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Quilt as you go (QAYG) means quilting smaller blocks or sections first, then joining them to make a larger quilt. It is a family of methods, not one fixed recipe. If your main concern is avoiding “weird seams all over the back,” start by choosing a joining method: some methods add visible sashing, while others fold or sew the backing across the join.
What quilt as you go means
In a conventional workflow, the full quilt top, batting, and backing are assembled before quilting. With QAYG, you quilt manageable pieces before joining them. That can mean quilting pieced blocks individually, building a block from strips sewn onto batting and backing, or assembling rows while adding backing as you go. The tutorials below use different sequences and dimensions, so follow one method at a time rather than combining their measurements.
Working on smaller pieces can be helpful when quilting a large quilt on a household sewing machine feels cumbersome. The cited tutorials do not establish a universal machine-size or quilt-size limit.
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- June Tailor Batting Quilt As You Go Cotton/Polyester Tree Skirt 40"
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How do QAYG joins look on the back?
There is no single back finish. A sashing method can leave a visible strip on the quilt top and a separately finished backing join. A folded-backing approach brings backing fabric across the join. A row-based method adds and topstitches backing as each row is attached. Decide how you want both faces to look before choosing a tutorial, because the appearance depends on the joining sequence.
- Front: Choose sashing if a strip between blocks suits the design; a backing-fold join need not create the same top-strip look.
- Back: A backing-fold method covers the join with folded fabric. Other methods trim and sew backing in a different arrangement.
- Batting: Tutorials vary in whether batting edges are trimmed, brought together, or held in place. No standardized seam-strength or bulk measurements are provided, so there is no evidence-based durability ranking here.
Choose a tutorial method
| Method | Construction order | Join and appearance | Method-specific detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocks with sashing | Piece, layer, and quilt blocks; trim and join them afterward. | Joins blocks with backing and top strips that mimic sashing. | Leave at least 1/4 inch unquilted at block edges in this lesson. |
| Strip-built blocks | Sew strips over batting and backing until the base is covered; square each block. | Join squared blocks with fabric channels. | Batting and backing start 1/2 to 1 inch larger than the desired unfinished block in this guide. |
| Backing as rows are joined | Assemble a row, add backing, press and topstitch, then trim and repeat. | Backing is incorporated progressively at row joins. | The guide recommends thinner batting and backing at least 2 inches wider than the row pieces on all sides. |
| Section joins with folded backing | Prepare and label sections, then join the top and batting before folding backing across the join. | Backing fabric folds over the join. | The guild handout describes fusible batting to hold sections, or non-fusible batting with more pinning. |
1. Quilt blocks first, then join with sashing
In Ashley Hough’s National Quilters Circle lesson, blocks are pieced as usual, layered with batting and backing, and quilted separately. Keep the quilting at least 1/4 inch away from each block edge for this method so the edges remain available for joining. After quilting, trim the batting and backing as shown. The lesson joins backing first, trims batting between blocks, overlaps and presses the top fabric, then adds a top strip to create the look of sashing. It also demonstrates building rows from joined blocks. The sashing is part of this method’s front appearance; it is not a required QAYG feature.
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2. Build blocks from strips over batting and backing
Annie’s Attic’s strip-block guide begins with batting and backing cut 1/2 to 1 inch larger than the desired unfinished block. The extra allowance accommodates quilting shrinkage and squaring in this specific workflow. Sew fabric strips diagonally across the layered base with 1/4-inch seams, adding strips outward until the base is covered. Square the block from the backing side.
For joining, the guide calls for consistently trimmed blocks and fabric channels; it gives connecting-strip widths of 1 1/8 inches and 1 5/8 inches. Those are dimensions for that guide’s channel method, not universal QAYG measurements.
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3. Add backing as you assemble rows
mySewnet’s January 22, 2025 guide joins quilt rows and backing progressively. It recommends thinner batting for this workflow and illustrates backing cut at least 2 inches wider than the row pieces on all sides. The sequence is to add a row and backing, press, topstitch near the edge, trim excess, and repeat. The backing allowance and batting recommendation belong to this row-based method; do not transfer them automatically to the other tutorials.
4. Join prepared sections with backing folded over the seam
The St. James Plantation Quilters Guild handout describes planning the quilt top in sections, labeling sections by row and block, joining top sections, bringing batting edges together, and folding backing across the join. It suggests fusible batting to help hold sections in position, while noting that non-fusible batting can be used with more pinning. These are the handout’s instructions, not requirements for every QAYG method.
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Materials and preparation
Choose materials around the method and pattern you plan to follow. Core materials across these approaches include quilt blocks or fabric strips, batting, backing fabric, and joining or sashing strips when the chosen method uses them.
- Batting and backing: Cut them to the dimensions required by your chosen tutorial. Some methods intentionally begin oversized; others use a row-specific backing allowance.
- Fabric strips: The strip-built method uses strips sewn across the batting-and-backing base. Missouri Star’s demonstrated project lists a roll of 2.5-inch strips, background fabric, border fabric, and quilt backing; those are supplies for that project, not a universal QAYG kit.
- Cutting tools: A rotary cutter and quilting ruler can help cut and square sections, but the cited instructions do not make specialty tools mandatory.
- Labels: If you prepare several sections, labeling them by row and block, as the guild handout recommends, helps preserve their intended order.
For a block-joining walkthrough that addresses needle, thread, batting at seams, and pressing concerns, see Shiny Happy World’s joining tutorial. Follow its seam approach as that tutorial presents it rather than treating it as a rule for all QAYG construction.
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What to settle before you start
- Choose the front and back finish. Decide whether you want visible sashing, a folded backing join, or backing added during row assembly.
- Choose one complete construction sequence. Keep that tutorial’s cutting allowances, quilting stop points, batting handling, and joining-strip widths together.
- Plan the layout. If working in sections, label their intended row and block positions before joining.
- Check the scale against your workspace. QAYG reduces the size of the unit being quilted at one time, but the sources do not specify a universal maximum quilt size or machine capacity.
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