. Using my long straight pins, I pushed a pin through both squares so that it was directly on the marked line of both squares. I used one pin about every inch. At the corners, I made sure that the pin went directly through the intersection of the lines at the corners on each square.


Here is the wrong side of the other square showing the pointed ends of the pins poking through.


Then I took another pin and put it into the seam allowance near the first pin and then back out again so that it was flat with the fabric. The pin sticking straight up through both fabrics ensures that neither fabric will slip during this pinning. Then I removed the first pin that was sticking straight up and used it to pin the fabric near the next pin. I continued this until each of the pins that were sticking straight up out of the fabric was removed and replaced by a pin that was flat on the fabric.


Then I took my favorite quilting needle and hand quilting thread and began to stitch the seam. Using knots in hand piecing will tend to produce unnecessary bulk in the seams, so it is not recommended. Instead, start stitching about 1/2 inch away from a corner along the seamline and stitch towards the corner, making sure that your needle is going into the marked line on both squares. After every few stitches, work a little back stitch by putting your needle into the fabric about a half stitch back from where you ended your last stitch. This will lock your stitches in place. Once you have stitched that little 1/2 inch and have reached the corner, turn your stitching around and stitch the entire seam line to the opposite corner, working a little back stitch as before each time you come to a pin, or about every inch or so. When you reach the corner, turn your work around and stitch about 1/2 inch back along the seam line, taking one more little back stitch in that 1/2 inch. Then clip your thread.


I stitched all three rows of squares in this manner, and then...


...I pinned the rows together and stitched them in the same way, making sure that my needle was going directly through the marked line with every stitch and through the intersections of the lines at each corner...


...until all nine squares were connected to each other.


And there is the 9 patch pillow top, ready for layering and quilting.

I really enjoy hand piecing because of it's slow pace and relaxing rhythm. It produces just about perfectly accurate seams and corners too. Do you have any tips for hand piecing that you would like to share? Please leave a comment and let everyone know!

Happy Stitching!

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