lucille77

I am embarrassed to admit that I made such a stupid mistake. I am just starting out but have been building up my stash and owned my sewing machine for years. But, I read some books and thought I knew what I was doing. I'm making a patchwork quilt. I bought the backing and washed and cut and assembled that along with all of the patches for the quilt-top. Then I made the sandwich with this fusible batting I found at the store (ironed it all together without stitching anything). Now, I'm starting to realize that I skipped the step of sewing the top patches together before quilting the entire sandwich together. I do have to sew the top together first, right?

nursie76

If I understand what you described, then yes. Whatever block pattern you have cut the pieces out for, you have to piece them first....piece the top. Then you sandwich batting and backing and quilt. Did the pattern call for fusible batting?(just curious)

There is a fusible grid method where you cut all your block pieces, fuse them to the grid and then sew the material on the grid (including the grid) row by row. See this Youtube demo here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_ouaGvIno0

lucille77

LOL. I didn't use a pattern. Just had this idea in my head and wanted it to be random patches with a color scheme of greens yellows and pinks. I can't believe what a large project I decided to take on for my first quilt. And, how much $$$ i've spent on fabrics and tools. I'm pretty frustrated. Feel like an idiot. I'll post some pics of my beautiful but painfully unstitched quilt...

nursie76

I like the scrappy look, but sadly can't think of any way you can get around piecing it unless you did use the fusible grid, which is very thin, unlike batting. Can you get the fabric off the batting without ruining the fabric?

Maybe some of the folks on the board that have years of quilting experience and more creative can come up with other solutions for you.

Don't let this discourage you. It is a learning experience and you won't forget the piecing step again ;) In the bigger picture of things, making mistakes when learning new techniques is to be expected, the important thing is learning from them.

kwhite

Ok all is not lost. Actually this can be a happy accident if you make lemonade out of it. How is that for globbing together a bunch of sayings?? What I would do at this point is to put a backing material onto the back and take a fabric I like that will be either bold if you like that or subtle and make 1.5 inch strips. Fold them in half right side out and sew 1/4 inch making a tube. Then I would take one tube and lay it onto one row of blocks lining up the raw edges and sew the 1/4 inch through the strip, the block, the batting and the backing all the way from one side of the quilt to the other. Then fold the strip over to cover the "seam" and onto the block opposite it. Sew it down making a "sashing" between all of the blocks. Do all of the seams vertically and horizontally. It will be beautiful and quilted too.

nursie76

K, that is a great idea...I had thought of something like bias tape, but couldn't get beyond that. You are really sharp!

kwhite

Well Sank you. Is it clear enough?

burnsk

K- that is brilliant - almost a quilt-as-you-go variation. Hmmm - you may have started a new wave in quilting. :lol:

lucille77

YES- you're awesome! Thank you so much for all of your help.

kwhite

Please post pictures of your progress. This can be salvaged beautifully.