Last time we discussed different types of Stack and Whack or One Block Wonder quilts. Today I thought we could look at an easy and quicker way to piece blocks, namely strip piecing.

Finding quick ways to create patchwork projects is a goal of most busy quilters today, and strip piecing is one of the most important techniques to achieve this. Using the speed piecing technique of strip piecing is a great way to create blocks – fast!

Strip piecing is the name given to a technique where strips of fabric are sewn together in parallel rows. Once sewn together, you can then cut up the strip-pieced unit or “set” into sections or “segments”, which can then be used to create patchwork blocks.

We'll show you some examples below of how strip piecing can make beautiful, striking patchwork from a very simple method.

This quilt is called Chinese Coin and was strip pieced using various widths of strips in the different batiks then cut in even units of 4 inches and stacked. I varied the placement by flipping the order in each row.

To start, gather a few fabric strips. Jelly roll or Rollie Polys type strips are a great way to start this type of piecing. (Jelly Roll is a trademarked form, but any grouping of precut strips of this type.) Longer ones are best as once you’ve sewn them together the aim is to cut a batch of stripy blocks or ‘units’ from them. You could cut stripy squares, triangles, diamonds... any shape that takes your fancy! You then join up your units to create larger units until you’ve quickly pieced up a quilt top or cushion. The strips can all be the same width or different.

Various effects can be achieved in strip piecing, depending on whether the segments are cut straight or at an angle.

You will need:

• Fabric
• Quilting ruler
• Rotary cutter
• Pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron

Cut a few long strips of fabrics. Don’t worry if your strips aren’t all the same length as you’ll trim the ends later.

The hardest part about strip piecing if you aren’t using precut fabric is cutting the long strips of properly so they are cut square with the grainline of the fabric. Make sure that your fabric is square by lining up the selvage to form a 90 degree angle with the cut edge. Use your ruler to trim off a bit of the edge to give you a clean starting point and start cutting strips of your desired width.
If the fabric isn’t completely square you could end up with a “V” toward the fold, which isn’t what you are going for.

Most strip piecing projects begin by sewing a set of strips together side by side. As you sew multiple strips together, they will begin to arc or “bow” slightly if you sew them all starting at the same end. This is because the sewing machine feed-dogs will pull the bottom piece of fabric differently than the top strip that glides with less resistance under the presser foot.One way to minimize this “bowing” is to alternate directions the seams are sewn. For
example, sew the first strip to the middle strip going one direction, then change and sew the third strip to the middle strip starting at the opposite end.

Press the seams to one side or open, then trim the short ends if these are uneven. Congratulations! You now have your first strip- pieced unit, ready to be cut up and used in your project.

Instead of cutting out each individual square, in strip piecing you cut a long 2 1/2 inch strip. These long strips are sewn together, to form a pieced strip set.

This strip set is then cut down into pieced units. These units can be cut the same length as the strips originally (2 1/2 inches) or cut different widths to create interesting effects like this bargello quilt:

This quilt began with 2 1/2 inch strips pieced together, then pieced strips ranging from 1 - 3 1/2 inches wide were cut and pieced to create the wave effect.

There is no difference in the look of this quilt than one that is strip pieced. No one will ever know the difference. The key with this technique is accurate cutting and piecing to ensure all the seams match up perfectly.

These are two different types of bargello quilts: the first is made with strips of even width and the modern one is made with varying widths.

You can obviously cut squares or rectangles, but you can also cut triangles or wedges out of the strips. There are several rulers and templates available to cut the shapes for all sorts of different designs. You can also cut the squares on the diagonal, which can give you these interesting patterns.

Finally, here are examples of a wedge type quilt block. These are special to me because this quilt is the last one my mother was working on in the care center that she was in for the last 6 weeks of her life as she battled cancer. She took her sewing machine and whatever she needed to continue to be as productive as possible. She finished another quilt top out of these fabrics and
took the scraps, cut 1 1/2 inch strips and made these. There are 8 half blocks that she didn’t finish out of the number she needed to make a queen sized quilt. She called me the day before she died at 91 to tell me that she didn’t think she would get them completed. I told her that it was fine, I could get them done and make the quilt. That’s one of my next projects. I’m planning to be doing the same as long as I can. Go Mom!

— Queen Bee

1. Accurate Cutting: Ensure that your fabric strips are cut accurately. Use a rotary cutter, ruler, and cutting mat to achieve straight, even strips. Consistent width is crucial for seams to align correctly in your quilt.

2. Consistent Seam Allowance: Maintain a consistent 1/4-inch seam allowance when sewing strips together. Using a 1/4-inch presser foot can help keep seams uniform, which is essential for your pieces to fit together properly.

3. Press Seams Properly: Press your seams to one side rather than open. This helps nest the seams when joining strips, reducing bulk and ensuring a smoother finish. Use a hot iron with steam for crisp seams.

4. Chain Piecing: To save time, consider chain piecing your strips. Sew multiple strips together in a continuous chain without cutting the thread between them. This technique speeds up the process and keeps your strips organized.

5. Trim After Sewing: After sewing your strips together, trim the edges to ensure they are straight and even. This will help when assembling the strips into larger quilt blocks or patterns, ensuring a precise and polished final quilt.

These tips should help you achieve more accurate and efficient strip piecing in your quilting projects!

Featured YouTube Video

Strip Piecing Tutorial

© 2024 Association of Quilters Everywhere

1191 Canyon Road, Logan, UT 84341, USA