So, hopefully we all survived Row 1 and were ready to stitch forward. Row 2 is fun to make, but there are a few places that can give you some problems if they are done incorrectly. So we are going to guide you on your way and point out exactly what to do to get the best results.
Fabric:
This Row requires only 3 fabrics, your background and 2 other fabrics that can co-ordinate or have contrast, its totally up to you. We used a red print and red solid, but I have already seen other rows with more contrasting colors and they look great.
This is the first time you will cut into your background fabric for a row, please read the “Cutting Borders, Sashing, and long rows” (page 13) section before you cut into your off white. In that section we talk about making sure to cut the long pieces required for borders and sashing FIRST, before cutting for any of your rows. This will ensure you have enough length to cut these pieces in a continuous piece. If you purchased our kit , there is a piece that is 88″ and labeled for cutting borders & sashing ect. You will use the other piece to cut for rows wherever needed and also the extra on the 88″ piece only AFTER you cut for borders, and sashings.
For your red solid and red print fabrics, you will NOT use Fat Quarters, there is a specific yardage requirement for these fabrics on page 6.
Cutting:
Accuracy in cutting is KEY on this row, so “measure twice, cut once” and be extra careful. The first video for this row on our Row Along Facebook Group (make sure to click the link & join if you haven’t already) is on cutting the diamonds with your 45 degree angle, this can be a little tricky, especially if its your first time.
P.S. I noticed several people who stitched ahead commenting that these red print diamonds looked large and they thought they had done something wrong. They do appear a little larger than you think they should. As long as they are measuring the 3 3/8″ width, your good.
Stitching It All Together:
There are two main things to be careful of when stitching your off white triangles to your red square.
First, be careful to attach the triangles the correct direction, it is very simple to accidentally place them wrong way. See the pics below, the wrong direction pic is sewn on one side, because I was in a hurry and totally made that mistake!
Second, you need to make sure you line up and pin the triangle with its 90 degree angle matched up to the 90 degree angle corner of the red square. There are 2 quick videos in the FB group showing the pinning and stitching of the triangle.
See in the above pic, how both 90 degree corners on the triangle and square are matched perfectly and the pointy ends are sticking out about 1/4″. The little triangles sticking out are what we are calling “dog ears” and are very important to make this row work. Also from here on out, do not be skimpy with your pins, you want everything to stay perfectly in place as you stitch. Look at the picture in your book, where both off white triangles are sewn and you can see the dog ears sticking out on both sides, once you have pressed these finished units.
As you continue and attach the diamonds to these stitched units, again the “dog ears” will be the key to everything lining up to make a straight row.
See above, how the diamond is lined up with the pieced unit, right sides together, creating the “dog ear” on both sides. It should be sticking out 1/4″. See FB video for more help on lining up correctly.
Once your stitched and pressed, you will still see the “dog ear” on one side and everything should be lined up pretty perfectly. Eventually you can slice these all off, I like to wait and do it when my whole row is completed.
When you stitch all of the row te row together, again its the “dog ears’ that matter. They really are the key.
Hopefully these tips with the book instructions will help you to make this row correctly.
When your ready to trim your edges, make sure to trim them to match the width of your Row 1. If your lucky, it will turn out just perfect, like mine did. Yay! Happy Dance!
I hope you are still having fun! Make sure to post your pics in the FB group as well as instagram! I will be doing more giveaways later this month from your posts, and I will choose the winners from last month tomorrow and post.
The Piper's Girls 