I started a sampler quilt a long with Amy and am somewhat pleased with how my squares are turning out. I have had a red and white quilt rolling around in my mind for a while. They are just striking to me and I've been itching to make one. Amy's sampler quilt came along at a good time too ... it's two blocks a week and I think I can handle that during the summer. It finishes at 58 x 58 and I'd like it a little longer so I'm making two blocks of my favorite one each week so I can stretch to out a little.
The part I'm disappointed is finding out that no matter how careful I am I am still a very imperfect quilter. Before I started I did the tutorial on sewing a perfect 1/4" seam. I figured out exactly where to set my needle with my new 1/4" quilting foot with the guide. Perfect! Well, I'm still not getting the exact size and sometimes my seams don't match. Oh well .... this is good practice for me and it will certainly enhance my skills, even if it's a tiny enhancement. Why wouldn't everything be perfect though? Still puzzling to me.
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| Not perfect yet .... |
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| Perfect!! |
I've got an ambitious day planned today. Humidity stay away! I've already got some bread rising and I've got a list of things to do:
1. Organize my fabric and clean up my sewing area
2. Get laundry done
3. Make two days worth of dinners
4. Sweep and mop the kitchen floor (it's getting crunchy again)
5. Lose five pounds and try on that bathing suit that is still sealed in the mail order package
I'll let you know how I do!
I like your fabrics. The print looks different depending on the size of the patches, very cool. But I'm not and my sewing room is the hottest room in the house. Humidity! :( Good luck at fitting into your package. lol
ReplyDeleteYour blocks look great! I'm so glad that you have joined us :) About perfection...it's overrated! do your best and enjoy the process ;)
ReplyDeleteLove the red and white colour plan! And you already know that you have a kindred summer-hating spirit in me! Humidity stay away indeed!
ReplyDeleteThese blocks look great. When the blocks are not "perfect" they are truly your own. (At least that is how I look at my mistakes.) I have two questions for you. One, is the fabric more red than in the photos or are they pretty close to the photos? Two, are you planning to use just those 3 fabrics? Just curious :)
ReplyDeleteDont move to east texas! the humidity starts in may and goes away in January... although even then its still humid.
ReplyDeletei have found hand piecing that my bad is my measuring during cutting not my 1/4 in seam.
The fabric is WOW! I love all of those blocks! I give up on everything being perfect...still trying, but if I concentrate on that, I might stop quilting ... lol..
ReplyDeletehugz
Pam
Gorgeous fabrics! Your blocks look great!
ReplyDeleteI've had exactly the same problem Molly. Cut fabrics to exact measurements, had perfect 1/4" seam and still it did not come out the right size.. Undid it all, remeasured, re-sewn, same thing.
ReplyDeleteWhat it was...? The ironing. (took me a really long time of persevering to find this out! I know where you are coming from and how frustrating this is!) If you just flatten, or you fingerpress your seams, they will slightly move (imperceptible really 1/36" sort of thing), but if you have a lot of seams, it accumulates. Also if one side moves to the right, then you match up another strip that has moved to the left, you double the amount that you are out.. etc etc... so over a couple of blocks that adds up.
I go with Amy about perfection being overrated, but unfortunately I am like wanting it perfect with my own work... and I can't stand not knowing why it goes wrong... Having said that...
What you need to do is iron every seam as you do it and make sure it is folded back well and sharp. If making, say, a nine patch,... sew the three blocks together, ironing seams as you go. same for strip in the middle and bottom strip. Then, having been carefull to iron it right (if your middle strip is directional, otherwise you can just turn it) you put the first two strips of three together. When you get to the first junction, the seam of one strip should be ironed to one side (say the right) the other to the other side (that;d be left then). You can then butt them up against each other tightly and stick a pin in either side to keep it there. Then sew. This way you can match up exactly. Knowing of course your fabrics are cut to the right size and you DO have 1/4" seam.
I hope this helps to at least answer the "why" question.
Personally I am a fan of Dana's method of the first ORBC quilt. Just sew them with your machine at whichever width the seam comes out if you line it up on your foot. Then be consistent throughout the quilt. Even though it might not be the exact 12 1/2 block measurement, it might be 11 or 11 1/2, but so what.. as long as they are all the same who cares!!
Hope you understand my explanation... very hard to put into words rather than show you! Happy sewing!
Oh Molly... I have the answer and answered it here, then pressed 'post comment' and they said... too large to process here and deleted it all!! Took me half an hour to explain it too... I will write to you by email promise... but have to have a large break before I embark on that once again!!
ReplyDeleteOh wow... just checked and they printed both ! and they told me they could not as it was too large! Great! saves me doing it all again! Yay!
ReplyDeleteYour blocks look great! I love the colors!
ReplyDeleteI love how your blocks are turning out.
ReplyDeleteI don't worry about the seams bieng perfect,I don't let that spoil my fun besides that's what makes hand made look hand made, or I should say home made.
ReplyDeleteUnless I am really off on seams, I mean really, really off, I don't worry about them. As long as I am doing my derndest and not being sloppy, I'm cool with the result. My quilts are to be used, used, and used some more. They have a lot of love sewn into them that has to come out sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteReally like your color scheme. Wish I knew what mine was in this challenge. I am sort of closing my eyes and picking..well, one eye is slightly open.
BTW, thanks for the comments on my post. Appreciate the input.
This will be a beautiful quilt! And don't be to angry about your seams. In my eyes, seams that are not 100 % perfect look a lot more charming. :-)
ReplyDeletex Jo
Quilting always hides less-than-perfect seams. You'll never notice once its finished :)
ReplyDeleteAnd I totally feel ya about the humidity...it was 102 degrees in Atlanta today and steam was rising from my driveway. YUCK!