Termi

Hello Pardners, I need some advise. I've been paper piecing all the blocks and they keep coming out small. Usually by 1/16" and sometimes a little more. The PP seems to be going well but the problems start when I put the sections together. I know if it comes out small it means my seam allowance might be too big but if I make the seam allowance any smaller, the points wind up being too far from the seam. I'm getting very discouraged. I would think after doing all these blocks that I'd be better at it by now. Any tips? thanks

janRN

Termi, I'm by no means an expert. I figure if all my blocks are equally "off" I'm fine. My blocks are off but not all by the same measurements. Some are off by as much as 1/4" (I'm impressed that yours are only 1/16th--I don't even have a ruler that measures that LOL). I had the same thing happen with FWS quilt and by time I blocked each block and added the cornerstones and sashing, I made up the difference. I really think if they're all the same, they'll be fine. Let's see what the others have to say-maybe there's a way to correct this and we can both learn. I think all your blocks are lovely by the way!

QuiltE

ditto to what JanRN has said ... if they are all off the same, then it's not a big concern. Also, are you pressing them out well, somewhat blocking, to maximize the size?

Another thing to check ... is your printer printing at 100%? Take a look at the "scaling" and if not, re-set it to 100% and check with each block print out you do. For the FWS, I had a couple blocks off-sized and then noticed (of course, after I made the blocks!!) that they had not printed at 100%. OOPS!

When I'm PPing, I don't trim the outside edge til I have the block fully done, and it is well pressed .... that way, if I'm off on size, I can centre it when I trim it, and add the the little extra to up-size it a bit.

Another trick ... when you go to sewing them in with the sashing, etc. ..... make your seam narrower than the 1/4" and all is back to size! I did that with a couple of my FWS that ended up undersized, and now that they are all joined ... you'd never know it!

QuiltE

Howdy Pardners, Guess what????????

Can you guess????

Yeeeeehaaaaaaaaawwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

carriem

QuiltE--is your FW quilt top done??

QuiltE

*giggles* Well done CarrieM!!! *giggles*

Yes and No .... the top is all in one piece now .......... and it is laying flat, flat, flat as a pancake on my living room floor for the night. Tomorrow, the border, and then I can truly say Yes!!!!!

Then all that's left is the backing to be pieced together ..... not sure what I'm going to do! And then the final picking of threads and another good pressing, then I can take it to my LAQ!

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure I can sleep tonight!!!

JeanieG

Yahoo, WTG QuiltE!!! I know what that feels like! When I finished mine, I had to run into the living room with it in hand to show Joe. He is always so enthusiastic about all my stuff.

dublb

Hey Ya'll I've been lurking but haven't had the time ta post, or make blocks! Wow, I'm behind by 3 weeks!
I'm glad that we're going ta have a campfire thread in April.
QuiltE - hooray for you!
DMIL is doing better. When I was there taday she was very grumpy! We could not figure out what she wanted. After about 45 - 50 min.s we finally figured that she wanted ta roll over over on her side. She was asleep before I got her covered up after I had turned her over.

gardnergal970

QuiltE....congratulations! What an accomplishment. We're ready for pictures.

Dubib...glad your DMIL is doing better. Family always trumps over quilting in these kinds of situations and the quilting will comfort you when the family stress slows down and you have time to regroup. We'll be cheering you on.

QuiltE

Being that I have no one else to share the joy and excitement with, I just had to let y'all know, so Thanks JeanieG, DublB and GGal ... Though go easy on the accolades until I get the borders on!!! I usually find them the most frustrating part of the process. You know, getting them on nice and flat. Those Butterflies in Comfort, I re-did them several times and was never totally happy ..... thankfully it had to have poly batting being that it was going to the Hospice house, and poly is so forgiving that the border problems vanished!

I'm hoping to accomplish that today ... and yes I'll photo it then before it heads off to the LAQ. I just hope she's not too busy and can get at it right away. Now that I'm this close, I will be so impatient to see it finished and done done done!

DublB ... don't worry, you'll be with the rest of us with blocks not done! Glad to know that your DMIL seems to be a little better (and grumpy!)