I'm working on a quilt for my DFIL who is an 85 year old retired minister). It is a Batik Cross (will post pictures when I have it together) which looks sort of Celtic and is dark purple, red, navy blue and gold on a white background. Because it is done in such contrasting colors, I'm clueless how to quilt it so this one is going to Charisma.
I'm so excited to have her do a quilt--it will be the first one I have had professionally quilted. I want it to really look good--you know, well done, sharp points. He would never notice but Charisma might. It is all HSTs with a few solid pieces (4" finished squares). I have been meticulously careful. Have all the rows sewn together and up on the design wall and I go out today and start sewing the rows together. This is how it goes:

Gorgeous day, windows and doors open, birds chirping, sun shining, nice breeeze. A tiny bug keeps flying around my face, landing on my nose. Kill it and another one takes it's place. Over and over and over.

First row goes together well. Love how it all fits when you have been careful with each step along the way. But I think I need to shorten my stitch length as the gray thread might show on the dark colors when it is stretched out on the LA frame.

Second row. Sew it on carefully, lay it on the ironing board and, oops, need to pick out a few inches here and there of those tiny little stitches to re-do some intersections.

Third row. Maybe I'll sew it first with a longer stitch then when I know that it's okay, I'll go back with the tiny stitch.
Get to the ironing board. What the heck, why is my tension off so much. Practically have eyelashes on the back. Rip it out, adust tension, sew, rip, adjust tension, sew, rip, swat at knat, again and again and again. An hour later, I'm still trying to put on row three. Okay, looks like the tension is good. Take a deep breath, count to ten, take a big gulp of tea. OMG!!!! All the threads that I have been picking out, I have been putting in my tea glass and not my trash receptical. I just drank a big mouthful of thread pieces.

That is how the lowly HST kicked my butt today.

Hmmm.... Fiber.

I hate HST

That was funny!!!>>>>>>> you may have ahd a bad day today but remember God is watching out for you on this one.. I wish for a better day tomorrow without the added fiber. lol..

wow, sorry that happened to you! maybe a better day tomorrow.

here is a little secret to doing ANY quilt that takes HST's in large amounts.

look at your layout..now make a B&W photo copy of it and do it in smaller sections...like 4 or 9 blocks at a time...pin that on the wall and do the next section, etc..then connect your sections the same way..like if 2 sections make 1/2 the quilt you do those 2, then the 2 belows that to make a 4..etc...make it so much easier to go together and if you do have unstitch to realign a few, it is much easier than removing the entire ROW to get to the middle...

I have had those days myself. I agree with Jaquie, I am doing my current quilt using her suggested method...seems to be going together pretty well so far...I find long rows very daunting.

I know, you would think that they are so simple, how bad could it possible go? Plus with Batiks, there is absolutely no stetching to make something fit if it isn't perfect.

Fantastic idea! That is how I'll do it next time. Too late for me now on this one.

this is how I do it so much eaiser.

Thanks for this tip. I am getting ready to do a quilt with lots of half square triangles and will follow your advice. Love this board!