I finally finished the Clementine Mini Quilt.
I'm pretty happy with the way it looks now that it's finished.
I ended up free-motion quilting over the entire quilt.
The back is a print from a P&B collection called Nellie's Garden that I got at Fabric Depot (in Portland).
I finished the quilt with an electric blue binding. Yay for another finished project!
This is a post about the Tokyo Subway Map Quilt-Along, which you can join at any time. You don't have to sign up anywhere but, if you like, you can join our Flickr Group, which also includes a Q&A Thread about the quilt-along.
l mentioned the Q&A Thread in the intro above, but wanted to mention it again because, if you asked a question in the comments to the last post, I may have answered it there. If you have other general questions (not specifically about piecing this block) that would be a great place for them.
So, here's Block 1 (aka the upper-left corner). It's not much yet, but I can already tell this is going to be a fantastic quilt!
Here's an illustration showing the 8 x 8 layout of the block. If you have a portable electronic device like a laptop or i-Phone, I'd like to encourage you to "save a tree" and use it for reference when piecing these 25 blocks. (Just don't set your laptop on your cutting mat. I learned that one the hard way!) Alternately I've linked a pdf version below.
Download Tokyo Subway Map - Block1
The "X"s on the pattern indicate the placement of the colored solid fabrics. If you follow my prints vs. solids layout, including the proportion of prints to solids I listed in the cutting instructions, you'll end up with prints and solids evenly distributed across the quilt top and one solid square of each different-colored line in each block through which that line passes.
Start by laying out your fabric squares in the arrangement indicated in the pattern.
I noticed, as I was cutting my fabrics, that some of my sets of squares included a rather wide range of value (lightness or darkness). Because the piecing layout is all about lines running around the quilt, I'm going to pay attention to that when I'm placing the squares in each block. If you look closely at the way I arranged my gray squares above, you can see that the ones on the left side are lighter. I intentionally put the light squares together and the dark squares together. My hope is that, if I continue to do this in each block, it will give a look of flow and movement in the finished quilt.
Once you're happy with your arrangement, stack each row of squares, from left to right, with the top square in each stack being the one that was formerly on the far left and the bottom square being the one that was formerly on the far right. Keep the stacks of squares in the same arrangement of 8 rows, so that you can easily identify their proper order.
Working from the bottom or the top (it doesn't matter which -- just keep track of which is which) piece each row of squares together. Rather than chain piecing, which I find can easily confuse the order, I suggest starting with the top (left-most) square in the stack and sewing the next square to its right side. Repeat, sewing each square to the right side of the previous square, until you have the whole row sewn together.
As long as you're carefully lining up the squares as you go, there should be no need for pins or to stop and press between seams. Just focus on keeping the squares lined up and your seam allowance consistent. If you have a seam guide (like the one I'm using in the above photo) or a 1/4 inch foot, you may find it useful here. Low-tech solutions like putting a strip of blue painter's tape on your machine can also be helpful.
There's no getting around the fact that these little squares can be kind of fussy to piece. Accurate piecing is going to be important to the look of your finished quilt, but please don't go crazy trying to perfect everything. The two things to focus on here are sewing straight seams and using a consistent seam allowance. For this project, it is not essential that your seam allowance be a perfect 1/4 inch. You just need to keep it the same throughout the project. If following the edge of your 3/8" wide foot is easiest, by all means do that! It will mean that your finished top is a few inches smaller, but will probably save you a lot of headache.
Use the same method to sew each row together and press all seams open. Return the rows to their original arrangement on your work surface.
If you're having trouble with your squares separating, it may mean that you're using a too-long stitch length. I had mine set at 2 and found that worked fine. Your machine may have a different scale, so play around with some scraps to determine what you think will work best for you.
Pin the fourth and fifth rows (the two rows at the center of the block) together, matching seam allowances. When I piece identical rows like this, I like to start by matching up the center and pinning outward to each side. Since these squares are so little, I used a single pin to secure all of the seam allowances between each square.
Use more pins, if it makes you more comfortable, but don't stretch or warp your work to make things match. Remember that, when you join these two pieced rows, making a straight seam will be your goal. It's inevitable that, somewhere in your quilt, there will be something a bit "off." Don't let it get you down. Just be a little strategic. For instance, in this block, matching the pieces of that red line is more of a priority than making each and every white square match.
