Looking for a quilting technique that is a time saver and also super relaxing? Let me introduce you to strip piecing!
Strip piecing is exactly what it sounds like: You are piecing long strips of fabric together. Very often, strips are cut from the width of fabric, pieced, and then subcut into smaller sections. The value lies in being able to quickly make a lot of pieced units by sewing long strips together, rather than sewing a ton of small pieces one at a time.
For example, if a pattern calls for many nine-patch blocks, you could sew each individual square together, OR you could use strip piecing to quickly and easily make the blocks.
My new pattern called Delightful Diamonds uses strip piecing to make the blocks quickly and efficiently. As I've been working on this pattern, I've been thinking a lot about strip piecing and thought I would share a few tips to help you achieve accurate and successful strip-pieced units.
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Reduce your stitch length. I usually go with 1.8mm, but if your machine moves in increments of .5mm, I recommend using 1.5mm. The smaller stitch length will help keep your pieces from unraveling at the ends when you subcut your strip sets.
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Use a scant 1/4" seam allowance. This is the most important! If your seam is too wide or narrow, even just a little bit, it can drastically effect the final size of your strip set. Test your seam allowance out on some scraps and adjust your needle position until your seam allowance is just a hair less than a true 1/4". I like to use a measuring gauge, but a small quilting ruler will work too. If you want to be extra careful, sew a test strip pieced set, press the seams, and measure the width of the set to make sure it's the size the pattern says it should be.
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Pay attention and be consistent. While I don't think it's necessary to pin the length of the strips before you sew (though if that's what you like to do, go for it!), it is important to pay attention and readjust the strips as you sew, to avoid one layer from shifting out of place. Keep the strips moving through the machine steadily, maintaining that scant 1/4" seam for the whole length. This is the part that becomes almost meditative, because you can chain piece these long strips and the rhythm is so calming!
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Press the seams. If the pattern allows for nesting seams (like in a nine-patch block), pressing to the side is a great option. Delightful Diamonds doesn't require any seam matching or nesting, so I pressed my seams open, which allowed the strip set to lay very flat.
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Use caution when subcutting. Strip sets are meant to be subcut into smaller units. Because there are seams, the strip sets will not always lay perfectly flat on a cutting mat, so be attentive as you subcut to get accurately trimmed pieces. For best results, I recommend subcutting just one strip set at a time, rather than stacking them to cut.
Once all of your strip sets have been subcut, you're ready to sew those units into your quilt block or project! 
If you enjoy strip piecing or want more experience with it, Delightful Diamonds releases September 30th and is a great pattern to practice this skill! Hop on my newsletter email list to stay in the loop about pattern release details and receive a discount code on release day!
All the fabric featured in Delightful Diamonds and in this post are from Charming One collection by Sharon Holland for Art Gallery Fabrics.
