The simple trick for nested seams on a Scrappy Trip Around the World Quilt

[@GiaMarie815]

This is the best, I repeat, the best tutorial for making the scrappy trip around the world quilt. Everything was explained so thoroughly from cutting the strips, sewing, pressing. One of my favorite and most appreciated tip was the numbering system for unpicking the strips. For some reason it is so easy to get out of sync and this numbering system is so helpful. Thank you Shelly, for this wonderful tutorial.

[@matantequilting]

Thank you so much for this kind comment! I'm glad it was useful for you (especially if it helps cut down on unpicking mistakes!) ❤

[@Ann-qr2pv]

Thank you so much for this tutorial. Now I know how to do my quilt. Happy thoughts! :)

[@matantequilting]

Happy quilting! ❤️

[@colcelia]

This tutorial was excellent. The only thing it assumes is that you can sew your strips together with perfect 1/4” seams, which even as a veteran quilter, using every trick ever suggested, is somewhat of a struggle. However, I walked out of a class once where I was being made fun of for not understanding how to “twirl” my seams, and you cleared that up in 5 seconds, instead of making it a “big deal”. Thank you!

[@wam0357]

I quit my quilters sewing group because every time I shared someone on KZbin saying to try a new way next time, or share how someone showed me twirling seams, or no fail border calculations, someone would holler oh no never! and I didnt like being " steered" away from great patterns or techniques that i really invested my time into watchingbthrough several times. I spend sparingly, they dont, thry had unlimited resource for buying fabric while i am using denim from grandpa's jeans. I am learning about straight seams and cutting squares, and putting binding on so whats the harm? and why the need to condemn someone who just joined the group.?

[@frontofficed.burnell-power6288]

I really appreciate you giving Bonnie Hunter credit for the tube in her original blog. I think it is important to understand who are quilting godmother's are. In 1989, before the internet, I saw my first Trip Around the World and was a beginning quilter. I picked up Elinor Burns Quilt in a Day Trip Around the World. And she did the tube exactly as Bonnie. She also had a hero fabric, but did not call it such. Who knows whose idea it was originally? It likely goes back to the civil war. I was trying to remember if I struggled with the nesting seems. I can't remember. But I do remember I cut it out with scissors :)

[@Sam_the_quilter]

@@frontofficed.burnell-power6288 I agree with you on this. It’s lovely to give credit where credit is due. As a dude, I feel so lucky to be able to stand on the foundations that have been set by the endless women, the quilters, sewers, and crafters, that have come before me and to the women in this community that give me a space at the table to enjoy this so much. I think I might make this quilt next.

[@jilldykehouse9021]

my world has changed! Scrappy trips is my very favorite quilt.....except when I'm screaming at the final press! You are a genius! I can't begin to thank you enough!

[@matantequilting]

OMG, screaming (crying??) at the final press is very relatable. 😆 I'm glad this technique will eliminate that frustration for you!

[@emmarene7215]

I have been wanting to make one of these quilts for a while now and truly...THIS is the BEST VIDEO that explains ALL to constructing a perfect block! I too am a Long Arm quilter for my own quilts and can so appreciate flat seams! Thank you so very much!

[@matantequilting]

Here's to flat seams and fun quilts! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video! 🙌

[@terriflanigan942]

Not Bonnie’s technique but it’s a good one! This has been around for a very long time! Also I have found the Strip-ology ruler a game changer. This saves sew much time and improves accuracy in cutting. Thanks for a great tutorial! New subscriber!❤

[@matantequilting]

So glad you're enjoying the video! ❤

[@pywagner]

OMG! I'm so happy I found you! I'm always frustrated with patterns that don't have 'how to press' guides, or guides that lead you astray. grrrr! I love your tutorial and, though this pattern was not on my to-do list, now, I'm going to have to make one! Thanks so much!

[@matantequilting]

Oooh, me too! I always want my blocks to nest, and I find myself re-working patterns often to make them the way I like. 😆

[@mareshavefun]

After nearly 2 decades of quilting... I learned something new today.... I love it. Thanks. 😊

[@janetaysom5245]

I just added some happy new terms to my quilting dictionary..."hero" fabric and, my favorite, "Quilting godmother!" Loved your tutorial, especially showing which way to press your seams. That's super important to me.

[@matantequilting]

Haha, yes, I do like to make up terms. 😆

[@debbierawlyk5148]

Yay!!! Wish I’d known this hack when I made one. Plus, because you’ve used 8 strips, as opposed to six, there’s no scraps for the bin!! Thank you!!

[@matantequilting]

Yes, that was a big selling feature for me on this pattern - I love to use up all the bits of a fat quarter!

[@adoral.libertucci2647]

This is great, Shelly. Thank you!! Love your content and presentations!!

[@vickirobles3406]

Beautiful 2 block version!

