Well this is the final week of our sew a long, but don't panic if you haven't kept up, it's not a race.
This blog will stay here forever so you can come bak to it anytime for inspiration.
Last week we joined our blocks to sashing in diagonal rows, this week we will join the rows together and add the setting triangles and borders.
Once again, please follow the pattern diagrams and instructions but here is a photo of my original Bella Vista quilt and you can see the long sashing are sewn onto the rows. It is very important that you sew them on the correct sides of the row, or the quilt won't go together properly.
Once you have the long sashing sewn on it's time to add the setting triangles to the ends of the rows.
I always cut my setting triangles a little bigger than required, because I was following a pattern once and they were too small, so I've probably been scarred by that and over compensate! Follow the cutting instructions and the size will be fine.
The plus side of having them a little big is that you can trim the sides straight and ¼" past the sashing corners so you know the point will be preserved when your border is sewn on. I will who's you a photo of that soon.
The down side is that you can stretch the blocks too much as you sew them on. To avoid this, measure the length of the side of the sashing at the end of the row. I think they are 19 ½", but check yours first. Then mark that measurement along the two short sides of the setting triangles, measuring from the 90 degree corner towards the 45 degree corners. Mark this spot with a pin and that's where your blocks will come too. If you pin them correctly you won't have any stretching and your quilt will sit flat.
Here is Lesley's rust and green single bed version with the long sashing sewn on.
Below is the adding of the setting triangles.
I leave my corner triangles to the very end, but pin them carefully matching the centre of the triangle with the centre of the side of the sashing, to avoid stretching.
Sashing triangles are done on this one, and Miss Masala is testing it out, prior to the borders being added.
Because I am also a long arm quilter I am able to see when borders have not been added to quilts correctly.
You should measure through your quilt in 3 places, in one direction and take an average of that measurement. Cut 2 borders that length that run the same direction that you measured.
Mark the half and quarter points on your border and quilt and match them together. Make your quilt fit your borders so it remains true and flat. I think I should make a video of this, you can let me know in the comments if that is useful.
Once you have added two borders you measure your quilt the other was and repeat the process.
Here is my second Bella Vista Quilt all finished and quilted. The borders have been added and I have quilted it with an all over pattern.
Lorraine decided to add an extra border to her quilt and I'd so glad she did. That Christmas print really pops outs the colours in the quilt.
Note the mitred corners on the first border. I like to mitre stripes on corners, even if the stripes don't match up, I think they look better this way.
There a video on YouTube you can watch here on how to mitre corners.
Once your borders are done it is time to quilt and bind. This is down to personal preference, I love the striped binding on Lorraine's it really works well.
I will finish off with a few more photos of finished Bella Vista quilts.
Thanks so much for sewing along, remember you can come back to this blog at any time.
Happy Sewing
Jenelle
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