Chain-piecing = time saver deee-lux! You’ve heard the term but what does it mean? Chain piecing?
Chain-piecing simply means that you are sewing piece after piece without cutting your thread. It’s a mini assembly line right there at your sewing machine. In fact, it’s entirely possible that you’ve been chain-piecing this entire time, without even knowing that was what you were doing!
For instance, say that your pattern instructs you to make 24 half-square triangles. You could make them one at a time, cut your thread, remove it from your machine, and toss it onto your ironing board. Or you could start sewing your next half-square triangle just as soon as you finish the first one. It is easier if you sew a few extra stitches “on air” between the two. When you have stitched all 24 half-square triangles, then take the whole “chain” off the machine.
Now it is time to cut the chain apart. There are several lovely shortcuts for this: 1. You could use a seam ripper or small snips to just cut each thread. 2. Try putting a seam ripper into a small stand or buying one made for this purpose. It stands straight up and is perfect for cutting those chains. 3. Buy one of these cute little gizmos for cutting those chain threads. Adorable and functional!
And there you have it, my friends. That is chain-piecing in a nutshell. It will save you time and turn your next piecing project into an assembly line of greatness