[@matantequilting]

Thanks so much! I'm really in love with this one! ❤️

[@lindatate5827]

Nice trick and I try to twirl those seams. I took quilting classes in the nineties before youtube. I made several around the worlds using larger squares, one in the the middle with surrounding squares. I always use bias cuts for the binding.

[@agnieszkaacka6733]

Boni Hunter is a great quilter, i agree.

[@susanwabeke2171]

I haven’t made a Trip Around the World pattern yet but am subscribing to your YT channel for reference when I do. Emily Dennis is sending us to you so thanks to her as well! I have seen the twirling method some where that had you “snip” the seam which always made me nervous to use….this is much better! ❤

[@matantequilting]

You can snip the seams and end up with the same result - I just don't find that it's necessary (as the two little stitches easily come undone without the need to snip). 👍

[@lesa6399]

Learned alot today! Thank you!!!

[@matantequilting]

You're very welcome! ❤

[@crhp13tblock52]

Fabulous video! You are a superb teacher!!

[@matantequilting]

Thanks so much for this kind comment! ❤️

[@karendavidson3190]

What a fantastic tutorial! I am excited to get started on my next project following your directions. Your choice of the banana “hero” print was so cute. Thank you for making this video. A passionate beginner quilter from New Zealand.❤

[@matantequilting]

Hello from Canada! I'm so glad the tutorial got you excited to start a Scrappy Trip quilt!! Happy sewing!

[@stephaniesinden145]

I haven’t had a trip around the world on my To Make list,until Emily Dennis mentioned your tutorial. I love twirling seams! Your explanation of the process whole process was excellent! Thanks.

[@adrienegrzenia3278]

Same for me. I followed the yellow brick road from Emily Dennis' blog. I'm heading off on a long vacay and I'm going to miss my sewing. But the "trip" is going on my to be made list. I will have to keep an eye out for fabrics while away.

[@matantequilting]

You are so welcome! ❤️

[@Erinkenny0722]

Awesome tutorial for a beginner quilter like myself....I'm gonna give this a shot!!!...thank you thank you thank you!!!

[@matantequilting]

You are so welcome!

[@agnieszkaacka6733]

You are good teacher ❤

[@matantequilting]

Thank you! 😃

[@jeane.2722]

Thank you so much!

[@debracav1933]

Thank you, thank you for explaining ‘twirling the seams’ and how and why! Helpful!

[@matantequilting]

You are so welcome! ❤

[@maryfreeman6002]

I made a trip using the Bonnie Hunt method- ended up with the wacky seam issue...but persevered! Now I feel like I could do one again without all the drama of my first. Love your tutorial! Your calm demeanor and excitement made more fun!

[@matantequilting]

Yay! I'm so glad to hear this! If you use this technique, I promise your next Scrappy Trip will be drama-free! 😉

[@shellyculver4239]

Omg. Thanks so much for this! Running 🏃‍♀️ to my sewing room! I have a red white blue & camo to do!!

[@matantequilting]

Sounds fun! Enjoy! 🙌

[@digitaldonna7241]

Fantastic tutorial. Thank you for such clear directions -- even I can follow them. I always have a problem keeping my seams alternating so that they fit together. This quilt will be a very good practice piece for me to conquer this problem. Again, thank you.

[@matantequilting]

Yay! I love that this was helpful for you and easy to follow! Twirling doesn't work with every single quilt pattern, but I love it when it does! 🙌

[@suewilbur504]

What a great tutorial!! I’m in the middle of making my very first quilt but will be saving this video so I can make a scrappy around the world quilt in the near future. Thank you for the inspiration!

[@matantequilting]

Yay, I love that! I hope you have a great time making this quilt!

[@adrienegrzenia3278]

Super duper great explanation. You are a good teacher--straightforward. You may or may not be OCD but you remind me of my most efficient husband who I personally label high functioning OCD. I cannot wait to try a trip around the world. Your pal Emily Dennis sent me here.

[@matantequilting]

I would say that I have a high degree of attention to detail. 👍😆

[@sensor-sweep]

26:10 🤯 i am so excited to try this

[@matantequilting]

Right!? 🤯 I was so excited when I figured out that this pressing technique would make all the blocks click together!!! Have fun swirling your seams! ❤

[@jillianludeman8826]

Shelly, love watching your tutorials but also very “entertaining “

[@matantequilting]

Thanks so much! ❤

[@jeannegennaro4482]

Oh my GOSH! The video was worth it JUST to see how you took the blocks apart! I've done it, I've pinned which one to cut, I've marked each one to cut, and I may get ONE done correctly, but there are 3 more that SOMEHOW need to be fixed! I just barely did a whole [different] quilt block 'swirling' at all of intersecions, and it was SO rewarding! Thanks for the video!

