Row 8 - Clamshells
Once again I have been blown away by the effort, amazing blocks and encouragement you are giving each other on the Slow and Steady Quilt Along Facebook page. Unfortunately I've been a bit sick this past week and so I didn't get a chance to create a new slideshow of your amazing blocks but I will do my best to get your work here on the blog next week.
Ok so lets get into this weeks row, this week we are skipping down to the final row. I did a quick 'poll' on the Facebook group and you all decided that you needed a break from the Foundation paper piecing.
While its not a super simple row it can be quite easy if you us the hand piecing technique. I chose to give you this pattern now as there is quite a lot of cutting involved and I thought you may want to spread it out over a month or so.
Without further ado, lets get into it, Here's this weeks video, Scroll down for the written instructions.
If you'd like to print out the tutorial, just click here to download the printable PDF.
Week 4: Slow and Steady Quilt Along by Paula Storm
Clamshells Block
There’s a few different ways to make this row. The traditional way is to use an English paper piecing technique, this is all done by hand. As I’m sure you know by now, I love perfect piecing but I also like fast piecing, so this week I’ll show you a few different ways to create this row. One is completely by hand, one is totally done on the machine, but my favourite way uses a combination of both.
Finished Size: 60” x 10” row
Unfinished Size: 60 ½” x 10 ½” row
Requirements:
Pieces of all of your chosen fabrics. Pieces must be at least 4 ½” square
Cutting Instructions:
Using the template provided or the Accuquilt 4” Clamshell die, cut out a total of 77 Clamshells.
Constructing the block:
Start by giving your fabrics a really good press, I like to use spray starch when pressing. You’ll get a much neater finish if you spray your fabric with starch before you cut it.
1. Take 2 of your clamshells and place them right sides together. Using the video as a guide, sew them together in a straight line on the right hand side.
2. Continue joining the clamshells together until you have a total of 15 clamshells joined for your top row. Be sure to mix up your colours to get an even distribution of colour.
3. It doesn’t matter if you are joining your clamshells by machine or by the hand piecing technique, you need to start adding clamshells one at a time. This time you will need a total of 16 clamshells to complete the second row.
4. Keep adding clamshells using your chosen technique until you have a total of 5 rows.
Finishing your row.
Trim your finished piece to the finished size. Make sure to leave a ¼” seam allowance all around the piece so you can neatly add it to your quilt.
Joining your rows
Don’t join your rows yet if you want to make your quilt a Quilt As You Go project.
If you do want to join the two rows, join a 1.25” strip of the background fabric between each row. You will need to cut 2 x Width of Fabric strips, but you will only need one and a half of the strips, set the remaining half strip aside for another time.
See you next fortnight!
Happy Stitching
Hugs Paula xxx
