Wyld Whirl Quilt Along Week 5: Assembling the Quilt Top

Welcome to the Wyld Whirl Quilt Along! My name is Tawnee, I am the owner of Wyldwood Creative, and I’ll be taking you through each step of making the Wyld Whirl Quilt. We’ll break it down into 7 parts and cover every single step of the process from selecting fabric to labeling and binding your quilt.

Week 5 Quilt Along Task

This week, we're diving into one of the most rewarding parts of the quilting process - assembling the quilt top! By now, your blocks are ready and waiting, and it’s time to bring them all together. We’ll start by arranging the blocks to get that perfect layout and then walk you through the process of web piecing, a great technique for efficient assembly. Whether you’re sewing along with us week by week or catching up at your own pace, this step is all about watching your quilt take shape. Let’s get started and see your hard work come together!

Layout

Before diving into sewing, it’s important to lay out all your quilt blocks so you can visualize the overall design. You can use the floor for this, or if you prefer, make a design wall by hanging up flannel or batting, which allows the blocks to stick in place.

1. Start by spreading out the blocks: Just get them all laid out so you can see what you’re working with.
2. Check for color and fabric balance: Pay attention to how your light, medium, and dark values are distributed. The goal is to create a balanced design. Check to make sure the same fabrics aren’t touching each other.
3. Take a photo and use black-and-white filter: This trick helps you better see the value distribution (light to dark). After looking at the top I decided to move around some of the darker values. Don’t stress yourself out about getting it “right.” This is meant to be a scrappy and random pattern!

Once you’re satisfied with the layout, it’s time to start piecing!

Web Piecing

Now that the blocks are laid out, we’ll use a method called web piecing, which allows you to sew all of the rows together at the same time instead of one by one. To demonstrate I made small blocks with labels so you can see how everything comes together.

1. Gather your blocks by columns: Once all of your pieces are laid at look at them on a grid. We have columns (A, B, C) and rows (1, 2, 3.) Stack the blocks in each column, pick up block A1 and place it on top of A2, pick up both blocks and place on top of A3, continue until the whole column is in one pile. Be sure to label each column at the top.

1. Chain piece the blocks: Instead of piecing row by row, we’ll sew the blocks column by column. Starting by sewing the pieces in column B to the pieces in column A.  This method saves time and helps maintain the order of your blocks. When you’re ready to sew pair up A1 and B1  (think of it like turning the page of a book), and sew them together along the right edge (spine.) Repeat for the second block in each column, then the third, and so on.
2. Continue sewing each column: Once all the A and B pieces are sewn together pull everything back into your lap, open up the A1 and B1 piece and attach C1. Continue sewing the C pieces to the B pieces. 

• If possible, leave your rows connected when pressing to easily track which direction each seam is pressed. If the quilt is getting too large to manage, you can snip the rows apart—just be sure to label them!

4. Sew Rows Together: Start by sewing row 1 to row 2 working your way down through all the rows. Match up the seams at each block intersection. The side pressed seams should make it so the seams “notch” together. Place a pin at angle to hold the seam allowances flat as they go through the machine

Tips for Piecing

• Pin when needed: Although I don’t often use pins, I do recommend using them to match up seams between rows. Nesting the seams will help them align better, and a diagonal pin will hold them in place as you sew.

• Ease in longer blocks: Sometimes, blocks may not match up perfectly. If you find one block slightly longer than another, spread the difference across the length of the seam or tuck the excess fabric at a corner to even it out. Don’t stress—these small imperfections often disappear once the quilt is washed.
• Don’t sweat it if your blocks aren’t lining up perfectly: There’s a good chance your rows won’t line up perfectly when you go to sew them together. That’s okay! Just do your best to maintain a consistent seam allowance. This may mean easing back and forth from ¼”.
• Don’t panic over mistakes: We all make mistakes! I accidentally attached the wrong block on one row, but seam ripping and resewing fixed the issue quickly. If you catch any areas where the seams aren’t holding properly, it’s worth fixing now to prevent issues later. You’ll want at least ⅛” seam allowance to make sure pieces are secure.

Finishing the Quilt Top

Once all the rows are sewn together, give your quilt top a final press. I like to press each seam as I go to keep everything neat and crisp. After you’ve pressed the entire top, take a moment to admire your work!

Congratulations—you’ve just completed the quilt top! Next week, we’ll move on to basting, and then quilting and binding! 

I hope this tutorial has been helpful! If you have any questions, leave a comment below, and don’t forget to share your progress on social media with #WyldWhirlQAL

Happy sewing!