How to Quilt As You Go SUPER SIZED Quilt Blocks! QAYG Tutorial

Learn how to connect super sized quilted blocks together in this quilt-as-you-go tutorial with Leah Day. Read more here: leahday.com/qayg
Find the quilt pattern for the Hugs and Kisses quilt in the book Explore Walking Foot Quilting with Leah Day. Find the print edition: leahday.com/pr...
Find the ebook here: leahday.com/pr...
Leah teaches quilting online through free KZbin videos uploaded weekly. Subscribe to our channel so you don't miss out on any of the new videos on patchwork and machine quilting uploaded weekly: / lcvday
Leah also shares a yearly quilt along called the Machine Quilting Party for you to learn more about quilting and quilt a project with her step by step!
Learn more about the Machine Quilting Party and links to all the videos shared so far right here: leahday.com/pa...
Find tools and supplies, plus video workshops to guide you through all the steps to creating beautiful quilts on Leah's website: leahday.com/

[@juliekrumrine7563]

I am so glad that you are doing this tutorial. I made my blocks 18" square and wasn't sure how I was going to put them together

[@marielaure6194]

Thank you for your vidéo 👍👍👍👍👍

[@susanhaynes7045]

Susan Haynes When I first revisited quilting, I was so lost and confused, by all the different quilting habits and DO's AND DONT'S Then I watched one of your tutorials and I was saved . Thank You for being a great teacher. This really is what I needed to quilt my Large quilts.

[@LeahDay]

There's definitely a lot of Dos and Don'ts! The key is learning what you need when you need it so you don't get overwhelmed. When you feel unsatisfied or bored, that's when you come looking for more!

[@HECOBobbie1]

I use a 5 pound weight to hold my large rulers in place when cutting long strips. Works beautifully!!

[@LeahDay]

That is a great suggestion Debbie! I'll do that from now on!

[@joanyamanaka4820]

I have been watching your quilting designs with the walking foot and never questioned why you quilted small blocks instead of showing them on a large quilt. Then to my delight you showed how to piece them together. Gave me inspiration to piece a quilt this way using all your quilting designs.

[@LeahDay]

LOL! This just gave me an idea of covering my bed with individual blocks before they are connected together. That would be a hard quilt to sleep under. Yes, definitely try connecting your blocks together. It's much easier than it looks and this particular technique will create a very sturdy bed quilt.

[@1wog4ever]

So awesome. Tfs ant wait to try it. Subed for sure 😊

[@leighlidgard3817]

Thank you, Leah. I think your tutorial on connecting panels for QAYG is the best I've seen yet.

[@LeahDay]

Yay! I'm so happy to hear this!

[@jmgpknight5637]

Thank you for this very helpful video. I really like this method, and I'll remember the advice about the color concerns too. It's great to have this much freedom from absolute perfection on each and every aspect of joining the big blocks. I'm a walking-foot kinda gal, rather than a free-motion quilter, so this technique is wonderful.

[@LeahDay]

Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed this video. Yes, this particular technique is very accurate and gives you very clean, precise results. That's why it's my favorite!

[@juliettegolf1]

Wish I had watched this before tackling the big block quilt I’m working on now. I just love the way you teach! Thank you Leah.

[@LeahDay]

Thank you Jan! That means so much to me!

[@petuniawookie2833]

Love watching a fellow Lefty. Very informative, thank you again Leah!

[@joane8651]

Very helpful information, the quilt is beautiful, Leah. You are the go-to-person when I do QAYG, thank you!

[@LeahDay]

Thank you Joan! I'm so happy to hear that!

[@rukeyaebrahim5048]

You are a lovely teacher

[@LeahDay]

Aw! Thank you!

[@sprancek]

This tutorial is just what I needed. Wish me luck! :)

[@LeahDay]

Fingers crossed!

[@jeanniearnold7906]

SUPER GREAT VIEDO, LEAH. IT CLEARS UP SOME QUESTIONS I HAD. THANKS!

[@LeahDay]

Excellent! I'm so happy to help Jeannie!

[@cindystroud8485]

Could you use a 1" strip that matches the backing fabric so the strip isn't so noticeable?

[@valeriejohnson2367]

Wonderful tutorial.......thanks

[@LeahDay]

Thank you Valerie!

[@susanknaster1391]

I used your technique and just finished the two quilts but confused on how to do the binding so that I have the same measurements as the frame on both front and back of quilt squares-mine are 1.25 in front an .75 in back. AS my quilts are small 39 by 48.75. SHould I do normal binding or attach 4 sides separately.. Just an aside, I purchased the free motion quilting sampler and very excited..

[@LeahDay]

Please test with a set of small squares first to understand the technique before trying this on a bigger quilt or project. The size is 1 inch binding on the back. 1 1/2 inch binding strips for the front, folded in half.

[@emilyrosenzweig9946]

This is so awesome -- clearest and most helpful QAYG instructions I've seen!!

[@emilyrosenzweig9946]

Thank you! And this is such a fun pattern!

[@LeahDay]

Aw! Thank you Emily!

[@lindadaniels6055]

Leah, I have a good size jar of coins that I place on the larger rulers, let me tell you that there's no way those rulers are going to move! If you save change, keep the jar in your craft room, it's too heavy to carry around the house!

[@LeahDay]

That is a GREAT suggestion! Thank you! I'm off to make myself a jar right now!

