Quilter’s Quick Study: Stitch & Flip with Strips

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There are lots of patterns that use bundles of precut 2½” strips, and the sheer number and variety of them show how versatile and useful these strips can be. Of course, you can cut the strips yourself, but it’s really nice to just open up the coordinating bundles and start sewing! That’s what was so fun for me when I started working on what would become the Glimmer Glow pattern.

The Ombré Confetti Metallic collection and Grunge Hits the Spot collection, both from Moda Fabrics, are not an expected combination, but I think they ended up looking so nice together, with the Grunge collection providing the perfect supporting role to the ombré strips that really pop in this pattern. Our Glimmer Glow quilt kit ensures you’ll get the same look if you want to make this quilt for yourself.

My Glimmer Glow pattern from the pages of McCall's Quick Quilts August/September 2018.
My Glimmer Glow pattern from the pages of McCall’s Quick Quilts August/September 2018.

I could have joined my strips with straight seams, but I don’t think that would have given the quilt the sleek, modern look that it achieves with the diagonal seams. I used the stitch & flip technique, which we’re all used to using with squares, but with long strips instead. It’s a great variation on this technique and it can give any precut strip patterns that extra design boost.

Color in Composition

As this design is all about the combination of color, I could not have done it without using my design wall. I knew I wanted to reinforce the glow of the ombré with the strategic placement of white and thought I was doing pretty well with the original arrangement of strips.

Glimmer Glow on my design wall before I removed the white fabrics from the design.
Glimmer Glow on my design wall before I removed the white fabrics from the design.

But there was something not quite right—the white patch was too commanding and seemed more like an empty space in the middle, rather than the source of the glow. It wasn’t until I put the pink and peach strips in the center that it all started coming together, and I was able to finish the rest of the composition really quickly after that.

The final version of Glimmer Glow with the peach and pink strips in the center of the composition.
The final version of Glimmer Glow with the peach and pink strips in the center of the composition.

Stitch & Flip Strips

Stitch & Flip is a valuable and versatile technique to have in your sewing repertoire. Using the technique with strips rather than squares increases your skills and design possibilities exponentially. There are just a few differences to keep in mind while incorporating strips in this technique.

Stitch and flip diagram

For best results, mark a 45-degree line on a strip to be sewn with stitch-and-flip. If you attempt to estimate the angle without marking, you can end up with wavy sew lines and uneven raw edges on the joined strips, which will affect construction of the overall pattern.

The angle you mark and the angle at which you place the strips is important too, since that will affect the final angle of the seam. The Glimmer Glow pattern walks you through the process to make it fun and easy; you’ll be an expert by the time you complete the quilt and you’ll want to use the technique to adapt different patterns or to design your own quilts.

Gigi

Never tried Stitch & Flip?

Our friend Sara Gallegos will teach you everything you need to know in the My First Quilt episode called How to Stich and Flip. Watch it now for a quick video tutorial!

Explore new patterns and more opportunities to try Stich & Flip!

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