[@matantequilting]

Oh, yay! I'm so glad my little technique will help you. I also used to unpick and then have to re-sew a bunch of my strips (until I figured out this trick). Happy Scrappy sewing!! 😊

[@karenk.2448]

Great tutorial- I have been wanting to make a quilt like this but was a bit intimidated - you’ve really broken this down into very doable steps.

[@matantequilting]

Yay, I love to hear that! I hope you feel empowered to give it a try! 💪

[@Sam_the_quilter]

Holy cow I have just found your channel!!!! I looooove your machines (I have a similar set up but with Brother machines, the PQ1600 and VQ2) and I loooooove your quilt style. gotta go, need to binge watch all your videos :D.

[@matantequilting]

Welcome aboard - so glad to have you here! ❤

[@lyndaplamann32]

Thank you for this tutorial! You and Emily Dennis have inspired me to give it a go.

[@matantequilting]

Yay! I hope you love making it! ❤️

[@bella-bee]

Thank you for this A and B block 💡and confidence to try the swirling technique. The seams look like miniature Battenberg cake! But I remain worried about the popped seam threads working loose over time, and with washing and use. The second seam holds the ends of the threads, is your protection, you said. Well, I’m going to shorten stitch length on second seams then, or reverse back over each intersection, or add a dab of fraycheck. I’m still nervous!! Can’t help it. If anyone has given a quilt with swirled seams a good thrashing and they haven’t started to open, I’d really welcome the news! Depends on how densely the work is quilted, I suppose. Thank you

[@matantequilting]

I've washed a few quilts that have swirled seams, and there doesn't seem to be any stitches coming undone.👍

[@laurenejemieff9407]

Nice work! Excellent tutorial

[@LisaLisa-zl9vu]

Excellent advice!!! Thank you.

[@matantequilting]

You're very welcome! I hope it can relieve some of the stress of sewing these blocks together! 👍

[@eileen867]

Great tutorial thank you .. 😂

[@matantequilting]

You're welcome! ❤

[@rachelmyers7104]

Amazing!!!! Thank you sweetheart!

[@matantequilting]

You are so welcome! ❤

[@StitchingisElementary]

Thanks so much! This is totally brilliant!

[@matantequilting]

You're very welcome! I hope it helps! ❤

[@laurenm.6287]

I’m struggling to understand how swirling the seams would help the adjoining block nest better. The seams you’re swirling are the “interior” seams, not the edge seams. To my brain, what’s making the blocks all nest together is the consistent pressing to the dark fabric for each A and B block. What am I missing? It doesn’t seem like the direction of the edge seams changes at all. Awesome tutorial…best one I’ve seen for scrappy trip along construction!

[@matantequilting]

You actually swirl all of the seams (including the ones on the edges of the blocks). Pressing the fabric towards the dark strips will help the blocks nest together when side by side, but doesn't help when the blocks are aligned vertically. Swirling the seams ensures that they all click together perfectly (whether you make the one-block or the two-block version). 👍

[@suzannakoizumi8605]

Hero fabric!

[@lynnwarren4687]

I’m in the planning phase… I have a wonderful stash of Tula fabric I want to use. I’m trying to figure out fabric requirements for background and hero… any suggestions or do I need to sit and do a bunch of math?

[@matantequilting]

I suppose it all depends on how big you plan to make your quilt, but you can find fabric requirements for a 64" x 80" quilt on the Woodberry Way blog post here: www.woodberryway.com/2020/01/scrappy-trip-quilt-along-cutting-and.html

[@lynnwarren4687]

@@matantequiltingI did figure it out! I took to EQ and for a king size, it will take 7 yds of background, just under 2 yds of hero print. I have lots of Tula fat quarters I will be using. I’m sew excited!

[@helendoebler5371]

Thank you😊

[@matantequilting]

You're welcome 😊

[@momkelso]

The missing information is how block B is different than block A. I think the focus fabric goes from bottom left to top right.

[@hannahbahyan455]

If I use the woodberry way link for the amounts of fabric to make one of these quilts, is using one fat quater of a 'hero' fabric enough? or would I need more of the hero fabric than just one fat quater?

[@matantequilting]

It really depends on the size of the quilt you make. However, for each block that you make, you'll need one 2.5" x 21" strip of hero fabric. By my calculations, you can only get 7 of those strips from a FQ. So if the quilt you're making has more than 7 blocks, you'll need more than one FQ. Hope that helps!

[@hannahbahyan455]

@@matantequilting Yes that does actually because I had done my calculations all wrong :D This will be my second quilt so thank you!

[@LongarmLeague]

Hold on! I had to push pause on the video to comment about the phrase "dog's breakfast". 😅Somehow this phrase has escaped me until now, but I'm looking forward to using it in a sentence soon. And now back to the video. :)

[@LongarmLeague]

I'm so glad you figured this out for me (and everyone else). I can't wait to start my next scrappy trip!

