kacie

I know you've already fixed it, but an idea for "next time"... in the same situation I have made 4-patches or 9-patches in place of the charm square. Obviously it depends on the size of the print and how much you like it, but a half-square triangle might work as well, maybe even kind of off-set on purpose so it doesn't look like a mistake you tried to fix. A few of these spaced around seems to add a little visual interest.

carolynjo

I, too, would add fabric on the side and end and then trim to fit the other blocks.

klswift

border it. The point of an I Spy is to have lots of things and stuff, so an extra border area will fit right in. I would try to make it as large a border as workable with the block. If you have to, just border two sides to make it look right. Remember, no one will know that it wasn't planned that way. We don't make mistakes, we just have design elements!

bkay

I got row one and two fixed and finished. I ran into another one on row 7 and 8 (not working in order). This time, however, I just ripped it out and replaced it. It didn't take long at all. (a football square is a football square)

By the time I get to my fourth quilt, I will have some different problems. Hopefully by then, my cutting and 1/4 inch seams will have improved. I'll also have a better idea of what you can fudge and what you can't.

bkay

AlaskaAlice

Sounds like all good ideas to me! I have been sewing and quilting for a long time! there are lots of different ways to fix things! Amish quilts have built in "Mistakes" they tell me..I have used most of the suggestions given previously..
All of my quilts have had mistakes in them..I try to cut pieces exactly and sew seams exactly but sometimes it just happens! I quite quilting for a while, then I saw quilts in shows that I examined (beautiful but) looking closely they were not perfect either. Each quilt teaches me something new! We really don't make mistakes just learning adventures that bring new ideas into designs! Happy accidents!

maviskw

My Amish friends tell me they make enough mistakes, they don't have to do something that looks like a mistake on purpose.

nyleve

Press some light weight fusible interfacing on all sides of the block and then square it up to the 5". The fusible interfacing will be in the seam allowance and will nor be noticed. make your strip of interfacing about 1" wide to begin with.

gmcsewer

If you have very many that are too small, you can make a strip of just those and set them into to the quit with a strip on top and bottom.

MarleneC

I've been having this problem too so I took blocks apart and sewed again with smaller seams and then I read where a lady had this problem and she pressed her seams open instead of to the side and said that flattened things out and made the block just the amount she needed. I've also just found this which I found interesting. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Q-cl4OmlE and also this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsfgFzm55Iw

bkay

I would have had to use 1/8 inch seams (or less) to make that work. I've purchased quilts made in china previously that had narrow seams. When they were washed the seams gave out and you had holes. I liked the quilts, so I repaired them and they lasted a little longer. I wanted this quilt to last, so I fixed it so that, hopefully, it will stand up to washing. It's a play quilt for a 2 year old, so I'm sure it will get washed often.

I haven't had time to work on the quilt much since Friday. I found that other too small block on Sunday and replaced it. It seems like I may a few more to replace. Once you remove the block and measure it, it's not that far off. It's amazing how little mistakes are so magnified as you go.

I like the fusible interfacing idea. Since you have to remove the block to use the interfacing, in this instance it doesn't make sense to do it. Once you give up the idea that "that block" has to be chartreuse, fixing it is a snap. Just replace it with a block that isn't the same color as it's neighbors. However, on a quilt that had to have that block in that spot, it could be a life saver.

Thanks, Marlene for the link. That technique could come in handy in the future.

bkay