Lay your squares out either on the floor or your table in the pattern you want your finished photo memory quilt to look like.   Keep in mind not only alternating the colors, but also the way the photo is on the block.  Try to arrange you squares with portrait (where the photo goes up and down), and landscape (where your photo goes left to right) in a pleasing manner.

When it comes to sewing machines the sky is the limit.  You can get as many bells and whistles as you want.  I hand tie my photo memory quilts, but if you prefer to machine quilt them that is ok too.  Singer makes  nice sewing machines.  But so does Brothers.  Their sewing machines are easy to operate also.  Then there is White, Sew-Pro, and Shark just to name a few.

When you are ready to start sewing your blocks together start at the upper left of your quilt layout and take the first two squares, put right side together and pin them in place.  Sew a seam down the right side of the block.  Making sure that the first square you pick up (the one in the very far upper left corner) is on the bottom,before you sew your seam. Open it up, you should have two squares with the photos in the correct position, and alternating color squares.  Now take your next square in that same row lay it on top of your square you just sewed onto the first square, right sides together, pin then sew a seam down the right side again.  You will continue in this manner until you have sewn all your horizontal (left to right) rows together.  Make sure you keep your seams the same width so that your squares will all line up correctly.

Now you are ready to sew your vertical (up and down) rows together.  Take you first row that you sewed, and the next row.  We will call this your second row.  Lay your first row down, take your second row lay it directly under it.  Now take the second row, holding onto the bottom edge and lay it on top of the first row.  Right sides together.  Making sure you match up the edges of each rowPin then sew this row.  Continue in this manner matching the bottom of the row you just did, with the top of the next row.  You may have to “ease” a square into the next one, if your squares were not truly square or if your seams were off just a tad.  Don’t worry about this.  I look at it  as proof that it was hand made, therefore making it invaluable to the recipient of the quilt.  When you are all done, you will finally have your quilt top!!  Yeah for you!!

Next we will work on the batting and the back of your quilt.sewing machines