Sewing the background: Quilt as you Go ..or quilting creatively

November 8, 2014

Once I get the background pretty much laid out on the design wall, I start to sew it down, using a quilt as you go method.  I sandwich cotton quilt batting with a piece of cotton quilt fabric for backing.  Cut both of these just about an inch bigger on all sides than you want the finished piece.. I hold these two pieces together either with pins (smaller landscapes), spray baste (only use outside or in very well ventilated spaces) or just thread basting. Once this is done, I begin stitching down my background strips..  I usually start at either the top or bottom but if I have a horizon line, I can start there too and work up to the sky and down to the ground/water/foreground. Each strip gets placed right sides together on the last strip sewn down.  You don't have to sew a straight line.  I move the fabric i am sewing down so that it is more organic in feel and has movement.  This can be the really creative part.  Ensure that each of your stips is no more than 1"- 2" (or less).  I usually like to sew with about a 1/4 " seam, but this can be less as well.

Tips:

1. Lengthen your stitch length to about 3.5
2. Alternate which end you begin sewing from to keep the piece flatter
3. Chose a bobbin thread that looks great on the backing and stick with this thread throughout for consistency, the top thread can be any cotton thread.


After each strip is sewn down, press well setting the seam.  Make sure you press both sides of he landscape.  Use a hot iron. Steam is your choice. Pressing well is essential for a great finished piece.

Now you are ready to begin sewing on each of the next strips one by one.  Notice how my strips are not straight across and have motion in them.  This is all part of your overall design.  Also notice that I have a lot of strips which makes the colour more snow like.

Here is how I keep my fabric colours sorted and easy to find.  This is an old hoosier and i found the perfect size plastic containers to store fabric!  I just read about a quilter who sorts by value, not by colour.  Great idea.  I sort by colour, for now.  How do you sort?