Desi Quilters Foundation Piecing QAL 2012 - Part 1 Hope you are ready with your fabrics and

the paper for the foundation. You can take the print out of the center design on to the foundation paper. There are 4 pages in the file take the print out on 4 pages with page scaling none. we need to piece 4 pieces and attach it to get the center piece of the block. Please dont remove the paper until you finish the block.. Each design piece is named with alphabets A,B,C,D. The suffix number indicates the order we need to stitch. The number in the coloured box is the colour number and it will help you to sort the colours by number. We are going to stitch on the printed side of the paper and the block will be forming on the wrong side of the paper. Keep in mind wrong side of the paper and wrong side of the fabric will face each other when you finish the block. I hope you will get the idea, when you see the following pictures. You need to set your sewing machine stitch length to 1.5 when you do foundation piecing. Also, remember to reverse few stitches when you start and stop We need tight stitches, otherwise when we remove the paper after piecing, the stitches might get loose. Fabric size: (A1, B1, C1, D1, A8, B8, C8, D8) colour 5 : 8 pcs of 2.5 x 2.5 (A2, B2, C2, D2, A7, B7, C7, D7) colour 6 : 8 pcs of 2.5 x 5.5 (A3, B3, C3, D3, A6, B6, C6, D6) colour 1 : 8 pcs of 2.5 x 7.5 (A4, B4, C4, D4, A5, B5, C5, D5) colour 2, 3 : 8 pcs of 2.5 10.5 colour 4 : 4 pcs of (1.5 x 18) for mitered corner, 4 pcs, 2 square for corners, 2 bias tape for binding. . Im using slightly more fabric to avoid the strain, if you think there is fabric wastage you can decide the size. To start, take the print out and cut the paper at the dotted lines be careful if your copy comes out without dotted lines (even after printing it with page scaling none it happens) make sure you draw a line at from the bold line. We are going to stitch on the bold lines and make sure there is a allowance around that square piece. You need to press it with hot iron every time when you finish adding new pieces, so please keep your iron and board ready Sewing starts from A1and goes to A8. This same step applies for block B, C, D.

When you fix the A1 piece we need to stitch on the bold line between A1 and A2, and when we fix the fabric for A2, we need to stitch on the same line between A1 and A2, so to avoid stitching2 times, Im trying to explain how to fix A1 and A2 together (see the picture below ) I have named the images, so if you have any doubt, please ref the image number so I can help you better. My pictures are from block B, so to avoid the confusion, Ill be calling the name of B through out. And the same technique applies to all blocks from A to D

In image1, I have laid the fabric for B2, right side down and wrong side facing the wrong side of the paper (We need a transparent paper for foundation piecing because of this) see the allowance of the fabric at the stitching line between B1 and B2now we are going to turn the paper and fabric to see the backside.

In image 2, you can see right side of the paper down, right side of the B2 fabric up and I have put the B1 fabric wrong side up matching one edge of the B2 fabric. Take a pin and pin it like thisyou cannot afford to slip this position of the fabrics and paper, we are going to the sewing machine nowuse pins to keep the fabric in positionsome of my pictures miss pins doesnt mean you dont need pins Sew on the paper side on the line between B1 and B2 like image 3

Turn the other side, see image 4

Trim the hanging threads, better do it now, or else its going to pile up.. Open the B1 fabricnow the back side will look like image 5, with 2 fabric pieces with right side..

Turn the paper now the right side of the paper will look like image 6

We need to trim the fabric. First trim it around the square, make sure you are trimming at the dotted lines and not the bold line. If you do not have dotted lines on one of the sides, take from the bold line and then trim it it will now look like image 7.

In image 7, you can see the fabric for B2 is covering some portion of B3, we need to trim this off too before we add fabric for B3. Hold a post card or a thin plastic template on the line between B2 and B3 like image 8

Fold the paper at that line. Image 9you can see a bit of B2 fabricstopdont cut it offyou need to give 1/4 seem allowance

For trimming, I want to show you a small ruler called Add a quarter rulers. Image 10

It has a quarter inch side where you will get to add before we chop of the unwanted bit like in image 11. Hold it at the folded line and it will add a and chop of the excess

Open the paper and it will look like image 12from the right side of the paper. Press the fabric side it with hot iron and proceed

Next, we need to put the fabric for B3 and stitch on the line between B2 and B3. For that on the wrong side of the paper, keep the fabric right side down parallel to the last piece on B2.

we need to make sure that the fabric covers B3 completely with a on the sides. Try and close it towards B3 and look from the right side of the paper like image 14

yeahthats right its covering B3 and there is enough fabric for allowance on the sidesnow proceedBring it back to image 13 and stitch on the bold lines between B2 and B3.

It will look like image 15, from the right side of the paper

and it will look like image 16 on the wrong side of the paper

open the fabric for B3like image 17

turn the paper and trim off the excess from B3 fabricIf you dont have the add a quarter ruler, you can do the trimming using regular ruler make sure that you trim it after adding from the fold, like in image 18..

This same trick applies to add fabric for B4, and stitch on line between B3, B4 . like image 19.

Add fabric for B5, and stitch on the line between B4 and B5; for fabric on B6, stitch on line between B5 and B6; for B7, stitch on line between B6 and B7 and for B8, stitch on line between B7 and B8 Now your first block will look like image 20..

Trim at the dotted line, and make it a perfect square like image 21

Right side of the block will be like image 22

Now you need to complete other 3 blocks similarly. I hope you got the idea how to add each pieces by numberPlease feel free to put a word to me if you get stuck somewhere

You can also use chain piecing technique when you add pieces by number, so that you can attach each number in one goand that will help reduce time. You can pin the fabric on to the paper and go to the machine in single shot like in image 23.

After stitching fabric 1 and 2 together, trim it, press it and pin the 3rd fabric and go to the machine.and go on like that and finish of the remaining 3 blocks..

Now all your 4 blocks are ready and you need to attach this Ill come back soon with next step.Enjoy piecing