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What kind of quilter are you? There are normally two schools of thought when it comes to block construction and neither are right or wrong - both are perfectly acceptable! It's really just a matter of personal preference.
Quilter 1: You will sew your blocks together one at a time, block by block. If you’re enthusiastic about seeing your quilt come together one block at a time - I get it! It's fun to see your quilt gradually grow as you produce more blocks!
Quilter 2: You will sew the sections of your blocks together in batches, then sew all of the blocks. These are usually people who prefer techniques like chain piecing.
No matter which type of quilter you are, I can’t wait to introduce you to web piecing! It’s a similar technique to chain piecing but with a little more pizzaz! So, if you’re on the lookout to save precious time while quilting, you’re probably going to love it.
Web piecing might not be ideal for every quilt pattern, but for Star Lake? It’s PERFECT! Which is why I’ll be using the Star Lake Quilt pattern for the examples in this blog post.
Web piecing works for a lot of patterns, but it’s definitely best for block-based ones. So, you could also use this technique for:
One of the magical things about the Star Lake Quilt pattern is that it doesn’t appear at first glance to be made up of a repeating block. However, that’s exactly how it's constructed!
Ps. This is the Star Lake quilt I made during the QAL in spring 2022!
Time for Web Piecing!
Below is a video walking you through web piecing. Or keep scrolling for step-by-step instructions!
Let’s get started!
The first thing that I like to do is organize my HSTs (or any pieces required for what you’re making) in the same arrangement as the final block. I lay them out right beside my sewing machine for easy access.
As you can see, I’ve added letter names to the columns (A, B & C) to help demonstrate.
When you start sewing the block together, you are going to flip Column B on top of Column A, RST (right sides together).
Now, you will chain piece these HSTs together from the top of the column to the bottom. Do NOT cut them apart when you are done. You also don’t need to press yet.
Open up the HSTs into strips as shown.
You will now turn Column C RST onto Column B.
Chain piece together - and again, do not cut apart when finished!
You will now have webbed strips! You’ll notice if you pick up one of the corner HSTs, all of them are attached together.
Press all of your seams in each of the strips. Personally, I like to press them open.
If you want to press to the side or if the pattern you are working on calls for it, that's okay!
The Star Lake pattern has a unique block. Remember how I mentioned above that it uses a rotating block? That means if you press to the side, it can be complicated to keep all the seams nested when you sew the blocks together.
I also find that pressing open yields flatter seams, and it’s easier to match up my points in the next step.
Sew the Rows
It’s time to sew the rows together!
First, you will flip Row 1 right sides together with Row 2. Take your time to match up each point/seam and pin in place.
Make sure to use a ¼” seam allowance when sewing together.
Repeat steps for row 3.
Now, press both seams open and TA-DA!
You can now repeat these steps for each of your blocks. Or if you want to get REALLY adventurous, you can actually web piece all of your blocks together for your entire quilt top!
Check out the hashtag #webpiecing on Instagram to see other people who have done this!
I really love web piecing because it keeps all your pieces stitched together and they never get mixed up or out of order. And anything I can do to limit my time spent with my stitch ripper is time well spent in my eyes!
I hope you’ll find this technique helpful on your quilting journey! Happy Quilting!
Have questions about web piecing or about anything in the shop? Please reach out to hello@theblanketstatement.ca and we’ll help you out!