Cagey

I've decided that my brain doesn't do assembly line sewing very well. I know it is suppose to make it more efficient but I just can't get myself to do it. I'm working on a double irish chain and I'm struggling to use this method. I start out trying to assembly line sew but I keep going back to "one strip - one block at a time" method. Anyone else feel this way?

auntpiggylpn

I'm with you! I like to finish each block before I move on to another. I have started out doing the assembly line method but also find myself sticking to one block and finishing it.

pocoellie

If finishing one block at a time works for you, then go for it.

Scissor Queen

Try working on them in small sets of blocks. I tend to do all of the strip sets to start with but from there I break it up in to smaller sets of blocks to work on.

nativetexan

I tend to love to chain stitch but if your brain says to finish a block at a time, go for it. just think, you will have all your blocks done when you finish stitching. not a bad thing.

Cybrarian

For me it depends on what I'm doing and if I am learning a new block or whatever, and the first time I do it I use assembly line methods for different parts. I can best explain it in education terms. You know how some words you have to write down before you are confident you have it spelled correctly? You most likely first "recorded" that word in your brain spelled incorectly. We learn in short term memory and what we need to or can best retain goes into long term memory. This happens most often when we sleep. Then you learn to spell the word correctly and that goes into your long term memory. Now your brain has it recorded twice, but the incorrect spelling will come into your "accessed memory" first when you need to spell it. That's what makes you unsure and you write it out so your visual memory can back up your recorded long term memory. I say all this to explain what's happening. You are trying to change a long term memory way of doing something. If we really like the new way better we overcome the "uncomfortableness" of the 2 memories vying for brain recall space. When I can't overcome that uncomfortableness over a period of time; I just resign myself to the fact that I really like my original method whether others think it is the most efficient way or not. Sewing and quilting is supposed to be fun, creative and relaxing not anxiety creating-so be a Burger King quilter and have it your way!

QuiltnNan

if i have an entire quilt with the same block, i assembly line sew. if the blocks are only similar but with some color variation, i will do them one at time.

GrannieAnnie

I guess my mind is an assembly line. It seems only natural to sew this way.

Lori S

For years I sewed one block at a time... but then the rotary cutter changes my cutting .. and then changed my sewing methods. it took some getting used to .. but took time to get comfortable with it ..my brain was just wired from years of block by block.

jcrow

I do exactly the same thing. I just finished a churn dash quilt and did the assembly line sewing for it. It went so fast! And if they are different blocks, I do them one at a time.