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
notdifficultattothehandlesameintimeparallel
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.