Beginners Class/Piecing Blocks with Partial Seams

Quilting "How-To" Class

Piecing Blocks with Partial Seams by Nancy Roberts

Expand your quilt block repertoire by mastering this easy technique!

In "Old Shoes," Sharyn Craig set a variety of uneven piece blocks together in a unified design using a unique framing method. One key to Sharyn's method is using partial seams. She outlines her technique in her book, Twist 'n Turn.

Simple blocks such as Bright Hopes, Arabic Lattice or Hope of Hartford can look quite Diagram 1 complex when you examine them to determine piecing order. You may be puzzled because it's easy to see the seams, but it's not so easy to see how they are sewn. You may even think the pieces are set in.

If such a block has you stumped, perhaps it's because the design requires a construction technique known as a partial seam. The method makes the blocks easy to contruct without set-in pieces. While pieces are stitched around a center shape, you'll sew only half of the first seam. Then sew the remaining pieces. Finally, close the rest of the first seam while joining the first and last pieces. Here's how it works using the Hope of Hartford block as an example.

	Stitch a solid C to a print C, as shown, to make a pieced triangle. Make 4.

	Stitch a pieced triangle to a B, as shown. Make 4.

	Stitch a D to each pieced unit, as shown. Make 4.

	Lay out the four pieced rectangles around the center square, as shown.

	Place the center square and the top pieced rectangle, right sides toghether and lower right corners aligned, as shown.

	Stitch from the corner to the mid-point of the square and backstitch, as shown.

	Finger press the seam toward the pieced rectangle.

	This creates an edge that's the correct length for sewing the adjacent pieced rectangle, as shown.

	Working clockwise, place the unit on the adjacent pieced rectangle, right sides together and corners aligned. Stitch the seam, starting at the corner of the center square. Finger press the seam toward the pieced rectangle.

	Stitch and finger press the third and fourth pieced rectangles in the same manner.

	To complete the block, close up the rest of the first seam, joining the first pieced rectangle to the fourth one. You may find this feels a bit awkward because of the seam that has already been sewn. Just fold the block so that right sides are together and the seam is aligned for sewing.

	Then work the seam allowances out of the way and lower the needle at the end of the partial seam. Backstitch one or two stitches and sew from this point to the edge. Press the block.

	Once you master the partial seam technique, you'll find that your quilts are open to even more design possibilities.

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