Between the Lines QAL: Quilt assembly + Giveaway

It’s Time! Today, we are assembling the quilt top for the Between the Lines QAL quilt.

Gather all your rows and the background fabric for the sashing strips, and let’s get started!

Giveaway! At the bottom of this blog post, you’ll find all the details about the Between the Lines QAL giveaway.

Adjusting the Rows

It’s possible that a row ends up slightly longer or shorter than stated in the pattern. Ideally, all rows should be 53 inches wide (this includes seam allowance). However, my rows aren’t all exactly the same length either. Don’t worry—we’ll discuss how to fix this. 

Measuring the Rows

To ensure a nice, straight quilt top, all rows must have the same length. Here are some tips for measuring them:

• Press the rows to remove any creases and lay them flat on the table.
• Limited space? Fold the row in half for measuring. A 53-inch row should measure 26 1/2 inches when folded.
• Make a list of all measurements to see which rows differ.

Determining the New Row Length

If most of your rows are too short or too long, you can choose a different length than 53 inches and adjust all rows accordingly.

For these instructions, I assume most rows are (almost) 53 inches long and will explain how to handle rows that are too long or too short.

Trimming Long Rows

If a row is too long, simply trim off a little bit of the length. Check the row design to see if it’s best to cut from one end or if it looks better to trim both ends evenly.

Limited space? Fold the row in half and trim it to 26 1/2 inches. Once unfolded, it will measure 53 inches. Be sure to cut from the open edge, not the fold, or you’ll end up with two very short rows!

Extending Short Rows

If a row is too short, first check if it has been properly pressed and lies flat when measured. A row that is only 0.25 inches too short can still be used—you can ease in the difference while sewing.

If a row is more than 0.5 inches too short, you can add a small strip of fabric at the end. Consider the pattern to decide what fits best. You could add background fabric to both ends of all rows.

For rows like 1 or 9, you could sew an extra pattern piece to extend the design. Attach this to the end of the row and then trim the row to the correct length.

Cutting the Sashing Strips

In the first row’s blog post, I provided cutting instructions for the sashing strips. If you already cut them, you can skip this section.

If you adjusted your row length, be sure to adjust the sashing strips accordingly.

To assemble the quilt, you’ll need:

• 10 strips of 1 1/2 x 53 inches (for sashing and the top and bottom edges)
• 2 strips of 1 1/2 x 66 inches (for the side borders)

These measurements include a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

To cut these, take 17 strips of 1 1/2 inches x width of fabric, sew them together, and cut the required lengths from the long strip.

Assembling the Quilt Top

Now that all rows and strips are ready, we’ll assemble the Between the Lines QAL quilt top. I don’t usually use pins when quilting, but for this step, they are essential.

Tip: if you think this quilt top will be too big for you to quilt, then you can leave the top in two parts. In this blog post I explain how to join a quilt that had been quilted in multiple sections. That might give you an idea if that is something you’d like to do as well. 

Sew a 1 1/2 x 53-inch sashing strip to the top of each row.

1. Fold both the strip and the row in half and mark the center.
2. Place the strip right sides together on the row.
3. Pin at the center and both ends.
4. Lay the row flat and add pins along the entire length.

Placed enough pins? Then you can sew the strip to the row with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.

Once all rows have a sashing strip attached, sew the rows together in pairs. Also, attach a sashing strip to the bottom row.

Continue until the entire top is assembled. 

Now, take the two 1 1/2 x 66-inch side strips and sew them to the quilt’s sides. Follow the same steps: mark the center, pin securely, and sew with a 1/4-inch seam allowance.n en naai de strook met 1/4 inch naadtoeslag vast. 

Giveaway

Now that the quilt tops are finished, it’s time for the giveaway! Exciting, right? Who will win one of the beautiful BERNINA 475 QE sewing machines, a quilt ruler set, or one of the Sugaridoo surprise boxes? Keep reading to find out how to enter the drawing!

BERNINA 475 QE

The B 475 QE makes the heart of every quilter beat faster. The machine comes with great accessories, perfectly suited for quilting and with a perfect size.

Learn more

How to Enter

To participate, take a photo of your quilt top—either as a whole or in two sections. It only needs to be the quilt top, not a fully quilted piece.

There are two ways to enter:

1. Post your photo on Instagram, tag @Sugaridoo, and use the hashtag #BetweentheLinesQAL in your post.
2. Upload your photo to the BERNINA blog’s community page: Sugaridoo Quilt-Along on the BERNINA Blog. When uploading, select “Between the Lines” from the dropdown menu.

Entry Deadline

You can submit your photo until Thursday, March 13, 2025 to be entered into the drawing.

Winner Selection

The winners will be chosen at random—there is no jury, and no quilt is judged as “better” than another. So, whether this is your first or hundredth quilt, you have an equal chance!

We will randomly select nine winners from all participants. The winners will be announced on Monday, March 17, 2025, on the BERNINA blog and the Sugaridoo Instagram page.

Terms & Conditions – Sugaridoo BERNINA Quilt Along

By participating, you agree to the BERNINA blog’s terms and conditions.

Entries must be submitted by March 13, 2025, at 11:59 PM via Instagram (#BetweentheLinesQAL and @Sugaridoo) or on the BERNINA blog community.

Submitted photos may be shared on social media and the blog. By entering, you agree to this.

BERNINA employees and their family members are not eligible to participate.

The drawing will take place the week of March 17, 2025. Winners will be contacted directly.

BERNINA is not responsible for unreceived, delayed, or unread messages regarding prize notification.

If a winner is unable to accept the prize, an alternative prize is not guaranteed. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash or transferred to another person.

If the winner does not provide their full address within 7 days, the prize will be forfeited and redrawn.

We reserve the right to interrupt, cancel, or modify the giveaway at any time. The decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the results.

Good luck, and happy quilting! 🎉