Welcome to the Inner Reflections Tutorial page. Thank you for choosing Inner Reflections. This beautiful quilt is fun to put together, plus it is loaded with information on the four basic types of personalities. Through this tutorial page, we hope to help you piece your Inner Reflections quilt as well as learn how a quilter is pieced.
How is a Quilter Pieced? We’re all different, yet seemingly made from the same cloth. Let’s pull on a thread and unravel quilting personalities as you create the Inner Reflections quilt. When reading about the four personality types, you will identify your strongest personality trait, as well as, the personality of your quilting friends! Inner Reflections is a Block of the Month pattern that can be made monthly or all at once. A king size option and three additional bonus projects are also included in the pattern for your enjoyment.
Inner Reflections is broken up in quadrants. Each quadrant is a repeat of the instructions, just created in a different color palette. The first quadrant is made in Red, Orange, Pink, plus a background, Black or Cream. Most of the shops running this Block of the Month program have offered Black as the background. By far, black marble makes this a stunning quilt. However, we wanted a Cream version too so we did the tutorial videos making the fourth quadrant with the Cream background. It is gorgeous with the Cream background too!
Quadrant 1, Month 1, Center Star Unit
First, bare with me while we review piecing basics. I know, I’m preaching to the choir for most of you, but there just might be a tip that will help with your piecing. When I teach a class, we always start off checking the seam allowance. The seam allowance is usually blamed when the block doesn’t turn out the correct size. However, there are four elements to making the block the correct size.
- Cutting
- 1/4″ seam
- Alignment
- Pressing
Cutting your fabric. Be sure you iron out all wrinkles and folds (steam is fine). Have good lighting, wear your pretty glasses, and have a sharp rotary blade. Stand when cutting, if you can. Sitting is convenient but standing over your ruler allows for better accuracy. Cut once away from your body and avoid see-saw back and forth cutting. If your blade is skipping or you’re having to cut several times, treat yourself to a new blade. If your ruler is sliding, try non slide grips on the back. Anchor your pinky finger on the non-cutting side of the ruler. Avoid the spider hold on the ruler (using just your finger tips). Flat palm on the ruler will keep it from sliding. Spider hold is my bad habit and it will slip on me every time! I truly am the reigning queen of the mis-cut.
Your 1/4″ seam needs to be accurate. Most modern sewing machine come with a programmed setting for piecing. It is marked by a P. I can’t count how many students I helped find the correct setting for their 1/4″ seam. They’d been using tape when all along their sewing machine had a perfect setting for them. Be sure to know your machine’s settings and have the proper foot. Measure that 1/4″ before you start.
Alignment is so important. Some people sew like it is a race. I confess, I’m guilty too, especially if I’m sewing with my super-fast sister. None of us like to be last in the class room. But it isn’t a race and accuracy is more important than finishing first. Take your time. Align that fabric perfectly. Take time to pin. Pinning prevents the “under tow”. That’s when the bottom fabric is worked away from the top fabric by the feed dogs. Ask yourself, “What’s the point?” When sewing points, be sure to align the ends of the point. If the fabric is slightly long or short at the other end, it isn’t going to matter as much as getting your point to be at the 1/4″ seam.
Pressing Matters. Press first with the seam closed (no steam). Open the pieced item and from the wrong side of the fabric, knock the seam with the side of the iron, the direction the arrow shows in the instructions. You’re just knocking it over. Then from the front do the same, making sure the seam hadn’t folded over on itself. When pressing, I hold one side of the fabric taunt while pressing with the iron – not tight enough to stretch the fabric but to enough to press the seam well. No steam in my iron unless I want the piece to grow! I learned my pressing technique from Eleanor Burns.
If your block is turning out too small, be a detective. Many times it isn’t the seam allowance that is the culprit. I have found that pressing is usually the guilty party!
Let’s SEW!
Quadrant 1, Month 2, Birds in the Air block and Paper-Piecing the Diamond of Personality block
Birds in the Air block is one of my favorite blocks. Even though it looks complicated with all those little triangles, it really isn’t too difficult to put together! Check out this video for the block piecing for Birds in the Air, then drop down to the next video for paper-piecing the second block in Month 2.
The second block is paper-piecing the Diamond of Personality. If you’ve not tried paper-piecing, the University of Youtube is a great place to see the multiple techniques for paper-piecing/foundation piecing. I developed my own technique by watching all those great tutorials and using the tips that worked best for my slightly dyslexic brain. I’m sure there is a technique that will work for you too. If my technique has you scratching your head, watch other tutorials. If you despise paper-piecing, I feel your pain, I have a no paper-piecing option for you. Just make another Birds in the Air block. The two blocks are both 6 1/2″. See page 8 in the pattern.
Quadrant 1, Month 3, Fusible Appliqué
This month is what makes this quilt sing. There is nothing like appliqué to bring a unique element to a quilt. You are welcome to use any technique that you prefer for the appliqué. The below tutorial is for fusible appliqué. It is quick, easy, with expert results for beginner quilters. Hand appliquéing is divine and when I’m not up against deadline, or have a short turn around time, then I really enjoy the relaxed needle-turn appliqué technique. Whichever your preference, you’re sure to have a stunning results.
