Course content of Patchwork 101

Patchwork 101 – Patchwork for Beginners

Materials needed:

• Fine cotton or woven fabric in at least two different colors
• A total of approximately 60 cm x 60 cm of fabric
• Individual fabric pieces must not be smaller than 12 cm x 12 cm

Preparation:

• Rotary cutter, ruler, cutting mat (inch ruler; bring your own rotary cutter as well)
• Set up 4 sewing machines
• Ironing board and iron

What is patchwork?

• Books with inspiring quilts; brief historical overview
• Tradition in America; Amish heritage
• Basic fabric knowledge: Which fabrics are suitable for patchwork?

Inch vs. cm and the role of seam allowance

• Sewing fabric pieces together: What size will the finished piece be?
• Inch or cm: both are possible, but difficult to handle in parallel

The course project: A panel of 4 x 4 fabric squares

• Finished size: 40 x 40 cm or 16” x 16” (16” = 40.64 cm)
• Finished squares: 10 x 10 cm → cut fabric squares at 11.5 cm with a 0.75 cm seam allowance
• Finished squares: 4” x 4” → cut fabric squares at 4.5” with a 1/4” seam allowance

Cutting with a rotary cutter and ruler

• Demonstration: hand position
• When should you change the blade?
• ALWAYS lock the rotary cutter
• Participants cut their fabric pieces

Assembling fabric pieces with the sewing machine

• Sew using the width of the presser foot as a guide; understand the sewing machine markings
• Participants lay out their fabrics and sew the squares together row by row

Tips for sewing intersecting seams

Strategy 1: Press seam allowances to one side, alternating directions (“nesting”); secure with sewing clips. The feed dogs are underneath.

Strategy 2: Press seam allowances open and secure with pins.

Participants press their fabric rows according to their chosen method and sew the rows together.