Lone Star Quilt gone wrong
#31
Say, can you place all eight diamonds so that the "arms" at
the side-center < > all match up and take another picture?
What I'm thinking is that if you can make the seams match from the side center most points of the diamonds, all the way down except for the final points in the center of the block, you might be able to make a circle or one piece star of the dark pink fabric to cover the uneven center points. Then the outer arms of each large diamond would still be a little bit off but since they are spaced so far apart it probably wouldn't be noticed by anyone but you. What 'cha think?
the side-center < > all match up and take another picture?
What I'm thinking is that if you can make the seams match from the side center most points of the diamonds, all the way down except for the final points in the center of the block, you might be able to make a circle or one piece star of the dark pink fabric to cover the uneven center points. Then the outer arms of each large diamond would still be a little bit off but since they are spaced so far apart it probably wouldn't be noticed by anyone but you. What 'cha think?
#32
My first quilt was a Lone Star which is really not a beginner quilt, but I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment...LOL
First I tried the strip method and mine didn't work either, so I feel your pain. I think they may have been better if I had starched heavily before cutting, but I didn't know to do that. Anyway, I ended up cutting individual diamonds to make my star and used the diagonal strips in the border.
I know this isn't much help, but I do understand your frustration. Maybe these great quilters here can help. Your fabric choices are wonderful.
Good luck!!
First I tried the strip method and mine didn't work either, so I feel your pain. I think they may have been better if I had starched heavily before cutting, but I didn't know to do that. Anyway, I ended up cutting individual diamonds to make my star and used the diagonal strips in the border.
I know this isn't much help, but I do understand your frustration. Maybe these great quilters here can help. Your fabric choices are wonderful.
Good luck!!
#34
How about trimming them all to the same size? It will be a little smaller and the diamonds might not line up, but hey, with the pretty fabric you have, probably no one will notice. AND IF THEY DO hand them a seam ripper and showthem where the sewing machine is!
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Glenmoore, PA
Posts: 7,941
Originally Posted by jillaine
Sigh...
Despite what I had believed to be accurate measuring, sewing and cutting, I clearly did something wrong because my lone-star diamonds are not "right". Now I have eight worthless 6x6 diamonds and I don't know what to do with them. I am horrified that I've done all this work and that I didn't catch the problem right away. I mean the diamonds are catty-wampus. Any suggestions for what to do with these, other than cremate them?
Despite what I had believed to be accurate measuring, sewing and cutting, I clearly did something wrong because my lone-star diamonds are not "right". Now I have eight worthless 6x6 diamonds and I don't know what to do with them. I am horrified that I've done all this work and that I didn't catch the problem right away. I mean the diamonds are catty-wampus. Any suggestions for what to do with these, other than cremate them?
#36
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 601
I agree, but measure some of the others as well. I see some light pink and some white that aren't true diamonds. I'm wondering if you measured incorrectly when cutting some pieces.
It looks to me that the pink print diamonds between the dark pink and light pink aren't true diamonds. Maybe that is where your problem starts. Measure them and see. I have never done one of these, because I know I would make a mess of it. But I say starch and lots of it.
Originally Posted by grann of 6
Originally Posted by jillaine
Sigh...
Despite what I had believed to be accurate measuring, sewing and cutting, I clearly did something wrong because my lone-star diamonds are not "right". Now I have eight worthless 6x6 diamonds and I don't know what to do with them. I am horrified that I've done all this work and that I didn't catch the problem right away. I mean the diamonds are catty-wampus. Any suggestions for what to do with these, other than cremate them?
Despite what I had believed to be accurate measuring, sewing and cutting, I clearly did something wrong because my lone-star diamonds are not "right". Now I have eight worthless 6x6 diamonds and I don't know what to do with them. I am horrified that I've done all this work and that I didn't catch the problem right away. I mean the diamonds are catty-wampus. Any suggestions for what to do with these, other than cremate them?
#37
Originally Posted by almostfree
This has scared me from trying a Lone Star! My daughter wants one, but I don't think I'm ready for it just yet.
-- Jillaine
#38
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Michigan
Posts: 11,276
How about picking out the four that are the closest and making a half star? Sort of like a rising sun? Would be a great wall hanging above a doorway. Add fabric and make place mats out of the rest. The fabric is way too pretty to abandon. Please let us know what you decide! I think we are all as invested as you are in this project.
#39
My morning walking friend raised an issue I hadn't thought about last night. If I *do* try to resize with starch (and she had an extra can she gave me), what happens when the quilt is washed? This is meant to be a bedspread (ultimately). Am I doomed to a wall hanging?
By the way, this pattern is from Jan Krentz's Lone Star Quilts & Beyond. It's a variation of the quilt on the cover, as well as those on pp 44-45. Although why I chose to do 6x6 instead of 4x4 is beyond me. Probably because of the fabrics I had on hand. I make quilts "backwards" -- I go to the store, fall in love with the fabric, buy enough (hopefully), then pick a pattern.
(Almost Free: start with a 4x4, not a 6x6!)
To the person who suggested I align the "arms", I tried that; look at the original photo I posted and note the arrows I added. They point to the fact that the "arms" do not align at all.
Can anyone point me to a youtube or other video that describes the basics of starching quilt pieces? I.e., that includes things like what needs to be underneath the fabric; what is used to pin the fabric TO, etc. I've never learned those kinds of basics. (Clearly!!!) ;-)
Thanks again; you're a wonderful group of people.
-- Jillaine
By the way, this pattern is from Jan Krentz's Lone Star Quilts & Beyond. It's a variation of the quilt on the cover, as well as those on pp 44-45. Although why I chose to do 6x6 instead of 4x4 is beyond me. Probably because of the fabrics I had on hand. I make quilts "backwards" -- I go to the store, fall in love with the fabric, buy enough (hopefully), then pick a pattern.
(Almost Free: start with a 4x4, not a 6x6!)
To the person who suggested I align the "arms", I tried that; look at the original photo I posted and note the arrows I added. They point to the fact that the "arms" do not align at all.
Can anyone point me to a youtube or other video that describes the basics of starching quilt pieces? I.e., that includes things like what needs to be underneath the fabric; what is used to pin the fabric TO, etc. I've never learned those kinds of basics. (Clearly!!!) ;-)
Thanks again; you're a wonderful group of people.
-- Jillaine
#40
Originally Posted by jillaine
My fear about re-sewing is that the bias-- which is probably already stretched from my poor attempts to "make it fit gosh darn it!" -- is too far gone.
This started out stripped, and it's quite possible that my 1/4" weren't 1/4" from the beginning which means undoing everything down to the individual diamond, correct?
I'm not sure I have the heart for that (6x6x8=288). So I'm now wondering if anyone has suggestions for something to do with these catty-wampus parallelograms other than a lone star.
I'm so heart-broken. Do you really think it's worth it to take it down to 288 pieces and start over?
jss
This started out stripped, and it's quite possible that my 1/4" weren't 1/4" from the beginning which means undoing everything down to the individual diamond, correct?
I'm not sure I have the heart for that (6x6x8=288). So I'm now wondering if anyone has suggestions for something to do with these catty-wampus parallelograms other than a lone star.
I'm so heart-broken. Do you really think it's worth it to take it down to 288 pieces and start over?
jss
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