no matter how hard I try...
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 63
I'm so discouraged. I'm still pretty new at this, so hopefully I will improve. It seems that no matter how carefully I measure and cut, measure 1/4" seams, etc. my cornerstone squares in my sashing do not line up with the row borders! Is it really so hard to get sashings to line up or am I missing something? Anyone else feel like this?
#3
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 2,103
Try a strip of blue painters tape to mark your 1/4" sewing line on your machine. Painters tape doesn't leave sticky residue when you remove it. I measure 1/4" from my needle and apply the tape. It has helped me tremendously. Good luck and hang in there, it'll get better.
#5
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Posts: 13,214
Originally Posted by Sadiemae
Measure your blocks to be sure they are the correct size, before you cut your sashing and cornerstones. If they are off even a little it will make things difficult to line up.
#6
It also depends on the stretch in the fabric too I have found. When I cut sashings, I try to cut then along the selvedge edge, not across the fabric (dont know the technical names lol)Across the fabric appears to have alot more stretch than the other way.
#8
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Northern Michigan
Posts: 12,861
when you attach your strips with corner stones be sure your seams are pressed in opposite directions. so if you press the corner stone seam toward the strip then the piece you are adding it to should be going in the opposite direction then when you put them together you can snug those seams together for a perfect match...if the edges are off a tad they can be trimmed but if your join is whats off this will help. some people even make them a little bit larger so they can trim after attaching. but nesting your seams makes a huge difference when joining...corner stones or not.
#9
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Originally Posted by dgreen
I'm so discouraged. I'm still pretty new at this, so hopefully I will improve. It seems that no matter how carefully I measure and cut, measure 1/4" seams, etc. my cornerstone squares in my sashing do not line up with the row borders! Is it really so hard to get sashings to line up or am I missing something? Anyone else feel like this?
Are you matching and pinning every seam before you sew?
I wrote a short tutorial that explains how to get blocks to line up when using sashing without cornerstones. Basically you just mark extended seam lines on the wrong side of the sashing strip after the sashing is sewn to the first row of blocks. Then you line up the pencil marks on the sashing with the seams in the next row of blocks before sewing.
Since you are using cornerstones, the only thing I can think of is that you are not matching up and pinning all the seams before you sew. When you do this, you often have to ease in fabric in one area and stretch it a little in another area. Easing is something that is taught in clothing construction to make pieces fit together. Are you easing as necessary?
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