I May Have A Scrap Problem... A Trip Around the World, and a Technique Tutorial

Hi, all!

I almost lost track of my days this week - being at the beach has that effect on me - but as I was working on a block for my Long Time Gone quilt this evening, I remembered that I needed to write a blogpost!  So here I am!  And I actually have something to share - hooray!!

First of all, here is the next block I have made for my Long Time Gone quilt...

This is the Trip Around The World block, and it is made with 169 (!) 1.5" squares.  Normally I would find all that piecing a very daunting task - I have a short attention span (can you say SQUIRREL??) and don't like little fiddly piecing - but I have a technique to share with you that made this block pretty nearly easy peasy!!  Here's the tutorial I wrote for the Sweet Sixteen quilt-along two years ago - I'll show you some of my progress shot after the tutorial.

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If you're working with small patches - say 1.5" squares - this is a handy way to make your blocks! Take a very lightweight fusible interfacing, and draw a grid on it, 16 squares in the size of your fabric squares.  Cut out a 16-patch unit of the interfacing. 

Lay your patches out on the fusible side. Press them down with a hot iron to fuse them to the interfacing.

Now flip the piece over and fold right sides together on the line you drew.  Press it down.  Stitch 1/4" from the edge. 

Do the same for all three lines running the same direction.  Take a small sharp pair of scissors and cut the seams open. Press them open.

Turn the piece and repeat the process for the crossing lines.  Cut open the seams and press them open.

Flip it over and press again.  Voila! You've got a cute little 16-patch block in about half the time of sewing all those tiny pieces together!

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Here is what my Trip Around the World block looked like before sewing, but after it was fused to the interfacing...

...and here's what it looked like on the back after the seams were sewn and pressed open.

Now I have a feeling (because I've heard it from several people) that you're saying your piece would never look as good as this one. I am here to tell you - you cannot have a mismatched seam using this technique, because you're not matching seams!  But they will come out perfectly every time.  Give it a try with a small piece and you'll see.

This is a great technique to use up those smallest of scraps, and to use up scraps of interfacing too!  Add it to your bag of tricks today!

Be sure to link up and share your scrappy progress, whether on your own Long Time Gone quilt or working with your scraps in another way!  Inspiration is everywhere!!

Hugs!

Sarah