Hand patchwork is the most forgiving entry to quilting. There is no rotary cutter, no machine, no rush.
Planning the layout
Lay the thirty squares face-up on a flat surface. Move them around for as long as you need — twenty minutes is normal. Photograph the layout you like.
Piecing the top
Take two squares, place them right-sides together, and sew along one edge with a small running stitch, six millimetres in. Press the seam open. Work in pairs first, then in rows.
Building the sandwich
A quilt sandwich is three layers: the pieced top, the cotton batting, and a backing fabric. Lay the backing on a flat surface, the batting on top, then the pieced top face-up. Baste the three layers together with large running stitches in a grid.
Hand quilting
Run small even running stitches through all three layers, following the seam lines or a grid of your choice.
Binding the edge
Trim the three layers flush. Cut a 4 cm wide strip of fabric, fold it in half lengthways, and sew it around the quilt's edge — first by machine or running stitch to the front, then folded over to the back and finished with a slip stitch.
