Thread: The FWS PONY CLUB Quilt-Along Wk 11 Cat's Paw & Confederate Rose Discussion page
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Old 03-18-2012, 07:40 AM
  #43  
QuiltE
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Originally Posted by Termi View Post
Thank you JanRN and QuiltE. I will check my printer. Another question........ what does it mean to block the block and how do you do it????

First a Clarification for you, Termi (and others too!)... when the scaling check needs to be done every time you print! Please don't assume that if a few are OK, then all are .... that's what got me into trouble with the FWS!

Blocking ... hhmmm ... someone jump in and correct what I say as I'm sure it'll be a jumble that's clear as mud!
Here goes ... blocking to me, means that while I'm pressing, I am squaring it up, and straightening things. So, you know how you can have a block that the seams look nice and straight and all the patches are square? And then one that the lines are all wonky. Sometimes that's a construction problem and you're not going to correct that with blocking. However, sometimes it's been stretched wrong as it was sewn, or stretched with "ironing" (remember quilter's press!) Some of these problems can be sorted out via blocking!

True blocking would be .... dampen the block, and manipulate it (slight tugging) to get it all into position. Lines straight, square, parallel, etc. And then lay it flat to dry. When I do blocking for crochet/knitting, I lay a towel onto of my carpet, then put the item on, and set it in place the way I want, just smoothing with my hand. For fabric, I have sometimes stabbed pins thru the fabric, and carpet to hold all in place.

When I "block" when sewing ... I do it pretty much while pressing, watching that all is straight and square .... and if something needs encouraging, then a shot of water or sizing to help loosen up the fibres, then press again (and maybe a wee bit of ironing *gasp*) til I get it where I want it to be. Some starch at the end will hold it there!

I do this as each square is made, not a full quilt .... that makes it a lot easier at the end when you start assembling. While I've been doing the FWS sashing, cornerstones, I've been watching that I have the lines straight and those darned 1" cornerstones can be quite cantankerous and worse still, if you are just a thread or two shy of the 1/4" seam. Much easier to re-sew ... and better to catch that before all is together!!

OK ... clear as mud ... so someone come up with a much simpler description and correct my errs!
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