Slashed Quilt Tutorial

Well I've been without internet almost the entire time since QuiltCon so I am finally getting up a tutorial about my Michael Miller Cotton Couture Challenge Quilt that was in the show.

Hopefully this Tutorial makes sense. It is the first one I've written so please please please let me know if it is confusing or if it needs more clarification.

It makes me really excited that my quilt was so well received and that people have asked about it! I had such a great time at QuiltCon and am so glad I got to meet so many great quilters and see such a wonderful show.

Step 1. Choose the size you would like your quilt to be. My quilt was approximately 45x45. My blocks were 7.5 inches finished (8-inches cut). 6 across and 6 down. Typically I aim for 60x60 and had intended on an additional two colors but was happy with this combination and decided to stop as the deadline for QuiltCon was approaching.

You can also alter the block size to fit your needs.

Step 2. Based on the size of your quilt and number of blocks choose you fabric. You can use any colors you want. My quilt had 11 colors + the background color. The colors of my quilt are all Michael Miller Cotton Couture Solids:

Soft White - Background

Candlelight

Mango

Orange

Coral

Peony

Blossom

Iris

Opal

Boy

Breeze

Spa

Spring

I needed about 1/8 of color and 1/8 of background to make 3 blocks. How much you need will be determined by how much you work the blocks. Each time you cut and sew you lose area.

Step 3. Iron and starch your fabric. This is a preference of mine. I starch my fabric pretty heavily. Since I started doing this I’ve been able to get better seams that meet better in the corners.

Step 4. Cut your strips. All my strips were 2-inches x 20 inches. You need an equal number of color and background. If you have 10 color you should have 10 background. If you are making smaller blocks I would cut thinner strips. 

Step 5. Sew strips together in groups of 2, 3, & 4 alternating color and background. I did mostly groups of 4 (color, background, color, background) with a few groups of 3 and 2.

Step 6. Iron (and starch) seams. You need to do this each time you sew. I ironed my seams open.

Step 7. Cut 1 of your strip sets at either 90 or 45 degrees. 

Step 8. Flip the pieces around until you like them and sew them back together.

Step 9. Iron, Trim and repeat cutting (45 or 90 degrees) rotating or adding strip sets as needed.

Step 10. Build up your block until it is the size you need. If you are making more than one block in the color you are using you can continue to build up the piece you are working on until you have a large enough area to cut all of your blocks. 

Step 11. Cut blocks to desired size.

Step 12. Layout your blocks. Shift and rotate blocks until you are happy with your layout.

Step 13. Sew together and finish as you would any quilt (back, quilting binding).

Step 14. Share your finished blocks and quilt on instagram @seasew.dana #slashedquilt