Hello Quilting Friends!!
August always brings a little back-to-school energy—even when our classroom is the sewing room. It is a natural time to sharpen our skills, organize our tools, and finally try the technique we have been promising ourselves we would learn someday.
This month, we are opening The Quilter’s Classroom. Our lesson is the Y-seam, also called a set-in seam: a small but powerful technique that makes diamonds, hexagons, stars, tumbling blocks, and other striking designs possible. If Y-seams have ever made you hesitate, we hope this issue helps replace uncertainty with confidence.
Remember, experienced quilters are not people who stopped learning. They are simply quilters who kept practicing. Gather a few scraps, give yourself permission to make a practice block, and let’s learn something new together!
Monthly Sale
Did you know we have 50 bolts of gorgeous Batik Fabrics? This month we’re offering our colorful batik fabrics at a 20% discount on the entire stock!! That’s right, get 20% OFF through Saturday, August 31st on all our Batik Fabrics. This sale is for you only, so use promocode: Aug20, and remember FREE SHIPPING is available for orders of $75 or more.
We love it when you shop around on the sight, but if you are in a hurry, here is the direct link:
Featured Products — Batik Fabrics
This month we are spotlighting Batik Fabrics. Why? Batik fabrics bring exceptional depth, texture, and character to quilting. Rather than being printed only on the surface, traditional batiks are created through a wax-resist dyeing process that allows rich color to penetrate the fabric. The result is a tightly woven cotton with vibrant, often subtly varied designs that look beautiful from either side. Their saturated color and organic motifs make batiks especially effective in geometric blocks, appliqué, borders, and quilts where strong contrast helps the piecing stand out.
For the best results, use a fresh, sharp needle and press with care, since batiks are generally more tightly woven than standard quilting cotton. While prewashing is a personal choice, it can help remove excess dye; if you prefer not to prewash, test dark or saturated colors for bleeding and consider using a color catcher in the first wash. Because either side may be used, choose the face that best supports your design—and for dimensional patterns such as Tumbling Blocks, select clearly defined light, medium, and dark values to make the three-dimensional effect come alive.
Culinary Corner
No-Bake Apple Pie Energy Bites
A quick, make-ahead snack is especially welcome on a productive sewing day. These lightly spiced bites have the familiar flavor of an after-school apple treat without interrupting your time at the machine.
Ingredients
• 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• ¾ cup almond or sunflower-seed butter
• ? cup maple syrup or honey
• ½ cup finely chopped dried apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
Directions
Stir all ingredients together until evenly combined. Refrigerate for 20 minutes, then roll into approximately 1-inch balls. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to five days.
FREE PATTERN —
TUMBLING BLOCKS by Marsha Evans Moore for Michael Miller Fabrics.
The best way to make a new technique feel familiar is to use it in a project you are excited to finish. For August, we recommend pairing the Y-seam lesson under the Tips, Tricks and Techniques Section with a small project featuring diamonds, hexagons, or a tumbling-block arrangement such as this one.
For a different perspective on the Tumbling Block pattern, here is a baby quilt using the same block but with soft baby colors. By using white fabrics at the top of each block, it gives it even more dimensional appeal. Note: I do not have an actual pattern for this one. The pic is provided for inspiration.
Long-Arm Quilting Services
Finish What You Started
Did summer leave you with a completed quilt top waiting for its final chapter? August is a wonderful time to move those projects from the unfinished pile to the finished-quilt stack. Our long-arm quilting service can help you complete gifts, seasonal quilts, and treasured projects before the busy fall months arrive.
Please allow 4–6 weeks for completion. Contact us to discuss your quilt, backing requirements, batting options, and quilting design preferences.
Tips, Tricks & Techniques
Mastering Y-Seams: Let's Learn a New Skill Together!
A Y-seam—also called a set-in seam—joins three fabric pieces so their seams meet at a single point. It may look intimidating, but the method becomes manageable once you understand that the stitching stops at the seam-intersection dots instead of continuing to the raw edges.
Why is it worth learning? Y-seams allow angled pieces to lie flat without forcing or distorting their bias edges. Mastering that center point opens the door to beautiful diamonds, hexagons, stars, tumbling blocks, and many other traditional and modern designs. They appear complex, but once you master this technique, it will be a breeze!
THE ONE RULE TO REMEMBER Sew from marked point to marked point. Keep every seam allowance free at the intersection.
1. Mark the intersection points
On the wrong side of each patch, mark where the ¼-inch seam allowances cross. Use a fine removable marking tool and a ruler. Accuracy here gives every seam the same destination.
2. Sew the first seam—dot to dot
Place the first two pieces right sides together and match their marked dots. Pin at the dots first, then stitch precisely between them. Backstitch gently without crossing either point; the seam allowances at both ends must remain loose.
3. Add the third piece
Open the first pair and align the third piece with one side of the opening. Match the intersection dots exactly. Pin at the meeting point before pinning the rest of the seam so the angled edge cannot creep.
4. Stop exactly at the dot
Stitch toward the center and stop with the needle precisely at the marked intersection. Keep the seam allowance underneath free. A shorter stitch length for the final few stitches adds control without creating a bulky knot.
5. Fold, align, and sew the final seam
Gently fold the already-sewn section out of the way and align the remaining raw edges. Pin from the center outward, then sew from the marked dot to the outer edge. Do not catch the folded fabric or stitch across the center seam allowances.
6. Press and check the meeting point
Open the unit and inspect the front before pressing. The three seams should meet cleanly with no hole, tuck, or pucker. Press the allowances in the direction that lets the block lie flat; avoid stretching the bias edges.
Keys to a Beautiful Y-Seam
• Mark every intersection before sewing—do not rely on guesswork.
• Pin the center point first, then work toward the outer edge.
• Use a shorter stitch length as you approach the dot.
• Handle angled and bias edges gently so they do not stretch.
• Press with an up-and-down motion instead of sliding the iron.
• Practice with oversized scraps before cutting into your feature fabrics.
IF THE CENTER PUCKERS Check that no stitching extends beyond the marked dots and that one seam allowance has not been caught in another seam.
Happy Quilting!!
Linda
Log Cabin Quilt'N Sew
703-586-3265