Frustrated & Heartbroken
#12
Sorry to hear about your frustration. Stacked coins would be like piano keys.
When I sewed my piano keys I pieced them by pairs then sewed pairs
together and so on until I got the length that I needed. Starching and
pinning helps. However you have already sewed your pieces now.
So...let's see. How far off are the stacked coins from left to right? Can
you measure that? Maybe you could rip them in the middle and again
halfway each. Then turn them so there would be less distortion.
Does that make sense?
When I sewed my piano keys I pieced them by pairs then sewed pairs
together and so on until I got the length that I needed. Starching and
pinning helps. However you have already sewed your pieces now.
So...let's see. How far off are the stacked coins from left to right? Can
you measure that? Maybe you could rip them in the middle and again
halfway each. Then turn them so there would be less distortion.
Does that make sense?
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Cadillac, MI
Posts: 6,487
My guess would be trouble keeping the seam allowance 1/4" all the way across. I tend to be less attentive toward the end of a strip. I don't think the short length of a coin would distort that much if you sewed all from the same side. I'm sure I sewed the ones for the back of my Carpenter Star all from the left to right. I did strip piece them, so that cut down on that slight curve at the end of a seam.
#14
I know your "extreme" reaction so well! I hope that after a night's sleep you'll be feeling a bit better, but just leave the wretched thing until you know you have some perspective on it, however long that takes. Until you get to that point, any more work on it will be counter-productive. I've learned that the hard way! In the meantime, have you got something else you can work on - something you enjoy, that soothes you?
#15
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: NW Illinois
Posts: 25
I have been there and done that. I found out after checking my seams when I start out at a 1/4 inch by the time the end of the seam comes it is less than a 1/4 of an inch. You get into a hurry and it slides to the left on you. Recheck you seam allowances and I think you will do better. I did.
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: NY
Posts: 2,497
Stitchinb,
Many of us have felt that way. I currently have at least one quilt that I've put aside for now. My reason is that I had relatives say in a disgusted way 'Ugh, who is this for?" I was making it for them. Not any more. They will not receive a quilt from me in the future.
Good luck. I'm sure it has something to do with the direction your rows have been sewn in. Eventually you'll pick it up and use your seam rippers and fix it.
Orange
Many of us have felt that way. I currently have at least one quilt that I've put aside for now. My reason is that I had relatives say in a disgusted way 'Ugh, who is this for?" I was making it for them. Not any more. They will not receive a quilt from me in the future.
Good luck. I'm sure it has something to do with the direction your rows have been sewn in. Eventually you'll pick it up and use your seam rippers and fix it.
Orange
#17
I also understand. I am another one who puts it aside and comes back to it later. To get a better 1/4 inch seam allowance, I bought one of those magnetic seam guides. It has really helped me to keep me seams straighter - esp when i'm sewing on the binding(more layers, and they're thicker due to the batting)
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,789
I'm sure most, if not all of us have had a project that has made want to give it all up. set it aside for a while. your problem is probably from the direction the seams were sewn. common mistake. sit down some night and "unsew" for a while. when you start over, alternate seam directions and it will be fine.
#20
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
This can actually be a difficult quilt for the very reason you mention. Could you post a photo?
If the strips aren't too wonky, I would start by starching and blocking the strips into submission. (Sharon Schamber has some good videos on Youtube about how she stretches and shrinks wonky blocks to fit.) If they are still wonky after starching, I would look for a few places where I could separate and re-sew to "adjust" the strips. Worst case, I would look for a way to cut off any excessive wonkiness. *Only* after a lot of starching, though, to stabilize as much as possible!
Have you already cut the sashing strips? Next time I would *heavily* starch the fabric before cutting the sashing strips. This helps keep them from getting wonky too.
A book I have recommends not cutting the sashing strips at first. It recommends cutting a straight edge on your sashing fabric, then sewing your stacked coins strip to it before cutting the sashing fabric to size. They say this helps control the wonkiness. (Personally, I think heavy starching would help more.)
Very worst case, I would cut down the strips and make several crib quilts.
If the strips aren't too wonky, I would start by starching and blocking the strips into submission. (Sharon Schamber has some good videos on Youtube about how she stretches and shrinks wonky blocks to fit.) If they are still wonky after starching, I would look for a few places where I could separate and re-sew to "adjust" the strips. Worst case, I would look for a way to cut off any excessive wonkiness. *Only* after a lot of starching, though, to stabilize as much as possible!
Have you already cut the sashing strips? Next time I would *heavily* starch the fabric before cutting the sashing strips. This helps keep them from getting wonky too.
A book I have recommends not cutting the sashing strips at first. It recommends cutting a straight edge on your sashing fabric, then sewing your stacked coins strip to it before cutting the sashing fabric to size. They say this helps control the wonkiness. (Personally, I think heavy starching would help more.)
Very worst case, I would cut down the strips and make several crib quilts.
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