Week 6 On Point QAL: Assembling the Top

Hi, Everyone!  Welcome to the Week 6 of the On Point Quilt Along!!  I literally can't believe we are coming to an end of this quilt along!  It sure did go by fast!  I want to thank everyone who participated.  It is so fun to get to share my designs with you and bond over our shared love of quilting.  I loved every version of blocks that I saw in the hashtag #onpoinqal - have a look!!

Even though the is the last official week of the QAL, in the coming weeks, I am going to share how I baste a quilt, how I quilt it, and how I bind.  So, if you are unsure of how to finish your quilt top and turn it into a quilt, I will show you.

Also, I've just planned our next QAL!! We will be making my Sweet Star Quilt,  Here is what it looks like-

I'm planning on making mine in red & green to started on my holiday sewing for the year!  I'm hosting a giveaway for 10 remand green fat quarters on my Instagram account.  Go here to enter and follow the directions on the post (you need to follow me on Instagram, like the post, and leave a comment telling me when you start your holiday sewing).  I'll be sharing lots more about this QAL once we finish up On Point.  But, mark you calendars, it officially starts April 26th.

One more thing, although we are coming to the end of our official QAL.  You can start this quilt at any time,  The tutorials will each stay here on my blog and there will be a full PDF for the whole pattern also (probably next week after the QAL is over).

Before I get started with the information today...

Here are all of the previous post links-

Week 1-Choosing Fabric- here
Week 2- Cutting the Fabric- here
Week 3- Make 8 blocks- here
Week 4- Make 8 blocks- here
Week 5- Make 9 blocks- here

You can find the 'Beginner Quilting Series' posts here (just scroll down until you see them)

You can subscribe to my blog to get notified of new posts if you'd like and you can follow me on Instagram here 

You can share any posts related to this QAL by using the hashtags #onpointqal and #jessicadayonpatterns

Here is the schedule for the quilt along--

This week we are on Week 6 and we are assembling the top!
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BASIC INSTRUCTIONS

Read through the instructions before beginning

WOF means Width of Fabric

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No matter what version of the quilt you are making (solid or print), you will assemble the quilt in the same manner.  So, one tutorial will follow, for all of the versions-

First, lay out your blocks.  Let me show you what it looks like after your blocks are laid out-

Its a beautiful layout and all the blocks are tipped on their side and it makes it look fancy.  BUT, here's how I actually look at it when I'm laying it out-

All of the blocks are in exactly the same arrangement as the first picture but I have turned my body and I am looking directly at the top, left block.  Once you turn, you see, it's not hard to get this layout at all!  The blocks are laid right next to each other (as in a standard quilt layout) but it is just that each row has a different number of blocks.

Row 1: 1 Main block (1 block total)

Row 2: 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block (3 blocks total)

Row 3: 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block (5 blocks total)

Row 4: 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block (7 blocks total)

Row 5: 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block (5 blocks total)

Row 6: 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block (3 blocks total)

Row 7: 1 Main block (1 block total)

Once you have laid out your blocks in this manner, again, you'll be left with a layout like the first picture when you are standing in front of the layout as it's intended to be looked at.

From here, you'll need to gather the large triangles that we cut during the first week.  These were cut from the 3- 18.5" blocks, which we each subcut on the diagonal so that you got 4 triangles per square and a total of 12 triangles from all 3 squares.  These triangles are called Setting Triangles.  These will be place at the beginnings and the ends of every row EXCEPT Row 4, which gets no setting triangles at all.

Here is how you place them at the square that is in the top, left corner.

So, you will fill them in at the beginning and end of all of the rows except Row 4.  And, you'll get something that looks just like this-

Now, you are ready to start sewing your rows together.  To do this, we will again look at the quilt from the side so that we are directly facing the top, left square.  The first row will be comprised of setting triangle, main block, setting triangle.  And this is what you will sew together to make Row 1.

Then, you will continue along and sew each of the remaining rows together.  One thing to keep in mind!  If you look at the layout picture again-

You'll notice that after you pass Row 4, that is in Row 5, 6, and 7, the Setting Triangles are mirror images of the ones before Row 4 (Rows 1, 2, and 3).  There is no need to do anything special, just make sure when you are sewing, you keep the triangles as they are shown here.

Row 1: Setting triangle, 1 Main block, Setting triangle

Row 2: Setting triangle, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, Setting triangle

Row 3: Setting triangle, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, Setting triangle

Row 4: 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block 

Row 5: Setting triangle, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, Setting triangle

Row 6: Setting triangle, 1 Main block, 1 Alternate block, 1 Main block, Setting triangle

Row 7: Setting triangle, 1 Main block, Setting triangle

Once you have all of the rows sewn together, it will look like this-

Then you will begin to sew your rows into a top.  Starting with Rows 1 and 2, simply flip Row 1 down onto Row 2, so that the right sides are together and the edges line up and sew.  Then repeat this with each row until your top is together.  REMEMBER- when you are lining up the rows, the Setting triangles ALWAYS line up with a main block and the main blocks ALWAYS line up with an alternate block.  Be careful not to inadvertently shift the rows (if you do, no big deal, just use your seam ripper to take them apart and start sewing the row over, making sure to line up in the correct manner).

Once you have your top looking like the above picture, you are SO close!!  Next, gather the 4 triangles we cut in Week 1.  These were cut from the 2- 9.5" squares that were subcut in half on the diagonal to yield a total of 4 triangles.  These triangles are called Corner Triangles because they get sewn on to form the corners.

Before we sew these on, we will just need to trim the fabric overhang from each corner.  Take you quilt to your cutting mat, put the corner on the mat, line the ruler flat with the corner block, and trim away that excess from the setting triangles.

Repeat at the three remaining corners.

Then get one corner triangle.

Line it up at the corner, flip so that the right sides are together and sew.  Repeat for the other 3 corners.

Once the corners are on, I press the top as nice as possible.  Next we will square it up.  In general, here, I start with the corners.  I use a square ruler for this- here I'm using a 12.5" square but you can use the ruler you'd like.  Line the ruler up so that the 1/4" line is on both of the points.  Then you trim away the excess fabric that is not left under the ruler.

Repeat for the other 3 corners.

After I do the corners, I square up the sides.  To do this, I use the same method but I use a rectangle ruler, instead of the square, simply because it's faster.  You can use any one you like.  Here I am using a 6.5" x 24.5" ruler.  Line up your ruler along the edge of the quilt then adjust it so that the 1/4" line is on each block point.  Trim away any excess beyond the ruler.

Repeat for all of the edges of the quilt.

Now you are finished with your top! Congratulations!!  Step back and admire the beautiful quilt top that you made :)

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That's it for Week #6 of the QAL.  I hope you find this tutorial helpful and you find that setting on point is no harder than a regular quilt setting, just different.  

You can print a PDF of this pattern HERE

Let me know if you have any questions!

Talk to you soon,

Jessica