The Grand Convergence Experiment - Cutting the Quilt Top

Determine how you want to take your quilt apart. In my case, I wanted to have 9 blocks in each section.

The first thing to do is look at how the blocks were sewn together into the quilt top. Look for the seams of rows or columns.

In this case, the quilt was sewn together in rows. Since I wanted squares, I knew that I would need to work around some of the seams.

The sections were to be 3 rows by 3 columns. So the first thing to do was to remove a section 3 rows wide, which is fairly simple.

Step 1

Press your seam allowance so that the right sides of the quilt top are facing together and the seam allowance is clear of the quilt top.

Next, take a seam ripper or a pair of sharp scissors and cut every third stitch. This doesn't need to be an exact science. The idea is to cut enough stitches so that the seam will come apart easily. I have found that cutting every third to fifth stitch accomplishes that.

Step 2

Once the stitches have been cut, turn the quilt top over so that the continuous thread is facing you.

Loosen one end of the thread and gently pull it. Because the threads on the other side of the quilt top are cut, it should be relatively easy to pull this thread out.

Gently pulling the thread, will unstitch the seam.



Step 3

Now, you have a row 3 blocks high, and it needs to be split into sections 3 blocks wide. Because this quilt was sewn completely in rows, taking the "column" seams apart is a little trickier.

In the picture below, the seam running from top to bottom is the seam joining the two rows.




You need to cut the stitches on both sides of that seam just enough to be able to cut apart the seam that runs from left to right.

Once that is done, the entire section can be removed.


The picture above shows the stitches that were cut that held the row together.

Now the seams running left to right can be cut, and the entire section will come apart. Remove the stitches and extra threads as you did in the previous steps.

Step 4

Since the stitches were cut that held the rows together, the very ends of those seams will be unsewn, and will need to be stitched back together. To do this, I place the sewn part of the quilt top in my sewing machine, making a solid starting point.

Simply stitch to the end of the section. There is no need to backstitch either at the beginning or at the end. These seams will be stitched over when the quilt top is put back together.

Step 5

Now just press the seam allowances you just sewed, just as you would on your quilt top. And you are done!

Continue to take apart the sections of your quilt using the same techniques.

Happy Quilting!


Penny is the author of 8 books for beginner quilters and a self-taught quilter of more than 25 years who seeks to interest new quilters and provide them with the resources necessary to create a beautiful quilt.

www.How-to-Quilt.com
Specializing in Information for Beginning Quilters

www.TheQuiltingCoach.com
Where Quilters Connect

This quilt project is inspired by Ricky Tims' Convergence Quilts book. If you would like to order a copy, visit:
http://www.how-to-quilt.com/ricky.shtml