Continue adding rows to the top and bottom of the two you've just joined, until all rows are joined, pressing seams open. Unlike when we were sewing the squares into rows, it's fairly important to stop and press each longer seam before moving on to the next, as this will allow you to see how things are lining up and make little adjustments, if necessary.
Square up the sides of your block, but be careful not to take off too much. I like to measure out from the nearest seam allowance, which is easy to do with this gridded block. If you're using 2" squares and a 1/4" seam allowance, your cutting line should measure 1 3/4" out from the seam allowance nearest each edge.
A finished block made with 2" squares and a 1/4" seam allowance should theoretically measure 12 1/2" x 12 1/2". However, as I mentioned above, in this project having straight, consistent, seams is far more important than hitting that exact number.
That's it! This first block may go slowly but I'm sure that, as we move on to Blocks 2 through 25, the process will get easier.
This is the first post in my Tokyo Subway Map Quilt-Along. This is a laid-back quilt-along that you can join any time you want. There is no need to "sign up" but, if you want to share photos of your work, you are welcome to join my Tokyo Subway Map Quilt-Along Flickr Group.
Welcome to the Tokyo Subway Map Quilt-Along! I will be posting instructions for making a 60" x 60" quilt composed of 1,600 tiny squares. (Time to use up those scraps!) The quilt top will be pieced from 25 blocks, which I'll describe in a series of 25 posts.
If you're looking to do something a little different, please don't hesitate to make your own drawing and/or calculations for a revised version in a different shape or size.
Please note that, although my pattern was inspired by a real map of the Tokyo Subway System, it is a stylized interpretation that makes no attempt to duplicate the system's actual layout.
A note about difficulty level . . .The construction of this quilt is both incredibly straightforward and deceptively complex. The fact that every block is made only of squares means that we'll only be cutting squares and sewing with straight seams. However, the small size and large number of the squares, as well as the unconventional arrangement of the subway "lines" running through each block, demands a certain amount of precision. In particular, it will be imperative to keep seam allowance consistent throughout the quilt.
Please let your own comfort level be your guide in deciding whether this is a project for you.
The quilt top will be made from a grid of 40 x 40 squares measuring 2" x 2" before they're sewn.
The squares will fall into the following groups:
"Lines"
The quilt top includes 10 different subway "lines" each indicated by a different color. Refer to the chart below to see how many print and solid squares (each 2" x 2") you will need for each line.
Feel free to use as many or as few different fabrics as you like. I suggest letting your stash be your guide. If you have lots of smaller scraps, consider cutting fewer squares each from more different fabrics. If your stash is made up mostly of larger pieces, consider choosing several of your favorites and cutting an equal number from each.
If you don't have many appropriate fabrics in your stash, you may want to invest in 1/4 yard pieces of one or two prints in each color before starting this project. If you don't have much solid fabric, a Kona charm pack can be a fast way to get a bunch of little pieces.
This composition relies heavily on harmony among the print and solid fabrics in each colored line. Lay prospective fabrics/scraps on your work surface and consider whether you think they look right together. If one fabric sticks out on your table, it's likely to stick out in your quilt too.
This project will be most successful when made entirely with monochromatic prints. However, because the squares we're using are so small, you may find that it's possible to fussy-cut monochromatic 2" x 2" squares from a larger print (e.g. green squares cut from large leaves on a big floral print).
"Stops"
Subway "stops" will be represented by squares cut from black and white print fabrics. Use as many or few different prints as you like to cut 60 total "stops" each measuring 2" x 2". For best results, choose bold, graphic prints that do not include any color. Don't hesitate to fussy-cut some of these squares.
Background
All background squares should be cut from the same white solid. I recommend Kona White or Kona Snow. Enough white solid squares for this project can be cut from 2 5/8 yards of fabric at least 42" wide. Cut 45 strips 2" x width of fabric, subcutting into 891 squares 2" x 2" each.
I suggest cutting all of the squares before you start piecing. I'll discuss this more when we get into piecing, but having all of the squares cut will make it easier to distribute each print evenly across the quilt top.
My next quilt-along post will include general piecing directions, including the layout of the first block.
I'm looking forward to quilting along with you!
ETA: A Q&A thread is now up in the Flickr Group. Please refer to it for asking or finding answers to questions about the pattern. Thanks!
