Quiltspiration

How to add sashing to a quilt

Sashing is strips of fabric between the blocks, like the frame between window panes. Small squares where the strips cross are called cornerstones. Sashing spaces out busy blocks, makes the quilt bigger without more blocks, and hides blocks that came out a little different in size.

Sashing strips are cut as long as the block with seam allowance and as wide as the sashing plus ½": for 12" blocks with 2" sashing, 2½" × 12½" strips and 2½" cornerstones.

By Editorial Staff

Sewing sashing and cornerstones

  1. Lay out the blocks with a sashing strip between every pair and along the outside, and a cornerstone at every crossing.

    Four blocks with sashing strips and cornerstones

  2. Sew the block rows: sashing, block, sashing, block, sashing. Then sew the sashing rows: cornerstone, sashing, cornerstone, and so on. Press every seam toward the sashing so the rows nest.

    A block row and a sashing row, pieces apart

  3. Sew the rows together, starting and ending with a sashing row, matching the cornerstone seams to the block seams.

Plan your next quilt in your own fabric

Quiltspiration draws any pattern in the fabric you own and works out the cut list for any size.