[@matantequilting]

Google told me this was a "Canadian" saying - I had no idea! I assumed everyone used this term! 😆

[@matantequilting]

Gurl, me too. This quilt is coming together so much better than my last Scrappy Trip.🙄

[@stephaniesinden145]

I think the term came from the concept of mother scraping all the uneaten food off of everyone’s plates all day into the same bowl and serving it to the dog in the morning for breakfast. Before we relied on expensive specialty dogfood delivered in giant bags to our front door!

[@Sam_the_quilter]

In the U.K. “A dogs dinner” is far more common. But I’m sure they mean the same thing haha.

[@lizkaji2750]

Well, I've made 3 blocks which are all the same even though I've tried to make a "B" block the last two times. What am I missing? I looked at the Hyacinth blog too. Some part of this escapes me...

[@matantequilting]

That's so frustrating, I'm sorry to hear you're struggling with this project. My recommendation would be to follow the instructions for block / fabric placement found on Woodberry Way's blog post which can be found here: www.woodberryway.com/2020/01/scrappy-trip-quilt-along-cutting-and.html The blocks are depicted correctly on the Woodberry Way blog post (and they are incorrect on the Hyacinth blog post).

[@lizkaji2750]

@@matantequilting Ok. I read the Woodberry blog. What I got was that block A has all seams (after sewing strips together the first time) pressed up and Block B has them all pressed going down. From your video, I got that all seams were pressed toward the darker fabric. That made me think block B might have them all pressed toward the lighter fabric. This first pressing of seams seems to be my stumbling block. (I hope you'll excuse all the puns in that sentence!) Very confusing and frustrating to me. Can you shed any light on that?

[@matantequilting]

@@lizkaji2750 Blocks A and B are constructed nearly identically. When you sew all your long strips together, press towards the dark fabric. Sew your long strips into a tube, sub-cut into smaller strips (2.5" wide), and then unpick a different seam on each small strip. Then you play the matching game to make your strips look like either Block A or B (this is the only difference between the two blocks: which block you recreate). Sew them all together, swirl your seams, and bingo bango all of your blocks will nest. Hope that helps!

[@lizkaji2750]

@@matantequilting hmmm...that is exactly what I thought I did! I'll try another bolck. Thank you!

[@jessicamarykok]

@@lizkaji2750I am having this same trouble. Everything pressed toward the dark fabric isn’t working. Did you figure it out?

[@aleu22]

Wait a minute…I use my seam ripper wrong 😂 Never did I think I would need to google how to properly use a seam ripper I’m so embarrassed 😂😂😂

[@aleu22]

Didn’t even google, I just copied you and I swear the term seam ripper make so much more sense now! Holy cow that was easy!

[@allijensen2]

I feel like I am probably the blog person with the pressing typo discussed in this video, but perhaps I am assuming incorrectly. It sounds like a mistake I would make! If so, I am truly sorry for any frustration caused! Next time just shoot me an email, I love it when people let me know I've made a mistake so I can correct it.

[@matantequilting]

No way! Your instructions are perfection, and that's where I send people who want a nice clear depiction of the directions (and for lots of colour inspiration). Carry on with your great work!

[@sherryt9569]

I made a scrappy trip around the world quilt years ago using these exact same techniques, the piecing and swirling. I can also tell you that those are original techniques of Eleanor Burns, so the credit should go to her not Bonnie Hunter.

[@matantequilting]

Proper credit is so important to me - that's why I researched the heck out of this quilt before making this video. While Eleanor released her Trip Around the World quilt pattern in 1988 and popularized the depression-era pattern, her technique is quite different than Bonnie's Scrappy Trip Around the World. Eleanor's pattern has multiple blocks, sections, rows, and borders and uses traditional strip piecing. Bonnie's version uses only one block and a clever tube / subcut / unpick method that is quite unique. I think it's fair to say that while Eleanor made a fabulous pattern, Bonnie made an equally fabulous different one. 👍

[@sherryt9569]

Eleanor also did the unpicking method. I have never watched any Bonnie Hunter videos to learn her techniques, that is how I know Eleanor did it first with her traditional trip around the world. I do love the quilt using that pattern though.

[@colcelia]

This tutorial was excellent. The only thing it assumes is that you can sew your strips together with perfect 1/4” seams, which even as a veteran quilter, using every trick ever suggested, is somewhat of a struggle. However, I walked out of a class once where I was being made fun of for not understanding how to “twirl” my seams, and you cleared that up in 5 seconds, instead of making it a “big deal”. Thank you!

[@matantequilting]

That's so brutal - people don't know what they don't know! I'm glad the tutorial helped clear up the confusion (plus it's really fun to do!) ❤