How To Sew A Partial Seam

 Hello and welcome to any new visitors!

Today is my turn on the Back to School Blog Hop - a chance for all of us to learn some great new tips, tricks, and techniques from 16 different quilters.

Today I'll be sharing a piecing technique that's a great one to have in your tool box. At first it might be a little intimidating but once you learn it, it really unlocks a lot of great block ideas and patterns. 

Have you heard of partial seams? Partial seams are not difficult - the best way for me to explain partial seams is to show you...I'll step you through it, using a tutorial for this 6 1/2" Wrap Around quilt block. 

And if you'd like the full Wrap Around quilt pattern scroll to the bottom for a link to download.

note: I'm going to use lighter fabrics with a darker thread so you can see my stitches clearly - but you'll want to match your thread to the fabrics you choose to use!

To make a Wrap Around block you'll need:

• 1 square, 3" x 3"
• 4 rectangles, 2 1/2" x 5"

Step 1: Arrange the pieces around the center square in the order you want them to be in the finished block.

Step 2: Place the first print rectangle (piece #1) right sides together with the center square, lining up the left edge and top edges.

Step 3: Using a scant 1/4" seam, sew along the top edge about 2/3 of the way through the whole seam. 

You'll want to leave about 1 1/4" of the seam unsewn.

Step 4: Press seam allowance toward piece #1 - only press that small section that you stitched.

Step 5: Next, line up piece #2 with the left edge of the block and place it right sides together.

Step 6: Stitch seam, this time stitch the full length of the seam.

Step 7: Press seam allowance toward piece #2

Step 8: Place piece #3 along the bottom edge of the block and place right sides together. Stitch along the full length of the seam as you did for piece #2.

Step 9: Press seam allowance toward piece #3

Step 10: Here is where that first partial seam comes in handy! Fold back piece #1 and place piece #4 right sides together along the right edge of the block.

Step 11: Stitch seam, holding piece #1 away so it doesn't get caught in your stitches.

Step 12: Press seam allowance toward piece #4.

Step 13: Fold piece #1 down so that it is right sides together with the block.

Be sure the top edges are lined up, and begin stitching where the first partial seam ended.

Stitch to the end of the block to complete the partial seam, as shown below.

Step 14: Press seam allowance toward piece #1

And your Wrap Around block is done! See...not so bad, right?

Block should measure 7" (unfinished)

Want to see what the whole Wrap Around quilt looks like?

For this 45 1/2" x 58 1/2" quilt I used 3 charm packs to make 63 of the Wrap Around blocks. There's a downloadable PDF pattern for this quilt available to newsletter subscribers - sign up here to access the pattern!

And if you're already a subscriber (thank you!), then you received the link for this pattern in my most recent newsletter - check your inbox!

Now you're ready to tackle other blocks with partial seams - you'll want to check out these patterns. They each use this same partial seam technique! (Click on the photo for details about each one)

Be sure to visit the other stops on the Back to School Blog Hop. There's still nine days left with lots of great things to learn!

Sept 15 - Geeky Bobbin - Press for Success! 

Sept 16 - Katie Mae Quilts - Storage Solutions From The School Supplies Section

Sept 17 - Quilting Jetgirl - Make A Design Wall You Can Use Your Hera Marker Against 

Sept 18 - Karen Bolan - How to Get Perfect Tension 

Sept 19 - Devoted Quilter - How To Trim HSTs Without A Specialty Ruler 

Sept 20 - Sarah Ruiz - Calculating Quilt Backing and Binding Fabric Requirements 

Sept 21 - Andy Knowlton - How To Sew Quilt Blocks With Partial Seams 

Sept 22 - Lisa Ruble - Curved Piecing Doesn't Have To Be Scary (Or Perfect!) 

Sept 23 - Sarah Goer Quilts - Tips for Piecing Precise Points 

Sept 24 - Faith and Fabric - Spinning Intersections On Four Patch Blocks - The Easy Way! 

Sept 25 - Judit Hajdu - Draw String Bag - For Lunch Or Gym 

Sept 26 - Sugar Sand Quilt Co. - The Care And Feeding Of The Wild Longarm Quilter 

Sept 27 - Hilary Jordan - Quick & Easy Pattern Matching Technique for Quilt Backings 

Sept 28 - True Blue Quilts - Sketch Then Stitch...Better FMQ Through Doodling 

Sept 29 - Sunflower Quilting - A Quilting Tip 

Sept 30 - Slightly Biased Quilts - Perfect Hand Binding Tips