Category Archives: turnaboutpatchworkqal

quilting, turnaboutpatchworkqal

Choosing fabric and machine binding video tutorial – Quilting in 2021

2 Comments

As part of the series Quilting in 2021, today’s tutorial focuses on the very start of a project, choosing fabrics, and the finishing of a quilt: binding by machine.

Choosing fabrics is one of the things I like most about quilting.

I’ll share some of the ways I go about choosing my fabrics for any particular project.

There’re many ways to choose fabrics that will go well together but let’s just focus on 3 simple ways to find matching fabrics.

To recap:

1. Use fabrics from one single fabric collection

Usually fabrics in the same collection go well together.

2. Using the fabric colour palette

Use the palette to choose the rest of the fabrics that’ll will go well together.

Get a busy print for instance and then match the other fabrics around it.

To match the secondary fabrics try to use tone on tone, solids or less busy fabric. This will ensure that the match is more harmonious.

What about the background fabric?

The majority of the quilts I make have a unifying background fabric.

My favourite colours for the background fabric are whites and creams.

The reason I like whites and creams best is that they add “breathing space” to the quilt as well as making the design pop up.

Black is another good background colour that achieves similar effects to using white or creams.

Applications that help you select a colour scheme

One of my favourite colour tools is Adobe Color. In this application you can create your colour scheme from scratch or upload an image you like and get a colour scheme based on the image colours. It’s a lot of fun to play with it!

Still can’t decide on a fabric collection?

Some of my favourite designers are Heather Bailey, Bonnie and Camille, Valori Wells,  Jocelyn Proust, just from the top of my head.


My book Turnabout Patchwork

“Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist” is all about playing with blocks – making a block, slicing it up, and turning or repositioning the pieces to make a completely different block (sometimes two smaller blocks) to yield endless quilt tops.

See all the quilts in the book in a real life project

Do you wish to receive my tutorials in your inbox?

Share your work!

If you make any of my tutorials this is how you can share your pictures:

  • On Instagram please tag me with @teresadownunder and hashtag #teresadownunder
  • Join my Facebook group and post your pictures there
Binding and choosing fabrics for a quilt project
quilting, turnaboutpatchworkqal

How to bind a quilt by machine – Turnabout patchwork QAL

4 Comments

Today we finish the QAL by adding the binding.

Binding by machine is faster and it’s perfect when you also use flange binding.

How to bind a quilt by machine

We’re done!

Let’s share photos of our quilts on my Facebook group

Please join my Facebook group if you haven’t already so you can show photos of your quilts and blocks, see everyone else’s quilts and just share tips and experiences.

On Instagram use #turnaboutpatchwork and #flyingconfettiquilt.


My book Turnabout Patchwork

“Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist” is all about playing with blocks – making a block, slicing it up, and turning or repositioning the pieces to make a completely different block (sometimes two smaller blocks) to yield endless quilt tops.

See all the quilts in the book in a real life project

Do you wish to receive my tutorials in your inbox?

Share your work!

If you make any of my tutorials this is how you can share your pictures:

  • On Instagram please tag me with @teresadownunder and hashtag #teresadownunder
  • Join my Facebook group and post your pictures there
  • How to bind a quilt by machine
quilting, turnaboutpatchworkqal

How to make quilt binding with faux piping or a flange video tutorial – Turnabout patchwork QAL

1 Comment

This week we’ll make the binding for the quilt.

Fabric needs for binding are on page 23 of Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist.

Feel free to make the binding in the traditional way but if you’d like to do something special faux piping or a flange gives a special touch to any quilt.

How to make binding with faux piping

Fabric recommendations for this quilt

I love Valori Wells Murmur collection. And I love anything Bonnie and Camille. And to honour the name of the quilt, what about the Metallic Ombre Confetti fabric collection by V and Co,

Share pictures of your quilt

Don’t forget to join my Facebook group so you can show photos of your quilts and blocks, see everyone else’s quilts and just share tips and experiences.

On Instagram use #turnaboutpatchwork and #flyingconfettiquilt.


My book Turnabout Patchwork

“Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist” is all about playing with blocks – making a block, slicing it up, and turning or repositioning the pieces to make a completely different block (sometimes two smaller blocks) to yield endless quilt tops.

See all the quilts in the book in a real life project

Do you wish to receive my tutorials in your inbox?

Share your work!

If you make any of my tutorials this is how you can share your pictures:

  • On Instagram please tag me with @teresadownunder and hashtag #teresadownunder
  • Join my Facebook group and post your pictures there
  • How to make binding with faux piping video tutorial
quilting, turnaboutpatchworkqal

Quilt-as-you-go without sashing – Turnabout patchwork QAL

11 Comments

This week we’ll assemble the blocks into a quilt top.

Follow the instructions on page 23 of Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist to assemble the quilt top.

Assembling the quilt top

This QAYG technique is kind of half way between regular quilting and QAYG because the backing is added in one piece. But the backing is added with few stitching lines making it still an easier assembly method if you don’t have a long arm quilt.

Fabric recommendations for this quilt

I love Valori Wells Murmur collection. And I love anything Bonnie and Camille. And to honour the name of the quilt, what about the Metallic Ombre Confetti fabric collection by V and Co,

Share pictures of your quilt

Don’t forget to join my Facebook group so you can show photos of your quilts and blocks, see everyone else’s quilts and just share tips and experiences.

On Instagram use #turnaboutpatchwork and #flyingconfettiquilt.


My book Turnabout Patchwork

“Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist” is all about playing with blocks – making a block, slicing it up, and turning or repositioning the pieces to make a completely different block (sometimes two smaller blocks) to yield endless quilt tops.

See all the quilts in the book in a real life project

Do you wish to receive my tutorials in your inbox?

Share your work!

If you make any of my tutorials this is how you can share your pictures:

  • On Instagram please tag me with @teresadownunder and hashtag #teresadownunder
  • Join my Facebook group and post your pictures there
  • Quilt as you go without sashing
quilting, turnaboutpatchworkqal

Assembling the blocks – Turnabout patchwork QAL

3 Comments

This week we’ll assemble the blocks.

Follow the instructions on page 23 of Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist for a diagram showing how to assemble the blocks.

I’ve made a video with some more tips to help you sewing the blocks together.

Assembling the blocks

You can again chain piece the pieces as you assemble the blocks. It’s a great time saver.

When pressing to the sides, swirling seams are great because they make for flatter seams. Check out this technique by Eleanor Burns on the video.

What’s next?

Finish making all your blocks for next week and have them ready to do quilt-as-you-go.

You can share your progress on my Facebook group.

Are you just joining the QAL?

Don’t worry. Check out the previous posts. You can still catch up.

Share pictures of your quilt

Don’t forget to join my Facebook group so you can show photos of your quilts and blocks, see everyone else’s quilts and just share tips and experiences.


My book Turnabout Patchwork

“Turnabout Patchwork. Simple quilts with a twist” is all about playing with blocks – making a block, slicing it up, and turning or repositioning the pieces to make a completely different block (sometimes two smaller blocks) to yield endless quilt tops.

See all the quilts in the book in a real life project

Do you wish to receive my tutorials in your inbox?

Share your work!

If you make any of my tutorials this is how you can share your pictures:

  • On Instagram please tag me with @teresadownunder and hashtag #teresadownunder
  • Join my Facebook group and post your pictures there
  • Turnabout patchwork QAL: assembling quilting blocks