bearisgray

Because I am easily frustrated -

Things go together

bearisgray

Because I am easily frustrated when things do not line up properly.

Things go together so much better when:

The fabric is properly prepared before cutting it - for me, it has been washed and ironed.
Grain lines matter to me.

I have done the test strips so I know that my current cutting line up ( ruler and where/ how I line it up) and needle setting will yield the expected result.

The blocks are all approximately (within 1/8 inch) the expected size.

It just goes together so much more easily if it is " right" from the start.

The reason for the carefulness now is because of some pathetic results in the past.

I can "fudge" with the best of them. I just prefer not to.

By the way - there have been times when " good enough" was left the way it was. It did bother me. - but not quite enough to do it over.

I do not put in any deliberate mistskes - God knows there are always a few unintended ones in anything I make - no matter how much care I put into a project.

NJ Quilter

I agree. I think being as precise as one can at each step of the piecing process leads to much less frustration AND work at the end of the project. This is why I square each element of the blocks/rows/quilt as I go.

quiltstringz

I try for that also, figure the more I try the better I will get and eventually it will be ingrained in my tine little brain. Practice, Practice, Practice - might not make perfection but you keep getting better and better

tessagin

I try but don't beat myself up over it. I am perfectly imperfect.

PaperPrincess

I also agree. I like patterns with lots of pieces so just being consistent isn't going to work. I usually check my needle position when I start a new project. It only takes 2 minutes, but it saves hours of frustration. I would rather use the correct seam allowance and have pieces fit than easing/stretching stuff. Struggling to get things to match takes all the fun out of it for me.

SueSew

bearisgray, AMEN TO THAT!
Accurate piecing means you aren't trimming up blocks only to find that points are cut off or other mismatches occur and then puzzling out what to do about it.

When I was just starting out, a Board member here, MTS, recommended I read Sally Collins' book on machine piecing and I did. It is not just a technique book, it is a philosophy and it totally changed how I was piecing - new attitude, perspective about precision. Neither patience nor precision were particular virtues of mine, but I have learned them through quilting

thimblebug6000

Here's a link to the other posting with similar comment but further discussion. http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...s-t262788.html

Snooze2978

I try to be precise but it seems I never am. I rarely square up my blocks before putting them together either. Just made 4 lap quilts using the exact same pattern and technique. They all came out a different size by maybe 1.4-1/2 inch. Go Figure!!!! But each one seem to come out better than the one before so I guess repetition is a good thing.

grammysharon

I'm with you. I have learned that if there is a mistake I have to fix it or I won't be happy with the quilt. I have had a quilt completed and noticed I had a block turned. I took out all the quilting, then took out the block, turned it the right way, appliqued it back in and re-quilted. I am a lot more careful now in checking a quilt top before I begin quilting.