I am in a boomerang group and I chose to make a block from QuiltersCasche for one of the boom members. I choose the block called "Checkerpins". It's a gorgeous block with a paper pieced pin-wheel in the center and 6 patch checkerboard in each of the corners (which is strip pieced). Here's a link to the pattern.
http://www.quilterscache.com/C/CheckerpinsBlock.html
I LOVE the block!!
Because I've never made this block, and I don't have a whole lot of experience paper piecing, I decided to make a practice block first - wise choice! My block came out just shy of 12.5" - too much shy for my comfort, especially since I'm sending it to someone else.
I remember reading a piece of advice that Hollice gave. I'll paraphrase - when something doesn't work, find out WHY.
I had measured every step of the way so I was perplexed as to why the finished product was off. This morning I de-constructed the block into it's 4 sections, measured them, and all of them measured the correct 6.5".
I know why now.
I sew a scant 1/4" seam. I set my needle to the right and then measure the seam after it is sewn and ironed. When you join two blocks and one of them was PP and you sew on the PP seam line ... you lose that 'scant' seam. So I reconstructed the 4 sections and used my scant 1/4" seam and the block is now 12.5" ... but I discovered a new problem.
If you DON'T sew on the 1/4" seam line - you lose your points in the center of the block!!!!
How can I fix this??? Will it work if I add a smidge to the long straight edge of the PP pinwheel block which will make that piece a bit longer and allow me to use the 1/4" seam marked on the pointed edge of the block?? I think it might ...
Oh. Here's a pic of the finished block. The size is correct, but I've lost the points in the center.