Help with points on a star
09-10-2020, 07:55 AM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Illinios
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Help with points on a star
I am trying to make a quilt called Dashing Stars by MSQC, What I am having trouble with is losing the points on the points of the stars when I sew the blocks together. Some of them have a 1/4 inch on the tips and others there is hardly any. I tried to cut the fabric very carefully, but it still happens. Not on all the point but some and I know the quilt will look bad without the sharp point on parts of the star block. I try and sew a perfect 1/4 inch on all seams, I am using a 1/4 foot and go slow.
anyone know what I could do to help this problem.
anyone know what I could do to help this problem.
09-10-2020, 08:20 AM
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: The Deep South near Cajun Country, USA
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https://www.missouriquiltco.com/shop...-missouri-star
When I have problems such as you are describing, it is usually due to my not squaring up my HST's properly. This seems to be a good site to describe how to do it. https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2013...triangles.html I used Mr. Google and searched for How to Square up Half Square Blocks. There are so many good websites out there.
When I have problems such as you are describing, it is usually due to my not squaring up my HST's properly. This seems to be a good site to describe how to do it. https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2013...triangles.html I used Mr. Google and searched for How to Square up Half Square Blocks. There are so many good websites out there.
09-10-2020, 08:21 AM
#4
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
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Pictures will help a lot.
Getting perfect points is a skill level/work in progress thing. I used to be about being very precise both with my cutting and my sewing, and then about 10 or so years ago I started working with the idea of cutting/sewing large and trimming down for accuracy. There are things to learn about this way as well, like not all geometry is equal! But for me I getting better/more accurate results and I don't actually waste anywhere near the amount of fabric I was worried about but yes, there is some. I'm not talking huge amounts, just a 1/4" or so each piece and since I'm mostly doing strip piecing and using scraps it isn't an issue. Even with "planned" fabrics, I've never had to cut more than one extra row to make up for my cutting large.
When I can, I prefer to use the cut a square, draw a diagonal line and sew on the line. Trim excess and toss if it is small, make additional HST (half square triangle) units if it large and use for some other project or on the back. If you had heard the audible sniff of disdain frugal me would have done 20 years ago, you'd laugh at me now. For the time, the ease, the accuracy a bit of fabric is well worth the fun and better results I get now, even if I have to do a corrective trimming step each time.
Reality was I was checking my subunits for squareness and such things anyway -- now I just make it worth my time to handle the fabric and trim it instead of just shave a few hairs here and there.
Getting perfect points is a skill level/work in progress thing. I used to be about being very precise both with my cutting and my sewing, and then about 10 or so years ago I started working with the idea of cutting/sewing large and trimming down for accuracy. There are things to learn about this way as well, like not all geometry is equal! But for me I getting better/more accurate results and I don't actually waste anywhere near the amount of fabric I was worried about but yes, there is some. I'm not talking huge amounts, just a 1/4" or so each piece and since I'm mostly doing strip piecing and using scraps it isn't an issue. Even with "planned" fabrics, I've never had to cut more than one extra row to make up for my cutting large.
When I can, I prefer to use the cut a square, draw a diagonal line and sew on the line. Trim excess and toss if it is small, make additional HST (half square triangle) units if it large and use for some other project or on the back. If you had heard the audible sniff of disdain frugal me would have done 20 years ago, you'd laugh at me now. For the time, the ease, the accuracy a bit of fabric is well worth the fun and better results I get now, even if I have to do a corrective trimming step each time.
Reality was I was checking my subunits for squareness and such things anyway -- now I just make it worth my time to handle the fabric and trim it instead of just shave a few hairs here and there.
09-10-2020, 08:35 AM
#5
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Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
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Just wanted to add a note about drawing lines on fabric, pre-rotary cutters and rulers, it was how things were done for precision and accuracy even for hand piecing. You either drew your lines to show your seam lines, or you cut. Of course, pencil is only on the back side. Chances are good if you find a vintage top that there are pencil marks or maybe paper pieces from newspapers or catalogs.
You rarely see a pencil used on the tv shows, but if it is a help for whatever reasons, draw a line! I use it on my mitered borders. I'll put dots at that quarter inch corner for set-ins. Of course I use it for fussy cutting. If it helps, I do it. Because of when I started (just before the rotary revolution), I've never had a moment's unease about using pencil on fabric if I need/want to -- but it is sometimes a new concept to some beginners. Standard No. 2 pencil and maybe a white pencil are all I use.
