I made the biggest mistake in asking my daughter-in-law to pick out the pattern for her birthday quilt! She picked this argyle pattern.... :? :cry: It's all diamonds & parallelograms -> a word I'd never even heard of before!
I'm having a heck of a time getting the pieces sewn together. Am having to take out every seam at least once if not more, and I'm on the first block!
Does anyone have any idea on how to guage how to get the pieces lined up? They looked like they'd be sooo easy.... Ha. Not at all like doing regular straight seams!
And now it's worse, trying to match seams while putting the rows together that make up a block!
Thank you so much, for any help!!

It looks to me like you could just make squares in the correct pattern and turn them on point to get the same effect.
I would graft each block on paper to get the color scheme.
Put sashing between the blocks and calculate the end triangles and the side triangles.
I may be all wrong but that is what I would do.
:D

The bad thing with those diamond shapes is you have to pin, pin and pin everything. On one of the quilting shows I saw a while back, I believe it was an E. Burns show, she demonstrated the best way to pin these together. Basically, you put a pin 1/4 inch in the bottom piece up through where the seams come together, then put the same pin up through the top piece 1/4 inch in through where the seams come together. This keeps them from shifting as you sew.

This probably isn't a real great explanation. But maybe you can get the idea from it. It was probably one of those things you had to see to really understand. But hey, I tried.

Thanks so much, Mytwopals & Susiequilt!! I really appreciate your trying!
Mytwopals, I'm going to try and do your hint!!
Suiequilt, all the pieces are already cut out. The pattern directions had you cut everything out at 60 degree angles, etc, which I can't do. Too ADD. But it also had templates, so Katie came over for two afternoons and helped cut them all out.
I have two blocks done now... Am getting much better at sewing the pieces together, and my seams are about to be called good enough. lol!! ~ unless I can master Mytwopals hint!!
The pattern is in the Fall/Winter '09 Quilt Sampler magazine, should anyone else be game {crazy} to give it a try!

I recently saw an argyle pattern that didn't look as hard as all those not nice shapes. If you want I can dig through the pile of magazines.

Thanks Donna, but I already have all the pieces cut out, so I'm committed to this one. :cry: lol!!!
I took a break to get my hair cut, so will work on it again later this evening. At least I'm able to get the pieces sewn together better, just need to try Mytwopals idea on matching the seams.
:)

I would approach it differently - making strips of the 3 colors,(brown-gray-pink/white-brown-gray/pink-white-brown) then cutting the strips at 60*. I've done lone stars like that and they are so much more stable than dealing with extra bias. I'm wondering if a touch of glue stick could help keep the seams in place until they are sewn.

you might want to give the walking foot a try for piecing the block sections together.

it might help with the shifting problem and help with lining up the intersections.

Thanks Moonpi and Klue!
It's not so much as a shifting problem, as just sewing them together. I can't just line them up them edge to edge, as if they were regular straight cuts. To do that leaves them almost 1/4" off on the edges. This is the first time I've sewn diagonal cuts, and hopefully my last! lol!!!
Moonpi, I really like your idea! But my mind can't do degrees, etc! lol!!! Plus, I've already got all the pieces cut. {If} I ever do this again, I might look for some ruler that does the degrees for you, and try your way! It does sound much easier!
Thanks so much!! :)

Good lesson to learn. Don't let others pick the pattern! Get some ideas, then YOU pick out several choices of patterns that are on your level, and go from there. I had to learn that the hard way also!

Absolutely correct, Shemjo!!! I've learned the lesson! lol!!!! :)

Sooooooo......just went & got my magazine, it's not a pattern I would "choose" on my own, but very lovely & hope you can plug along & get it done. Maybe just tell her you want to slow down & do it at your own pace without a deadline? I don't work well under pressure myself. Just quickly looking at the pictures...they don't show you have to offset your seams or anythng while piecing the blocks...Look forward to seeing/hearing how you make out with it....it's a gorgeous pattern & I can see why she chose it....good luck!

I know Thimblebug6000, I had assumed they'd show some photos of how to do these seams! They must assume everyone knows how already, or that people wouldn't choose to do it, if they couldn't! Ha. lol!! Neither the pattern or the material she wanted are my cup of tea.... And she's told me I have 2 1/2 weeks before we're celebrating her birthday, as they're going to FL to see her folks soon. I might need an extension. lol!! Nah, I'll get it mastered, or freak out trying! lol!! :):)

How's the piecing going?

I always fold mine and make a crease, so i know I am lining up the middles, then pin the seams , and work any extra in. That looks like a hard pattern to me! LOL

Slowly Thimblebug6000.....
Thanks Ninnie!! I never thought of that! Duh. Will save me some ripping out!! :)
We just found out my DH needs surgery to remove part of his colon in the next couple of weeks, so I told Katie her quilt will be running a bit late.....

How's the quilt coming?

Slow but sure.... lol!!! I just started working on it again yesterday. It's almost half done.
Not a pattern I'd recommend! lol!!!
Pattern says 'intermediate', which I've never had a problem with before! But I discovered if I work on it consistantly, I keep the focus going on the seam offsetting, and do ok.
:) :)

It is gorgeous!

That pattern just thought it was getting the best of you...looks like you've got it going your way now! That's becoming one really stunning quilt top in a hurry! Sweeeet Victory!

Very very pretty

Thank you!!! :) :)

Just remember I forewarned you, should you ever try it! lol!!! Not only do you have to offset the seams, I have to focus on which color little diamond to put on each side...

The block by itself has to have one diamond redone. Just lovin my seam ripper with this one! lol!!

thats looking beatiful! you are going to be so proud once you finish and all the hard yakka will have been worth it...

It looks great ! :)

You are doing a fantastic job. Looks really good.

STARCH STARCH STARCH. Until it can stand on it's own. Then I would do the strip thing like has already been suggested.

It's looking great, keep going and you'll be done in no time.

awesome! you've got the thing going........need pics when it is done!

WOW!! You have done beautifully!! :-D :-D

That's really pretty. It's going to turn out great despite the aggravation. Hang in there!

Thank you!!! We had her birthday dinner tonight, and I showed her her partial quilt on the wall.... She LOVES it, and said she can't wait until it's done!!
I'll post pictures when it finally gets done!
Thanks again!!
:) :)

I also saw a Fons & Porter show where they were doing diamonds, and they pinned at the point where the seams overlapped...exactly where they overlap. Every point where they overlap. That's the secret. You can't line them up any other way.

Otherwise.....strip sets is the way to go with these.

Yeap, that's what I'm doing Jljack! :)
For matching the seams, I pin them on the 1/4" allowance, then open it up to make sure they match, & adjust if needed before sewing it.

For sewing the individual pieces together, I offset the top piece by the 1/4" allowance, which is sometimes a scant one.
And still have to rip a few of them out, but much less than when I started this!

I think one of the main issues I was having was it was right before DH had his surgery, etc, and I couldn't 'focus' enough on it.
:)

good idea