Mastering the Art of Sewing Partial Seams

Have you ever encountered a block design where one central piece of fabric is smaller than the surrounding pieces? Enter the partial seams technique—a simple yet effective method that allows you to sew blocks with uneven lengths, without having to cut any fabric to fit awkwardly. If you're looking to step up your quilting game, this is a technique you'll want to have in your repertoire!

What Are Partial Seams?

Partial seams are used when attaching a piece of fabric that is longer than the one next to it. The beauty of this technique is that it lets you assemble complex blocks easily, often without needing to trim or adjust any fabric pieces.

For example, let's say you have a central square piece (Piece A) that is shorter than the pieces (Pieces B-E) surrounding it. Instead of resizing the pieces, you’ll use partial seams to make everything fit together seamlessly.

How to Sew Partial Seams: Step-by-Step Guide

Here’s how you can use partial seams to create a block with a central square (A) and four surrounding pieces (B-E):

1. Start with Pieces A and B
   Align Pieces A and B, and sew them together, but stop about halfway through the seam. This creates your first partial seam. It may feel incomplete, but don’t worry—this step provides just enough room to attach the other pieces to the block.

2. Attach Piece C
   Now, take Piece C and sew it to the straight edge of the AB unit. The block will start to grow as you continue adding the surrounding pieces.

3. Add Piece D
   Once Piece C is attached, move on to sewing Piece D onto the AC side of the block. You’ll notice the puzzle starting to come together!

4. Sew on Piece E
   After Piece D is sewn on, add Piece E to the AD side of the unit. This is your last piece in the puzzle before closing the partial seam.

5. Complete the Partial Seam
   Finally, return to where you left off with Pieces A and B. Now that the entire block is connected, you can complete that initial partial seam, sewing it fully into Piece E. And voilà! Your block is finished, and everything fits perfectly.

Happy sewing, and may your quilting projects become even more creative and satisfying with this new technique!