Frustrated with quilt
 

I am new to the board and have dabbled in quilting for a few years, nothing major. For the past year or so I have been doing more.

The current quilt I am working on has left me total frustrated. The pattern is from Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting Sept/Oct 2012. The name of the quilt is called Links (page 16 if anyone has this magazine). It is made using the Rapid Fire Lemoyne Star (I even bought the special acrylic tool it called for)

I followed the pattern instructions making the stars to a T, even double checking my work. The large stars came out at 11" square (suppose to be 9" finished) and the small star came out at 8" (suppose to be 6" finished). If I cut them down to the finished size then I will cut the tips of the stars off.

I precut all the fabric for this quilt. Now I have the star squares that are too big and all the fabric I cut that is too small. I feel like I have wasted time and money and not sure how to fix it.

HELP!

Isn't that just the pits? Several people have reported similar things happening to them lately. It's beginning to make a believer for me that I should always make a test block first just to verify that I know what I am doing and that the instructions are correct. I hope someone here can help you.

I've never made this quilt, but I checked out the pattern on Fon's and Porter pages, and teh instructions for using the rapid -fire tool. It is strange that your blocks came out 2" out of size. Can you figure out which step went wrong? It seems to me that you may have used the wrong lines on the tool when cutting your stars.
If you trim to 1/4" outside the star points, how big are your blocks?

Can you post a photo of your stars?

I see a couple of options, but both involve unstitching the stars at least to some degree. The fortunate thing is that your stars are too big, rather than too small, so recutting is possible.

I'm going to reference the steps on this page http://www.fonsandporter.com/content...oyne_Stars.pdf in the following suggestions.

1.
Less unsewing, but may result in stars that are a little differently shaped (long narrow diamond segments, rather than the true diamonds). If you want to try this, do it on only one star first, to make sure you are happy with the result.

- unsew the star into 4 quadrants (see picture J in the link above)
- Trim the *inside* corner off the square, to make each an even 5" square unfinished. Then, when you sew them back together with a 1/4" seam, you will have a 9 1/2" unfinished block, 9" finished.

For the smaller stars, trim the same way, but to a 3 1/2" square. That will give you 6 1/2" unfinished, 6" finished.

2.
I would say the "proper" way to fix it. Will give you exactly what you wanted, but requires more unsewing and you have to be sure you know exactly where you went wrong in the first place.

- unsew as above, but then unsew the diagonal seam on each quadrant, so that you have pieces as seen in picture I. Double/triple check which line on the ruler you are supposed to use, and very carefully align the right line with your coloured diamonds, as shown in the photo.

Trim the 2 outside edges along the sides of the rule. Re-sew with a careful 1/4" seam, double check the size of your new quadrants (should be as noted above - 5" and 3 1/2") and then resew the rest of the seams.

I know you are frustrated. Two suggestions Put it away for a while. in the mean time do something fun. As you progress in your quilting you will learn more and new techniques. Then it might go easier or make sense. Secondly, without seeing pics and not knowing the pattern i would suggest bordering the small blocks to bring them up to larger size(use background or similiar fabric.). I personally find F&P patterns from magizines to be a definite challenge.

There's a video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmvQOFxsnaQ and on the Fons and Porter website is this video: http://www.fonsandporter.com/article...ne_Quilt_Stars
Maybe you can redo the stars?

I watched the video on youtube, read and reread the instructions before I even started. I have gone over the steps several times and followed them exactly. I read and followed instructions before and during that came with the tool. And I am pretty sure I did them right as each square came our exactly 2" bigger then they were suppose to (actually 1 1/2" if you figure in the 1/4" seam allowance)

I'm thinking I am just going to have to buy more fabric a recut the fabric for the borders around each square

Oh dear! I just made a silly big mistake too. I made the blocks too big and didn't know until I spread it out on the bed and it was dragging waaay over the bed and on the floor everywhere. I've set it aside, but it's taken me a while to get over being so upset...like 6 months. But now that I've decided what to do, I'm ready to pick it up again. So, don't rush deciding what to do, but use your time looking around for ideas about what to do.

i like krista's suggestions. i would definitely unsew the blocks that are too large.

That's what I would do. The pieces that are too small are the beginnings of your next quilt.

Step back and punt. Put a sashing strip (coping strip) around the small blocks so that they will be the same size as the large blocks, put them all together and you will have a luvschoc67 original. I bought a Fons and Porter magazine for a particular pattern and discovered that all of the pattern was not in the magazine--so I had to draw it freehand and believe me, I'm no artist. But it turned out fine. However, now it is a froggyfowler original. froggyintexas

Have you checked with Fons and Porter to see if there was a correction to the pattern?

