Piecing in order
#32
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Heart of Colorado's majestic mountains!
Posts: 6,026
I pin pieces of scrap paper marked with letters and numbers on the pieces and stack them up. I chain piece, press and place the sections back in order on the cutting table. I re-label sections as necessary to keep the order. I know that it takes a bit more time to do the labels but it sure cuts down on the frog stitching (ripping). I keep a little box nearby with paper squares that I cut from random things that come out of the printer-like all of those pages that have three unnecessary lines of text printed on them. I do not save labels because it takes to long to try to organize them.
#33
I use the pins in the upper left corner or a row method and the number of pins represents what row it is. I can chain piece up to a point. I have never been able to keep a chained piece together and sew it to another string of chained pieces. It seems like something always twists. The challenge for me is to remember which piece goes on top and what side do I sew on. I do take a picture once I have things arranged on my design board. I also take things down in order and pile them on a small board to carry over to my sewing machine. I have never been able to master the zip, zip, zip sew them together fast like I see in the tutorials but that's OK with me. I enjoy the journey as much as reaching the destination.
#34
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Heart of Colorado's majestic mountains!
Posts: 6,026
By the way, for those of you concerned about your weather, we have four to five feet of snow in our yard. Driving down the road if like a tunnel as the stacks on the sides of the road are six to eight foot tall. We expect another foot by tomorrow morning. And to think that March and April are our snowiest months. Love the increased opportunity to quilt.
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 2,061
Lay them out on a cookie sheet or large tray arranged exactly as they should be sewn. It makes it so much easier to keep them in order if you can see how the block is supposed to look when finished, and on a cookie sheet you can keep it near you so you don't have to keep jumping up and down to get the pieces. If it's too crowded on your sewing table consider using a TV tray for your cookie sheet so you can move it closer or further away as needed.
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Posts: 498
I too have to mark my pieces but the best method for me is when it's on the floor or the design wall I pick up each block and mark on the back, in the seam allowance, the row and the number of the block. For instance the fourth block in the third row would be 3-4 and if it's directional I put an arrow. Has worked for me and you don't see the writing in the seams.
#39
I have taken a digital picture so that when I move the pieces, I know where the go in the block. You don't have to print it just keep your camera or phone by the machine.
#40
Power Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Mableton, GA
Posts: 11,221
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