Pinning your Rows

Have you sewn your rows backwards, instead of the way you laid it out? Do your seams line up when you sew your rows together? Here are some tips I find helpful!

1. Label your rows - nothing fancy a sticky note with a pin. The best time to do this is before you remove your squares from the design wall or in my case my bed. Top squares in the middle of the block. That way it is not in the way when your sewing.

2. Pin your seam direction - Once you have sewn your blocks into rows lay them out in order and take row 2 lay it on row 1 prints facing each other. Take a pin with a head on it (mine are yellow), stick it on the back of the two rows you will be sewing together, pointing it in the direction of where you are going to sew. This way your rows will not get sewn on the wrong side.

Do that for all your rows and stack them and head for the ironing board.

3. Iron your seams on row 1 one way and on row 2 the opposite. Just make sure you are consistent throughout your rows.

4. Pin Your Seams - I use my ironing board to lay out my two rows and pin at each seam, right were they meet, if you have ironed your rows correctly, they will line right up. The seams will point in opposite directions. I pin to the Left of the seam. That way when I am sewing and the needle enters the seam on the right I pull the pin out. If I don't I break needles! Pinning before is much easier than trying to take the time to line up each seam as you go.

When I started quilting I hated ironing and pinning. I have learn if you want a handmade quilt that looks great and will last a lifetime you need to do these steps. I do wait until I have finished the quilt top to iron the row seams. I hope you find at least one tip helpful. Lisa