OK, I wormed myself into another question folks, and Tim, since you posted a Mariner’s star you might be able to help on this. I constructed a mariner’s compass from the following pattern, or at least tried:
http://www.compuquilt.com/blockimg/1999Blocks/marinerscompass.htm
All went very well until I got to the final assembly, then it went downhill from then on out, ending in frustration and words bordering on… well you get the picture.
I understand I am to leave the paper in, but how on earth do you sew the thing together when you’ve eight pieces of fabric and paper come to a point into a bulky mess? The machine wouldn’t even go there. I first did the quarters, and then the halves. At this point I realized the scant ¼ was very important in order to avoid a cone, but still I persevered. Then when I tried to sew the halves together all Hades broke loose. I left the paper in as suggested. I understood the I should somehow or another clip the seams at the points and set down in order, also to run a thread between each point so I wouldn’t get a hole in the center. But how on earth do I even get to that point? AAGH! This should be fun, not aggravating, I’ve been told.
The paper piecing went fine until the regular piecing, which is when lack of experience (and instruction) kicked my nieve booty. In my mind I could just hear the quilter’s of days gone by laughing a good one and wiping tears from their eyes. Can someone please help, and give directions to this silly man left quite humbled by his compass
:roll: