Help!!
 

Hello everyone, I am new on here, and to quilting. I just finished my first quilt and I loved every minute of it! However, I ran into a problem after washing it for the first time. I made a jelly roll quilt for my first quilt and then added a border to it to make it a little bigger. I just did a simple criss-cross pattern for the quilting. After I washed it, some of the stitches from the jelly rolls frayed and came undone between the quilting (which are about 3 inches apart).

I am wondering what would be the easiest and most efficient way to fix this problem so that way I can start to enjoy my quilt. I really would appreciate any help anyone can offer me! Thank you!

Do you have enough fabric to re-tuck and maybe topstitch with a decorative stitch in a matching thread?

Congratulations on your first quilt! An easy solution for the frayed spots is to add applique to cover them.

The more important question is why it happened. Did you sew with a 1/4" seam or maybe a little less than that?

Never had that prob.
how about zig zaging over every seam, maybe use a fancy stitch.
its all part of the design...you ment to do it.

Welcone from long island ny

I sewed it with a 1/4 inch seam. I think what happened is just some of the jelly roll strips were starting to fray without my noticing and I maybe got too close to them in the first place? I can see where the gaps are that that is what happened but it only happened in a few spots so i'm assuming that is what happened.


I don't have any more of the fabric to cover it so I would either need to just use different fabric or stitch over/around it somehow to fix the problems without it being super obvious that I messed up!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]374347[/ATTACH] Here is a picture of what i'm talking about in case I didn't explain it very well!

[QUOTE=lynnie;5634474]Never had that prob.
how about zig zaging over every seam, maybe use a fancy stitch.
its all part of the design...you ment to do it.
I think you're right just to ensure there are no other spots that come out with continued use and washing. Covering the spots with appliques will help and they don't need to match, just blend. You can buy ready made or make something up, even yoyos would work. Welcome to the board and congrats on your first quilt.

It looks like there isn't any quilting in the area where the fabric frayed. It allows the fabric to move and pull during washing. I would tuck under the places that have frayed and do some topstitching to secure it. Then I would do more quilting all over....maybe using a deco stitch along the seams, they certainly won't pull loose then! I use a deco stitch along the seams all the time, gives it a crazy quilt look.

I would hand stitch those oopsies closed again. Just tighten the seam up a bit, make sure you are sewing through intact material. In that a big a project it won't be very noticeable. The idea is to basically applique the top strip to the bottom strip. Then if you want to go crazy with fancy stitches on top - go for it! And remember - we all make mistakes, that's how we learn what NOT to do. Keep checking to make sure the strip on the bottom hasn't shifted while you are sewing.

Thank you all for the feedback!! I think I have a pretty good idea of what to do now and I defnitely feel better about my oopsie! Do you guys think I should add some more quilting so they are closer together or if I just do some sort of stitch over all seams that would be enough?

Contgrats on your first quilt!!
You can also get some light weight knit fusible interfacing. Tuck it into the quilt, with the fusible side up, then pin the fabric in place, as the other posts directed. USE A PIECE OF COOKING PARCHMENT< OR A NON STICK PRESSING SHEET on top of your quilt, then press according to the instructions for that interfacing. This will stablize the fabric. I would then stitch over it. Be sure to put something between the iron and the quilt or you might get stuff on your iron.
I would do sort of a wiggle stitch over the seams if you think that there may be additional areas that had a slightly too small seam. Just a wave that crossed back and forth over the seams.

On my computer this fabric looks like flannel. If it is, that may be the problem as flannel usually frays more than cotton quilting fabric. I'd follow the suggestion for using the fusible and then using a decorative top stitch. If you use flannel again use a wider seam allowance.

I agree with Buckeye Rose, you really need to quilt more. If you read the quilt batting package, it will tell you the maximum distance apart that your quilting can be. Most of the 70\30 and 80\20 cotton blends need to be quilted 4-6 inches apart. Some brands will let you quilt farther apart than that. I really like the colors of your quilt and it should last you a good long time with a little more quilting.

The fabric is not flannel.
The quilting is only 4 or 5 inches apart at the very widest parts too...

Hi Samantha, - it looked like flannel to me too so I was going to say that flannel naturally frays more, but the fix would be the same. Follow the advice of PaperPrincess with the fusible tucked under the fabric, and then if you have a decorative stitch on your machine, topstitch along the seams. I think it will add a nice decorative element and look like you planned it. Congratulations on your first quilt - I love the pink fabric with reindeer.

Thanks again everyone. As I said I'm new to this so I really appreciate all of the tips and advice! Will the fusible just kind of act like glue and hold the fabric down? I'm not really familiar with it....

