Those pesky points!!!!
#11
Next, when you make your HST for the pinwheels, make sure that when you trim them down/ square them up, the diagonal seam goes exactly through the corner. All your HSTs should be pressed the same way, for instance toward the print. When you place the 2 HSTs together, the seams should nestle together.
Here's a you tube video on one suggested method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O18wxk9BZk4
Here's a you tube video on one suggested method
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O18wxk9BZk4
#12
I've been quilting for years and sometimes this still happens to me. I've no advice that hasn't already been given. Good luck! Sending good quilty vibrations your way, can't hurt? right? Oh love the fabric in your blocks!
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Morris Plains, NJ
Posts: 1,802
The first one looks like you don't have a 1/4" seam. Test your size as others have suggested. Also, I find pressing is most important. When you have many seams coming together as in a star, after you have joined the seams, clip out the threads within the seam allowance so you can get it to lie flat. Check out Eleanor Burns on youtube.
The 2nd looks good to me.
The 2nd looks good to me.
#15
A lot of good info here.
My questions are do you Best Press or spray starch before cutting your material and what method do you use to make your HST's?
When I treat my material before cutting I get much better sewing results. Also, some HST methods don't work as well for me as others. Personal preference there.
My questions are do you Best Press or spray starch before cutting your material and what method do you use to make your HST's?
When I treat my material before cutting I get much better sewing results. Also, some HST methods don't work as well for me as others. Personal preference there.
#16
You can cover up those little mistakes by becoming a 'pointless person' as Kaye Wood would put it. Don't agonise. Just put a frame around the mistakes until you improve. Sew straight pieces of fabric across the block so that no points have to meet. You could cover up the odd mistake with appliue shapes or fancy braid.
Last edited by jitkaau; 03-07-2014 at 04:03 AM. Reason: make more clear in meaning
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Hartsburg, Mo
Posts: 309
And I make it a goal to have my needle hit 'one or two threads' to the right of the X - that gives me 'turning room' so when I press the block, the very tippy tip of the point is showing. You'll get there, and your attention to detail will set your quilts apart from others :-)
#18
I am obsessive about points and seams matching. I cut slack on this for everyone but myself. I found that if I stick a pin through, starting on the wrong side of the fabric, where my point will match and then put the other piece of fabric on top (right sides facing) letting the pin come through and mark that spot with a pencil. I pin the layers together on both sides of my marking pin and then take the marking pin out so it doesn't get in the way of sewing. The pencil mark gives me a reference point to stitch and the pins on either side hold it in place. You will not always have a true 1/4 seam at the point doing it this way but in the big picture of things what are you going to notice more, a point that doesn't match or a seam that is a hair under or over 1/4 and the point matches? Where two seams come together I try to nestle my seams by pressing the seams of the two pieces in opposite directions. If it's possible I sew so that the raw edge of the pressed seam is stitched first and this nudged the two seams together a little. If not then I pin more thoroughly to make sure the seams stays nestled. If I have multiple seams coming together like in the center of a star etc. then I press my seams open to reduce bulk and use the pin and pencil method I discussed above. It is rare that I don't have seams and points matching perfectly the first time using these methods.
#19
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
Some very good ideas here.
Press after each 'sew'.
Trim the HST's with the diagonal line on the ruler on the diagonal line of the HST.
Nest those seams when you sew one HST to another.
After pressing, nest the middle seams and put a pin here.
Start sewing at one end for a few stitches. Then lift up the top piece and see if the two are really nested the other way. There is a little wiggle room here. The top one can be moved to the right or left a smidgeon to get it right. You can see those peaks under there, and they need to be at the same level.
Press after each 'sew'.
Trim the HST's with the diagonal line on the ruler on the diagonal line of the HST.
Nest those seams when you sew one HST to another.
After pressing, nest the middle seams and put a pin here.
Start sewing at one end for a few stitches. Then lift up the top piece and see if the two are really nested the other way. There is a little wiggle room here. The top one can be moved to the right or left a smidgeon to get it right. You can see those peaks under there, and they need to be at the same level.
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