quiltsRfun

I've made that quilt and sewed them all in the same direction with no problem. In fact, that's how Eleanor does it. Could it be your pressing?

It's a fun and quick quilt to make. In fact, right now I have one top finished and another in progress. Enjoy your class.

anniep

Quick and fun is not what I'm feeling right now. I worked on this all day yesterday. Would you just cut it, or would you rip it all out?

quiltsRfun

Describe what you mean when you say it doesn't lay flat? Lay out one of your strip sets before sewing into a tube and check to see if it's square. When you fold it in half at the center seam, do the sections go in opposite directions? I'd try pressing first. If that doesn't work I'd take one apart and see if I could fix it then go from there. If it doesn't lay flat you won't be able to cut the strips straight.

eparys

I would take out the final seam (if you have made the tubes) and go back and measure between the actual seams on the individual strips. If you started with 4" strips, then using 1/4" seams the strips should measure 3.5" between the seams. It should be pretty close if not dead spot on for the seams.

quiltsRfun has some excellent suggestions/comments

romanojg

Iron it well (all rows should go the same direction and then on the second tube the seams are ironed in the opposite direction;
This will help the butt up against each other when putting together.

Fold it at the center row and press that seam flat. We had 14 rows to ours.

Before you sew #1 strip to the last strip sewen make sure they are even; you may have to square the strip long ways first.

Then you lay it sideways and again make sure the ends of the tubes are squared before you cut your strips; about every 3rd or 4th cut check again to make sure it's squared so that it'll be easier to put together.

romanojg

Each tube will have all of it's rows seams pressed in the same direction; if you have 12 tubes then you'll have 6 tubes w/all seams pressed up and 6 with them all pressed down. This way after you cut them and start putting it together the seams will butt up against each other alot easier.

quiltsRfun

With Eleanor's method there are no seams to match so everything is pressed in the same direction. This might not make sense if you don't have the pattern but it works.

romanojg

The pattern that I have is from Norma Cambell and I had a two day class with her. It took no time at all to put together. It looks so intimidating with all of those blocks but I really enjoyed how fast it went together. I have another one put in tubes ready to go. Im trying to get in a few older projects inbetween doing the newer things so that I feel like I'm getting somewhere. Next weekend I'm marking this quilt to quilt it. Like they say there are always more than one way to do something.

ckcowl

when ever you are sewing long strips together it is really recommended to reverse starting end with each strip= this keeps the strips straight- when you start at the same end strip after strip after just a few it starts to (bow) and will curve further and further with each strip.

Alice Woodhull

When sewing tubes together, I always start at the same end as not all strips are the same length. I've done it when I sewed each strip the opposite way, and it got all skewed out of shape. This way works for me.