[@lindadaniels6055]

Yes they do. I saw that for the first time watching a tutorial from Jordon Fabrics.

[@inesucrvenom]

does QAYG make quilt any weaker than if you do it as one big one? I'm under the impression that for full size quilting, quilting makes all that piecing secure, but then this where they hang together only on that few straight seams, how it works exactly? eg would using additional decorative stitches make it more secure or it's irrelevant (and why)?

[@LeahDay]

It really depends on the Quilt As You Go technique. I've seen some that are far less sturdy and probably would weaken over time. I believe having batting behind all layers is essential for all QAYG techniques as those areas without batting (just fabric binding to connect blocks) would be thinner and weaker and with wear, they will soften and stretch and eventually pull apart. If you wanted to add decorative stitching to this technique, yes, that would make it more secure. It does take more time as most decorative stitches take a long time for each repetition of the design. It would also make the quilt feel noticeably more stiff as the decorative stitch will compress the fabric and batting more in those spaces.

[@juliekrumrine7563]

OK tell me what I did wrong. I prepared my blocks, ironed joins and sewed. I thought I had too much bulk in the middle so I clipped some but when I sewed down the top strip they moved apart in the middle. I am going to undo. Did I not pull over the top strip enough

[@LeahDay]

I would glue the top strip over with a very thin line of Elmer's white school glue so it holds in place and doesn't slip. I use these bottles to dispense the glue - leahday.com/products/2-pack-microtip-bottle-for-glue-and-oil

[@juliekrumrine7563]

@@LeahDay OH ty I will try that

[@knitfix_S]

If you just turn your cutting mat so the short side faces your Body (i.e. turn it 90 degrees from how it is lying now), it would be long enough, so you wouldn't have to shift the block, wouldn't it? 😉 Just an idea 😊

[@LeahDay]

The issue is that would be the opposite direction for my video camera and my cutting mat would be slipping off the front of the table which is also dangerous for cutting.

[@knitfix_S]

Leah Day oh, that of course would not exactly be helpful :( I often turn my mat - or I "dance" around my table in order to get into the best cutting position. I have a thin anti-slip net under my cutting mat, the kind you can put underneath small carpets. There are also mats at ikea that work wonderfully as anti-slip mats. But of course, everyone has their own way of solving those kind of issues. There is no right or wrong, I think, as long as it works and nobody gets hurt 😊

[@nanamjbri]

As the blocks get added the strips get longer you didn’t show but I’m guessing you had to add to your strips to make the length is that right and if yes what method did you use to add the strips together ? I want to make sure because I want to try this way of guilt as you go 👍🏼 Thank you

[@LeahDay]

Yep, you will sew multiple strips together using a diagonal seam, then fold in half if needed for the front binding.

[@lhjpr2753]

Boa noite! Qual é o valor?

[@lizryan6289]

Would you have any videos instructing QAYG without sashing? I've been searching but can't seem to find any. I love your videos.

[@LeahDay]

Nope, I haven't made a video on that yet. I'm still working out the technique to figure out what I like best.

[@markwilson1377]

(I'm typing this before watching this all the way through, forgive me). But apropos of nothing, I've noticed in some of your videos you mention your dad as a quilter. Has he ever appeared in any of your videos? Would like to "meet" him! :-)

[@LeahDay]

Yes, Dad is a quilter, but technically it's because he's my employee! LOL! I trained Dad so he could start working for us in 2014 and taught him how to piece (he already knew how to cut accurately because he's a machinist and wood worker) and machine quilt. Dad and Josh both prefer to be "behind the scenes" rather than in front of the camera. But yeah, I should probably get him out of the cutting room and in front of the camera at some point. You can hear more about our process in this podcast episode: leahday.com/pages/56-who-owns-my-quilt-when-you-pay-for-longarming-does-that-change-the-quilt

[@romamacleod9627]

@@LeahDay how to use jelly rolls.

[@debbiemanning3987]

Is it possible to quilt a queen size quilt on a home machine using your technique?

[@LeahDay]

Yep! That's exactly what we did with the Friendship Sampler - leahday.com/products/friendship-sampler-block-of-the-month-quilt

[@romamacleod9627]

I was looking for how to use jelly rolls

[@romamacleod9627]

Jelly rolls

[@LeahDay]

This technique doesn't use Jelly Rolls for binding specifically, but you could always cut them down if you really wanted to use them for this technique.

[@annetrenary526]

Today is June 6th, what size is your large ruler?? Where can that be purchased at "didn't find on your website? thank you

[@LeahDay]

You'll need to check your local quilt shop for a ruler this size. We don't carry it because it's so large and will easily break in shipping. I believe the size is 22 inches square and it's the largest I've ever found.

[@RonsonDalby]

The problem I see with QAYG is that eventually you still have to wrestle the whole quilt through the machine.

[@LeahDay]

Yep, no way to get around it by the end of the project. So it's up to you to decide - is it worth it to wrestle with the quilt through the entire quilting process, or just at the very end?

[@annetrenary526]

I would like to see you actually sewing these blocks together!

[@LeahDay]

You can see another tutorial with stitching the seams right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/r3OxYaGQlJaefcU&list=PLNkZhEjxH0nLPavmvPhd27EqzQh2a-Fee

[@jodieroundtree488]

Is there a reason you don't use clips or something?

[@LeahDay]

Clips don't work very well for this technique because the blocks can be so bulky. Pins work better and will hold more securely at least with this technique.