I tried the July block Amish Diamond. I lost my points, anyone have a good tip on how to do the points. What am I doing wrong? This is what I think I have in mind doing with my greens. These are the colors someone awhile back told me they didn't go together but I didn't think they look that bad. Does anyone else agree with me? Anyway if someone could give me pointers....{pun intended} on how to keep my points I would appreciate it.

Toni,
I was told one time when I was trying to match some reds that, "All reds go together!" I'm sure the same applies to greens! and blues and ... I think your greens are great. Most importantly, they please you and that's all that counts.

As to your points. When I'm adding the outside piece to the middle I turn the parts so the middle is on top. When I'm stitching I can be sure that my needle goes right into the spot where the sewing lines cross to make the point.

Another suggestion, I don't know if you iron after each seam but pressing, I have found, is most important to matching seams and points.

Also, I pin most all of my seam intersections.

Finally, it just takes a lot of practice. By the time you get your quilt made you'll have had lots and lots of that.

yes I agree (that means you're right Yvonne!LOL) you gotta hve the piece with the points on top so you can see that your needle crosses where the threads make the little X, it may not be the exact 1/4" you're striving for but sometimes you just have to fudge a bit to make it do what you want it to do, you'll get there, by the time you finish your blocks you'll be amazed at how much better you are. the last 1/2 of anything I do always looks better, that's why a lot of things I start at the bottom!

Toni, I think value is more important than color, and you have a light, a medium and a dark that happen to be green. Look at nature: All sorts of different greens together and it looks beautiful!

The first time I ever tried a block with points I formed the points on the exact edge of the fabric, forgetting that I would be sewing something else to them. And when I did, of course, I lost my points. The point has to be formed a quarter inch from the edge of the material or it will get chopped off.

Toni, did you trim that little square before you added to it? Maybe you cut off a bit too much?

I would ditto Lucky Patsy's mom. That is the exact problem I used to have.

hi lucky, i always heard that color gets all the credit while value does all the work. i have found that to be true and try to keep it in mind when choosing fabs.
it is so true.
BTW newquilter, i love the colors in your block.

I've been using Square in a Square method (SnS) by Jody Barrows and it works wonderfully.

Possibly you aren't pressing and cutting at each corner. For the flying geese which this is very similar you must trim, and press before adding another corner because they overlap by a quarter inch at the center .Then as several others have said it helps to sew with the block on top when adding another piece so you can sew right at the point which will be a quarter inch using this method. Pressing and sewing accurately is a must in quilting. Try another one, I'm sure you will see better results, the colors are great. :)

Hi there! I don't know why I haven't posted much around here but I should.

I see you have lopped off your points there, and I have many twins to your pointless square! Lol* It looks like maybe you had an issue with measuring...I haven't made this block before, but it looks as if you set the center square on point by sewing smaller squares to each corner and then when pressed to the right side it makes for triangles on each corner turning your square on point. If this is what you are doing, be sure that you are not trimming down the green after you've finished pressing. You will trim down your seam allowances in the back, but do not "square up" your square at all. It may look wrong, but all edges of your square will have 1/4 an inch of green beyond your black square points, that will be your seam allowance, so when finished sewing on the logs around it, you will have a perfect four pointed square in the center.

If that does not help, I would also check that you are measuring your black square correctly when cutting, and your lighter green squares...if either one is cut wrong you'll either "float" or "lop off" your square! :) (Can you tell I have a few pointless squares and triangles floating around my scrap bin?)

As a few others have mentioned, be sure your 1/4 inch guide, whatever you are using, is accurate. Even if you are using 1/4 inch foot as a guide, you will want to double check where exactly you should be lining your fabric up when sewing. There are many ways to check, but I take one of my smaller rulers, bring my needle down and just touch it to the first 1/4 inch line in on the ruler. Then I see what part of my 1/4 foot the edge of the ruler aligns with...a scant 1/4 seam for my machine and foot, is just at the outer edge of where my feed dogs come up, and does not extend even a thread past my foot.

As for colors, it's all subjective. There is such a wide range of styles and tastes, I don't believe any one person could tell you what does and doesn't go...what matters it what your feeling is, and if you are pleased with the color combination, then it's a go! :) I can tell you I have seen many award winning quilts that had color schemes I wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole! :) There is an infinite combination of colors and values that can be used in an infinite number of ways. Experiment! :) (I like your combination of greens by the way, it is very authentically Amish in my opinion :) lol*)

I hope I haven't rambled too much and that maybe this helps! :)

Good luck! :)