J Miller

Carol,
Will these specialty blades fit a regular rotary cutter handle, or do you have to buy a specialty handle too?

Joe

J Miller

Aren't those pre-cut quilt kits cut with a machine? Personally I don't like to sew on pinked edges. I like really straight smooth ones.

Accuracy at each stage takes practice, or so says my wife. She says I haven't been at it long enough so I should quit bashing myself.

Joe

Cari-in-Oly

Some are, some aren't. The few that I've bought were priced low enough that I couldn't pass them up. My piecing has improved greatly in the 5 years I've been quilting, but I still have days where Jack(the ripper) is my best friend.

Cari

Cari-in-Oly

Yes most pre cuts are done by machine. I find that if the pieces are accurately cut it doesn't matter to me if it's a straight or pinked cut.
Your wife is absolutely right.

Cari

misseva

Joe, I bought a pinking blade for my rotary cutter and it's about the same price as a regular blade and yes they do fit my regular cutter. I don't use the pinking blade on my quilting blocks. I too, prefer the straight edge because it's easier to keep it straight against my seam guide.

bearisgray

I much prefer to work with straight cut edges when piecing.

I was not impressed with pinked edges 60 years ago, and I'm even less impressed with them now. If I remember correctly, the pinking was (usually) done after the seams were sewn?

misseva

I used pinking shears when I cut out my garment patterns. Never did pink them after seam was sewn.

manicmike

Yes, that's the right way to do it, misseva.

bearisgray

Better Homes & Gardens Sewing Book - (c) 1961 - page 73

"Each section you have sewed together is now ready to be pinked and pressed. Pink the seam and then press it open. After you have sewed across the end of a seam, it is hard to pink it neatly because the seam edges are caught in a cross seam."

manicmike

I'll try and find where I read it, but experienced dressmakers told me the same thing.
You need to know in advance which lines need pinking before starting and it's not all of them, so maybe it's an experience thing. Not saying your 60 years aren't experience, but the reference you quote is obviously a beginners book.

EDIT: First one I picked out! "The Pictorial Guide to Modern Home Dressmaking" (looks like 1930s) page 26.