I spent a good part of today working on stitching a top as a sample for the local shop I work at. It was a beauty, but it was very involved and used about a bazillion (yep, I counted them) Y seams. It was a lot of work, but finished up well. I am really glad that I have accomplished learning how to do a Y seam well.
Since I forgot to take a picture of that, I thought I would post a tutorial today on how to make a Y seam (and I'll post a picture of the sample later this week after I can take a picture of it). For my tutorial I thought I would show the traditional way of stitching a Bow Tie Block. You can see a lot of these on the
Internet, but they are mostly made using squares and triangles. I learned how to make it using templates and Y seams.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihq77n4eXiYTFOpJBvZvIn5fm6E41pLsOnHSd5GG9pvh63HgbXk81TxDCBUo_4yHBDIpWDoHVRnBt8QvB6DDkLp20NYdglZrtw3ySnnSHNbVlgl7qqG52aUIx34XNTJlFgwb9f/s320-rw/103_2892.JPG)
First of all you need to make your templates. You can use stiff cardboard, but I like the template plastic. I used the pattern for Magic Circle/
Bowtie from the
Complete Quilters Guide. (This is a wonderful book, well worth owning, though it's not new) You can find a pattern online
here: -it's a 12 inch block. Mine is a 6 inch pattern.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC94EaCpgwF49M3kv7ZtHAjYnsjLfaw7BtffHH36I545cJKqpPPT-FgDI7Wr7BA30r77f5ofw0EtPuhokUrOuaH5FUM8TYoASen7CHi8G887B3ZTWHVy5KgT9zArBrkpWOM2BC/s320-rw/103_2893.JPG)
After you have your templates finished, you need to mark your fabric. Mark two
bowties and a knot on your main fabric, and two
bowtie background pieces. Cut them out with your scissors, just for traditions sake!
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauSDch9UJZJSdWrIY4CjFDw8QXXDzBuFHiSU-wafibpgymz4J9s3jYv-F-U3eEWOT4vEHgzKPUj50ZUUzoDfBo_nlrH3FEVBAHRtBB0t26EmdKr2bYPdZp8yGg-RcxofPneG7/s320-rw/103_2894.JPG)
Mark your pieces 1/4 inch from the edges - I just mark the light fabric and always sew with this side up. You will sew the center square to each of the bow tie sections - start with the white ones, and sew from one dot to the next, not stitching into the seam allowances.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcmW5ZWjOJnhmv4Qv-khWFK356RihK1Xn9YaUBDdJbV9c2uafI-wRu8I441BnfSqjUnlT4GOEgqaTuo39vK6cKjULk0uMd4TieRFtDwnDEl0nDmVj-KLYbQtWDIoVM5Dx4hXv9/s320-rw/103_2896.JPG)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0-7pcxLyI0e4-I_YUYo9tFejOoUCr5rhvJXaI0QhxwTsi4Gg7BFhM4N1QcbJUfHfMf7J9-Gzh9wrWuqQYHYbk_dO9h6PuzIYEA-rsH2wQrhMScA6GhAo_IOjU8s_zeXBYbCY/s320-rw/103_2897.JPG)
Add the two print sections to the center, this time I sew on the square knot section, stitching between the previously stitched lines and not stitching into the seam allowances. I like to
backtack at each end, to secure the stitching, but am very careful not to stitch beyond the first stitching lines.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpvRTHMx26jVXx4tkrNNw9I4us1A8VZxHrbhVfdowtuA3Y4g_Qc0uToy7aGZjcVoWThZ8kMcNEcHL5l4yfFViMrwJG4xLqut-IwMLMmyT0EevJLaVJ7htZMLJDATwbC0mUia4/s320-rw/103_2898.JPG)
Finally stitch the short seams from the center square to the outside edges. I prefer to sew from the marked dot out to the outside edge of the block. This way any excess fabric doesn't end up bunching in the Y and can be trimmed off when I square up my block.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiumkHz_YUYWYHTEx4hLAk6Elm8zTYQJBGuBLefa7ajIPftFCghb02QpPbGEHSadpA0L0EM6SpnZ8zLytl78MPx9xGpBPkj5JUV8kmDNcgT60GhIvJHUNGKuiCV36VF3IAqCBHi/s320-rw/103_2899.JPG)
Here you are - one perfectly sweet little bow tie block! I think I'll quilt this one up into a little mug rug. Perfect for fall!
Give this block a try, it's a nice way to learn those Y seams!
In stitches,
Pamela
2 comments:
great tute!
OOOO - I'm going to have to try. I have a Bow-Tie quilt 1/2 done for my hubby, but I used squares - then put 4 squares together for one quilt block.....
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