You rarely see a pencil used on the tv shows, but if it is a help for whatever reasons, draw a line! I use it on my mitered borders. I'll put dots at that quarter inch corner for set-ins. Of course I use it for fussy cutting. If it helps, I do it. Because of when I started (just before the rotary revolution), I've never had a moment's unease about using pencil on fabric if I need/want to -- but it is sometimes a new concept to some beginners. Standard No. 2 pencil and maybe a white pencil are all I use.
09-10-2020, 08:53 AM
#6
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Join Date: Dec 2017
Posts: 1,866
Question for quiltlady1941: Do you want help with sewing the blocks together (and not losing points)? Or help with piecing the blocks so that they always have at least 1/4" by the tips? Or both?
I will give you some tips that may help with sewing together blocks with variable amounts of fabric by the tips. First, check to see if you have enough fabric by the tips to allow for enough fabric to make what you consider to be a durable seam. If not, then you have to choose between losing tips, or redoing the blocks to get more fabric by the tips. Assuming that you do have enough fabric by tips to work with, you want to make sure you sew at exactly the right spot. I suggest using a washable fabric pen or pencil (be sure to test it with your exact fabric!) to mark the sewing line from the back. Use a pin from the front to test whether you have right spot marked. Because of the width of folding over the fabric, I find it best to sew 1 or 2 threads (in the fabric) over from the exact tip. If you are matching up tips with *both* of the blocks that you are sewing together, put a pin through both of those tips, checking it from all four sides, and leave it vertical though the fabric. Then pin the fabric on either side of the vertical pin. (You can then remove the vertical pin.)
For avoiding the problem of not having enough fabric by the tips, one thing to be aware of is that it is common for sewing machines to want to veer off to one side near the end of a seam. (This is often caused by the feed dogs being designed for seam allowances wider than 1/4" - 5/8" seams are the norm in garment sewing with commercial patterns.) Take a look at your seams and see if this happening to you. For me, I find that a walking foot greatly helps with this issue. Other ways to help with the problem are to use scrap piece of fabric as an "ender" butted up the pieces you are sewing, or to use a stilletto to help guide the fabric through sewing the last bit of the seam.
I will give you some tips that may help with sewing together blocks with variable amounts of fabric by the tips. First, check to see if you have enough fabric by the tips to allow for enough fabric to make what you consider to be a durable seam. If not, then you have to choose between losing tips, or redoing the blocks to get more fabric by the tips. Assuming that you do have enough fabric by tips to work with, you want to make sure you sew at exactly the right spot. I suggest using a washable fabric pen or pencil (be sure to test it with your exact fabric!) to mark the sewing line from the back. Use a pin from the front to test whether you have right spot marked. Because of the width of folding over the fabric, I find it best to sew 1 or 2 threads (in the fabric) over from the exact tip. If you are matching up tips with *both* of the blocks that you are sewing together, put a pin through both of those tips, checking it from all four sides, and leave it vertical though the fabric. Then pin the fabric on either side of the vertical pin. (You can then remove the vertical pin.)
For avoiding the problem of not having enough fabric by the tips, one thing to be aware of is that it is common for sewing machines to want to veer off to one side near the end of a seam. (This is often caused by the feed dogs being designed for seam allowances wider than 1/4" - 5/8" seams are the norm in garment sewing with commercial patterns.) Take a look at your seams and see if this happening to you. For me, I find that a walking foot greatly helps with this issue. Other ways to help with the problem are to use scrap piece of fabric as an "ender" butted up the pieces you are sewing, or to use a stilletto to help guide the fabric through sewing the last bit of the seam.
09-10-2020, 10:15 AM
#7
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Join Date: May 2017
Location: Sunny Florida
Posts: 4,422
In the tutorial, it is mentioned that the solid squares added in the corners should be"about" 6 1/2 inches. That would relay that the HST should be 6 1/2 inches too. They can be off from the stitching line or cutting line. Check the 1/4 inch seam to make sure it's not off on the machine.
Good luck!
Good luck!