Just thinking: have you checked to see if there are corrections listed to that pattern? I make a test of all F & P blocks after several "mishaps" that had nothing to do with my skills or understanding. Just sayin'. That's a frustration no one needs. Here's hoping you find a good, easy solution.
Edit: Illinois beat me to the post!

I agree with cjr. Sometimes when you are a beginner quilt, you find yourself with a more difficult project. It would be like me trying to cook a Julia Child's recipe: definitely outside my cooking skills . :)

Put everything for this project away and start on something else. Then when you have added to your knowledge, then go back to it. I had a MAJOR problem with doing yo-yos in a F&P magazine. When I used their template, the yo-yos didn't come anywhere near to the size that was displayed in the pattern in their magazine. Went to look to see if there was a error posted and was amazed with how many mistakes were listed !! All I could think of was the old carpenter's saying, measure twice, cut once. GOOD LUCK and hang in there.

I recently was making a Hunter's Star project that was from the Love of Quilting magazine and ran into a problem. My solution was to pack up the project and go to my local quilt store and ask for help. I went at a rather 'slow time' so the very helpful clerk/teacher had time to help me. (You could also ask for an ad hoc appointment time.) I was then able to come home and proceed with the project. I have to say, though, that I am dismayed at some of the merchandising techniques in the industry. I feel that if I buy one of these expensive rulers that I should have full instructions for making the project. I should not have to buy an additional CD presentation to do a project. Some of these designers have great ideas but try to take advantage of quilters with the 'additional sizes or instructions'. It is no wonder that quilters share their rulers rather than purchase their own.

you ladies are amazing... always finding resources to help

I also would either add borders to the small pieces..or buy more material and make bigger pieces..the smaller ones can always be used in a scrape quilt later..and also maybe u could ask someone else who quilts to look at the blocks and directions and they might see what the problem is..Sometimes one person reads the direction different than another person..I just did that when making the card trick pattern..I was so mad at it..My friend looked at it..my pattern said 4 5/8 when was suppose to be 5 5/8 ..I had read it a dozen times and did not see it..I was o upset with it all..

Put it to the side for a bit. You are of a mindset now that you can't fix it and that will continue to frustrate you. Since you are a bit of a beginner, do another project that is a bit easier. Finishing it will start to rebuild your confidence. As you become more skilled, solutions to set aside projects often come to us. Or, if not a solution, another use for the squares - perhaps even splitting the squares into a couple different projects. Hang in there, we have all had projects that made us doubt our sanity!!!

when i start a new pattern i make a sample block before i cut into my good fabric!

I just pieced a wonky star medallion to attach to a shower curtain and for the first time I made a sample block. I found it very helpful since I have always been intimidated by stars and I did find a couple of errors on my sample that helped me get the "real" blocks right the first time.

That is just what I was thinking to do, makes a lot less work in the end. Bonus, you get a bigger quilt*Ü*

I agree with making the smaller blocks over with borders..Or buying new material and making bigger pieces to fit your stars..U can always use the smaller pieces later in a scrape quilt..also could u have a friend look at the directions and the blocks..another set of eyes can sometimes make the differences..I was working on the pattern card trick..Nothing was as it should be..I had a friend look ..My pattern called for 4 5/8's and 5 5/8..But in my mind I had change it to all 4 5/8's for some reason..I had read the pattern a dozen times..after she pointed it out to me.I of course saw it..I have a habit of speed reading..which is not always a good habit...maybe new eyes will help

I so know that feeling, usually when something goes wrong like that with me I'll just reconfigure it to my liking and move on(ie..put borders around the smaller blocks to fit your larger ones). Where there is a will there's a way. Don't get frustrated get even, show that quilt whose the BOSS....:thumbup:

I made the Links quilt last year. It was a dozzy. Re-read the instructions. I don't remember it now, all my sewing is downstairs. but I'm thinking that the square's are 11" and 9". I had a hard time with it also. I don't think I could have put it together without my design wall. Try putting them in the layout design and see if they fit together and look the way it is suppose to. If all fits into place and all the other parts fit, the size of the blocks will work out.

:( so sorry, but it has happened to me too-- things don't always work like they should, and in fact, most everything that I do seems to have a challenge to it!! -- sometimes there is a problem with the pattern instructions -- my bee did a row quilt which stressed the exact length of the rows -- guess what, nearly all of us had to trim at least an inch or two off the blocks to make the rows the correct length (too much coincidence for there not to be a mistake somewhere) -- sometimes a project just needs to be put aside for awhile -- I have a quilt that is nearly completed but just doesn't speak to me other than to say "I am here"!! -- good luck on some sort of solution to your problem!!

I think Deb Tuckers tools are supposed to make the blocks bigger....then you trim them down. But, I do think 2 inches bigger is a waste of fabric.