Help..Im Ready to Cry
05-16-2015, 05:28 AM
#31
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 187
Is it possible..u are folding ur fabric to cut ..and the fold is causing the small wave..or when u cut the cutting ruler is moving a little..I had this trouble at times..that is why I bought a slide lock ..it doesn't let the material move..or is it possible ..like we all do..u are picking ur quilt apart ..when it really isn't bad..unless u fight to get the piecing right as u sew..it really isn't bad..u will get it right..walk away..do something else..sleep on it..it will come to u..the only other thing I can say is..I don't pre wash either..I also do not use spray..I do iron..what needs to be iron..am carefully not pull ..so it stretches..if u put spray over the already seizing the companies use..since not pre wash..that makes for the possible stretch..good luck figuring it out
05-16-2015, 05:58 AM
#33
Power Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,131
Sometimes you need to talk to a person instead of watching u-tubes. I don't pre-wash my fabrics but I do starch and press my fabrics before cutting. I have made many Bargello quilts and never had wonky strips. A quilting friend showed me something that she does with placemat of the ruler but it is too difficult to explain in words. That change made my piecing much more accurate. I also prefer to oversize my blocks. Takes more time but then it is accurate. I find most of my problems with quilting occur from ironing. Hope you are able to find what works best for you.
05-16-2015, 06:09 AM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 453
Kathy, take a deep breath and relax (I would have a bite of chocolate too, but that's me).
So first question is do you pre wash and dry your fabric first? I find that this helps in a couple of ways - 1st it allows for any shrinkage or color running to take place (shrinkage is ALWAYS different with different bolts of fabric, even in the same lines - it's the fabric NOT us) - because you talk about ironing out wrinkles - if fabric hasn't been washed and you have stubborn wrinkles you can distort the shape of your fabric. 2nd this will allow you to use Best Press, Stay Flo, etc... (everyone has some kind fabric sizing that they like, so this is the time to use it). I always us something when pressing before I cut small or narrow strips (because if they are long strips, you can get some distortion or waves going). If you are strip piecing you also want to sew each strip in the other direction (ie: strip 1 & 2 sew down, then add strip 3 but turn and sew in the opposite direction), this too will help keep 'The Wave' away. Now when you press your seams you can press to one side or open, but no heavy ironing is needed so again 'The Wave' will stay away.
This is what has helped me, so I hope it helps. Good luck
So first question is do you pre wash and dry your fabric first? I find that this helps in a couple of ways - 1st it allows for any shrinkage or color running to take place (shrinkage is ALWAYS different with different bolts of fabric, even in the same lines - it's the fabric NOT us) - because you talk about ironing out wrinkles - if fabric hasn't been washed and you have stubborn wrinkles you can distort the shape of your fabric. 2nd this will allow you to use Best Press, Stay Flo, etc... (everyone has some kind fabric sizing that they like, so this is the time to use it). I always us something when pressing before I cut small or narrow strips (because if they are long strips, you can get some distortion or waves going). If you are strip piecing you also want to sew each strip in the other direction (ie: strip 1 & 2 sew down, then add strip 3 but turn and sew in the opposite direction), this too will help keep 'The Wave' away. Now when you press your seams you can press to one side or open, but no heavy ironing is needed so again 'The Wave' will stay away.
This is what has helped me, so I hope it helps. Good luck
05-16-2015, 07:22 AM
#35
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Northern, Utah
Posts: 973
I don't know if it will help, but I read that when sewing strips to reverse the strip each new sea, this is supposed to help prevent the waving and distortion. I haven,t done it yet as I haven't been working with strips on anything yet. But it is worth a try. Hope it helps.
05-16-2015, 07:47 AM
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 559
My suggestion is to cut lengthwise...with the grain...rather than across the width of fabric. I've found when I sew two strips together that are cut across the width my fabrics seem to be more uneven when I sew them than if I have cut them the length of fabric.
05-16-2015, 07:53 AM
#37
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,382
I starch my fabric and or iron it if necessary before I cut cause I have found out that once you get it just a little damp, it changes shape and/or size. I don't mind ironing as I keep my board and iron up all the time near my cutting table. If I'm going to be cutting small strips say 3.0 or less I'll starch heavily to help keep them from stretching out of shape.
05-16-2015, 08:50 AM
#38
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Benicia, Ca
Posts: 2,388
I have done away with all the gadgets, I figure if I am consistent when I sew the seams even if the seams is not precisely 1/4 inch, everything will look great in the end, and if you run by it you won't notice it.
