Piecing. What am I doing wrong?
#41
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bay Area near San Francisco
Posts: 1,213
Also, someone told me, once you've nested your seams, to pin at a 45 degree angle, rather than 90 degree and leave the pin in until the foot is just on it before removing. This has worked for me.
(I don't leave pins in any more - all I'm saying is - I'm glad I wear glasses for close work )
Good luck!
(I don't leave pins in any more - all I'm saying is - I'm glad I wear glasses for close work )
Good luck!
#42
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pueblo, Co
Posts: 663
I press my block after I finsh piecing, then square it. Then on to the next block. Sometimes I will sew the blocks in rows, other times in blocks of four. It all depends on the design. Also I press each row before adding the next row. It is much easier to press row by row, then the whole pieced top.
#43
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Heart of Colorado's majestic mountains!
Posts: 6,026
Lots of interesting suggestions.One not discussed is the thread size. Thread does take up space when the squares of segments in the square are pressed. If there are lots of patches in a square use a finer thread; the sections should be measured before moving on to the next step. As mentioned several times pinning carefully will keep the pieces from skewing as you move down the seam. Remember that the feed dogs always draw the bottom fabric a little bit-that little bit grows alot in a long seam if not carefully controlled. When I join long rows of blocks I use my walking foot rather than a regular foot-just like the process of adding long sashing and border strips. One more thought, when you mark your machine with tape for a consistent 1/4 inch seam be sure to elongate it behind the needle so that it feeds completely through the machine.
#44
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 865
As someone who has made several hundred quilts, I agree with all the suggestions above and have several other things to add:
1) If you are pinning but still get bad results, the pins are too thick. I use the flower head pins, long and thin. My seams match exactly 99 percent of the time.
2) When piecing, I often use a quarter inch foot. If you don't have one, use a blind hem foot and set the wheel to a scant quarter inch, and tape the wheel down.
3) If I have any doubts about accuracy, I use a METAL measuring devise often found in fabric stores. I looked for a picture for you and didn't find it. However, it is a more or less square shaped irregular piece of metal about an inch or two square and has measurements for 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch, 5/8 inch, and more. This is a must-have notion for me.
3) I use leaders and enders to stabilize the pieces I want to be accurate (all of them)
4) I use a trolley needle, worn on my finger, as a stiletto. You could use a seam ripper to guide that last part of the fabric through.
1) If you are pinning but still get bad results, the pins are too thick. I use the flower head pins, long and thin. My seams match exactly 99 percent of the time.
2) When piecing, I often use a quarter inch foot. If you don't have one, use a blind hem foot and set the wheel to a scant quarter inch, and tape the wheel down.
3) If I have any doubts about accuracy, I use a METAL measuring devise often found in fabric stores. I looked for a picture for you and didn't find it. However, it is a more or less square shaped irregular piece of metal about an inch or two square and has measurements for 1/4 inch, 3/8 inch, 5/8 inch, and more. This is a must-have notion for me.
3) I use leaders and enders to stabilize the pieces I want to be accurate (all of them)
4) I use a trolley needle, worn on my finger, as a stiletto. You could use a seam ripper to guide that last part of the fabric through.
Last edited by cricket_iscute; 02-21-2013 at 11:49 AM.
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