OK - all you who have done this fun quilt. I have put all my hexagons on the design board and started making my strips that will then get sewn together.

My question is...do you cut off the points after you make the strip? I know I wasn't supposed to cut them while sewing, but now I have long strips with ears sticking out on each side?

Second question...if the strips aren't perfectly straight do you keep taking them apart and redo or do you straighten them by cutting?

That is all I need to know for now...thanks.

I don't cut off my points, but I don't know what the K-Queens (k3n & katrine) do. K3n has a you-tube tute about sewing the strips together you should check out. Whatever you do, don't cut anything. They may not seem straight because the bias has been stretched. You may be able to starch them back into submission.

I can't find a tut that talks about sewing the strips together. I only saw one when I did a search. Any suggestions on how to find it?

I have the same question

Here is the link to k3n's video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUnPD...=youtube_gdata

This teaches you how to sew the strips together. She cautions you to be very careful NOT to stretch the bias edges. This is absolutely necessary while sewing the hexs together also. I think that is probably what happened to make your strips wonky.

Can you post a pic of your strips?

Thank you that was very helpful. She copied my OBW!! :lol: I am using that same fabric. Funny.

I think you are right about the bias, I know I switched some of the triangles around because I liked the look better. I guess that was a no no.

There are 2 issues one is that the row has a couple triangles that didn't line up. Pic 1. The other is probably the bias problem - wavy.

OK, for those that don't line up, then yes, I would take them apart and resew them. For the stretched ones, once the entire top is together you can probably starch them into submission again! :P :P

It looks good. And I don't think she copied you. I sent her that fabric last year, and we started a group OBW. Here's the link:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-92198-1.htm

And I don't think she copied you. I sent her that fabric last year, and we started a group OBW. Here's the link:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-92198-1.htm[/quote]

I was trying to be funny....I just happen to buy the same fabric...I didn't see the other post either. Guess I just had good taste.

I will work on the submission thing! Thank you SO MUCH.

Yeah, I know, I was just messing with you! :lol: If one edge is just a little off, you don't need to resew that one, just line them up the best way you can. When Kathryn and Katrine (the K-Queens) get up this morning they'll probably check in and give you more advice.

No, don't cut the points off in OBWs. They are helpful for matching up - actually the books say "don't" as well.

Hello all, were my ears buring? LOL And as for the copying thing, it's the sincerest form of flattery isn't it? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Why don't you come and post your progress on the Floral Master group thread? I thought it would be fun to see the different results we all got from working with the same fabric - some ppl are even doing octagons with it. :-D

I agree with Gai about the resewing in that case I'm afraid (the first pic I mean) - a little bit of mismatch can be starched and/or quilted out but too much and you'll get peaks and troughs. :-D

PS In the book, she tells you to line up the dog ears of the rows, pin and then sew the rows together. And not to worry if there were mismatches as the pattern is so busy blah blah.. This wasn't accurate enough for persnickety me so I applied the same principle of vertical pin to match the points then horizontal pin as shallow as possible that we use in the layering of repeats process to joining the rows together as I show in my You Tube video. This is in no way intended to replace the book or imply that you can make an OBW without it - it is only intended to demonstrate my personal method of dealing with that stage of the process. I also show my 'wiggle and press' technique for pressing an open seam. The link is above in Gai's post - thanks Gai. :-D

PPS Re switching the triangles - I know lots of ppl do it just for fun and it's fine but I only do it to avoid repeats of the same block or if I feel I have to manipulate the design a certain way, eg to emphasise a particular colourway. If you put a colour in the centre of a block, in general it has more impact than it will round the edges.

Anyway, of course you can switch every block around if you like but you have to then be really careful of the bias. I don't starch my fabric before cutting and layering - the first starch it gets is at the pressing of seams when sewing the blocks stage. This is because a) the fabric should be unwashed so it still has it's sizing from the manufacturing process tus starch isn't necessary and b) I feel the wetness of the starch may distort the pattern repeat, especially in a lower grade fabric with a smaller thread count. But that's my personal feeling. I know lots of ppl who starch liberally. Just be gentle with that bias!

Ahhh....now humbly bowing to the K-Queens /> /> (that is me bowing) You are all royalty in my book!

Thanks for all the input. I am correcting some of the seams that I can figure out what I did wrong on and will now check in with my progress on the other thread.
Thank you all - this has been very helpful.

Excellent! Look forward to seeing you over there! And no need to bow - just throw flowers and that will be fine! LOL

the colors are really pretty in your quilt