When sewing the strips together how does one keep them perfectly straight so they don't have a bow (commonly known as a dog leg) in the center of the strip . Even if you sew a perfectly straight 1/4" s eam there is still a bow the strip. There has to be a secret.

Reverse directions when sewing the seams. In other words, when you sew 2 rows together and get to the end, turn around and sew from that end to the beginning of the row you previously sewed. Alternating directions keeps the rows from bowing.

that's correct Barb

Yup!! To remember which end was my last start end I only snip the trailing thread and leave the leader thread long.

Also, it's important to iron each sewn seam before you sew another seam.

Wow, let me go get my dirty little secret note book. This stuff is great! ! ! ..............

I usually put a pin in the start of the first strip, so I don't get confused, then I can always look back and see where my starting point is. When I first started quilting a few years ago, this was difficult for me because I was an apparel sewer for 60 years and you always sew your seams in the same direction for clothes.

Thank you. Now how do you press the seams...open or to the side?

I press my seams to the dark side. I rarely open them.

To the side. Since you are staggering seams anyway in a bargello, you can press them all in the same direction. I just find pressing to one side a whole lot easier than trying to press seams open, looks better too if you happen to have any shadowing in the blocks. When it is quilted, the shadowing goes away anyhow.

Are you sure the bow in the fabric didn't come when you were cutting the strips? That happens to me when I use the cutter. Look at your strips pulled out all the way,is there an "elbow" in the center?

Carol J.