05-16-2015, 09:43 AM
#39
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Idaho
Posts: 1,270
Originally Posted by ChattyKathy
If this has been discussed previously, sorry I missed it.
I have been quilting for about 6 years. I have actually made quite a few quilts, so I would consider myself an advanced beginner/early medium level. Now all of the sudden I feel like I am back to a negative level with my sewing just a straight 1/4 inch seam allowance.
I bought all the 1/4 inch gadgets/feet to help me insure that I sew a 1/4 inch. Still no luck.
Then I thought it was my cutting that was off. I bought a Fiskar Rotary Cutter & Ruler Combo last fall. And I still continued cutting what I thought was "wavy edge" or not straight enough seams 2 1/2 inch fabric strips. Thus, I still felt & measured that my blocks were off. Then early this year, I bought a Stripology Ruler. I thought this would be IT!!! and I would cut perfect 2 1/2 inch strips. Well no...I am still finding wavy fabric strips. I have discovered that after cutting the strips with the Stripolgy Ruler, and using Magic Sizing fabric finish when ironing my 2 1/2 inch fabric strips. After the strips dry, I have really wavy fabric. I am trying to remove the heavy folding creases in the fabric using this product.
I use a dry iron. Should I not even use any type of spray to remove wrinkles in my fabric? No I do not prewash. I hate ironing. I am proud of myself that I have gotten into the habit of ironing all my seams period to one side period.
(I mean I can not remember the last time I iron anything for myself to wear.)
How do I win this game??? I feel like I am back to before square one even...like I am an negative something.
I almost feel as if I was ahead when I was a total novice and never ironed just finger creased. Of course then my blocks all looked miserable compare to the other ladies' blocks in class.
My quilts always get compliments from everyone. So I make things fit. But, I would really really love to have flat fabric strips and be able to sew a good 1/4 inch seam allowance for quilting.
Thanks.
Kathy
I have been quilting for about 6 years. I have actually made quite a few quilts, so I would consider myself an advanced beginner/early medium level. Now all of the sudden I feel like I am back to a negative level with my sewing just a straight 1/4 inch seam allowance.
I bought all the 1/4 inch gadgets/feet to help me insure that I sew a 1/4 inch. Still no luck.
Then I thought it was my cutting that was off. I bought a Fiskar Rotary Cutter & Ruler Combo last fall. And I still continued cutting what I thought was "wavy edge" or not straight enough seams 2 1/2 inch fabric strips. Thus, I still felt & measured that my blocks were off. Then early this year, I bought a Stripology Ruler. I thought this would be IT!!! and I would cut perfect 2 1/2 inch strips. Well no...I am still finding wavy fabric strips. I have discovered that after cutting the strips with the Stripolgy Ruler, and using Magic Sizing fabric finish when ironing my 2 1/2 inch fabric strips. After the strips dry, I have really wavy fabric. I am trying to remove the heavy folding creases in the fabric using this product.
I use a dry iron. Should I not even use any type of spray to remove wrinkles in my fabric? No I do not prewash. I hate ironing. I am proud of myself that I have gotten into the habit of ironing all my seams period to one side period.
(I mean I can not remember the last time I iron anything for myself to wear.)
How do I win this game??? I feel like I am back to before square one even...like I am an negative something.
I almost feel as if I was ahead when I was a total novice and never ironed just finger creased. Of course then my blocks all looked miserable compare to the other ladies' blocks in class.
My quilts always get compliments from everyone. So I make things fit. But, I would really really love to have flat fabric strips and be able to sew a good 1/4 inch seam allowance for quilting.
Thanks.
Kathy
05-16-2015, 09:44 AM
#40
Super Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: California
Posts: 1,732
I often have the problem you describe. For me, not cutting the fabric on the straight of grain seems to trigger all this waviness. I tried starching the fabric before I cut it, but if I don't get the fabric perfectly straight before I press it, it gets cut off grain resulting in waviness. Even if I cut fabric perfectly, once the fabric gets wetted with the starch, it stretches and moves around. So I don't worry about it any more. I now cut the fabric, stitch it in place, then spray it with Best Press and press, then trim it straight. Or, if I'm doing a pattern like Log Cabin, I simply cut the outside strips a little larger, press, then trim it to size. I like Best Press better than starch because it seems that when I get a crease in the fabric it is easier to press the crease out with Best Press.
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