I hven't read through the whole thread so don't know what the others suggested. I had this problem once and someone suggested that when I put my two pieces of material together to start sewing my 1/4' seam and I make sure that I can see my botton material. Not by much but see it so that it isn't slipping under the top material. I do that now and it works very well.

And IF the fabric seems to be likely to fray more, you could treat the edges with "Fray-Check" before restitching them.

I have had this same problem with a flannel baby quilt. Although I purchased the fabric at a reputable quilting store I did note that the weave of the fabric was quite loose, and should have known better than to just do a 1/4 inch seam allowance. I have learned my lesson and make sure that the weave of the fabrics I use is a good tight weave.

For mine there was no solution, but I sewed beside each and every seam and and he dragged it around till it fell apart. I think it was the fabric, not the quilter which caused the problem.

Congratulations on the completion of your first quilt. Sorry it didn't hold up really well. Looks very pretty.

amh

You could close those seams with a ladder stitch. Make sure that the new stitching is a quarter inch from the edge. Nobody but you (and us) will ever know you had a little problem.

Also make sure that you use firm material (tightly woven) and not loosely woven too soft fabric that can pull out from the stitching. Your photo looks like you perhaps did not use a 1/4" seam. If you use such fabric again, make your seam deeper. Ditto sewing them down where they have raveled and then use a decorative stitch to make sure they do not come undone again. Could you glue the fabrics down while you attempt to sew them down once more? Good luck and show us what you do so we can learn from you.

I've had this happen. What I did was gently tuck one side (seam) over and lightly hand stitched down. No one but me knew about it!

I have repaired old tops before just using a needle and thread and a blind stitch. You can do it.

Be sure and use fraycheck before stitching so it doesn't keep pulling out! Should be fine either stitching by hand or machine. Happy quilting!!

I had this happen to me once on a very expensive fabric. I was very careful with my seams but this happened anyway.

You've received great information here. :thumbup:
Congratulations on your first quilt. And welcome to quiltingboard.

I'd just handstitch where it's coming undone and call it good. Quilting is definately a learning process.

I think both the thicker fancy stitch or hand sew would work great! So sorry about your problems......it could be worse,I know from some of my mistakes. Would love to see a full picture of your quilt, it looks beautiful.

I'd handstitch them. I don't think you'd notice it.

I'd use fray-check on the frayed edge, put the fuseable interfacing under the area, and top stitch with a very narrow zig-zag stitch.

I had this happen with jelly roll quilt. Luck was with me as I had not sandwiched it yet. I redid the seams where it was frayed. You could put some "Fray Stopper" on it (can get this at any fabric store) and then decorative stitch over it. My question is did you use a walking foot. If you don't have one, get one. This foot keeps fabric layers even when stitching.
I had my manual to my sewing machine and was able it order one online. I use the walking foot all the time now.

It just looks like some of the seams got a little narrow. That's okay! It has happened to all of us at one time or another! Just lap the side with the most fabric on it over the other side, then hand or machine stitch over it. If you want to really cover it and don't have any more fabric, just remember that all fabric in a quilt usually doesn't come from the same line. You could also use bias tape or rick-rack to hide it. There are bunches or creative ways to cover our booboos. You did well for a beginner. Just keep it up!

I think I would fold over the fabric, and hand stitch in place where the fabric decided to "sneak out". I think I would then do a small zig -zag stitch over the rows to make sure none of the other fabric decides to "sneak out" too. First of all, congratulations on making the quilt, and although I've been quilting a long time, sometimes I've had the same problem. Whatever you do, don't quit quilting because of one possible mistake, after all the Amish deliberately put in a small "mistake" because only God is perfect. I don't need to do that,as I can make a mistake all on my own., LOL

If you need to fiddle with it to get it all lined up before stitching down, I'd use Elmers SCHOOL Glue...the school glue is actually a thick starch and will wash out easily. But, meanwhile, you can adjust and press with your fingers until you have it just right.Then iron it down, using a piece of parchment so your iron doesn't get sticky and proceed to stitch it tightly. Every quilt gives us it's own lessons!

Thanks again everyone! I'm heading out right now to my local craft/sewing store for some Fray Check and a fusable interface! I will keep everyone posted!

Use Wonder Under by Pellon. It comes in different weights and if I were you, I would use the lightest one. I have had this happen to me with LQS fabric that frayed like the dickens and I put the WU under the seam using a piece about 1/2 inch on either side of the seam. Then slip stitch the fabric together by hand and follow the directions for the WU.
After that, if you want to put decorative stitches on every seam, you will probably have seams that are indestructible!
And you can also say that it is just the way you planned it, which will be absolutely true. After all, that's what a fourth down punt is--something preplanned. froggyintexas

I'm too new at quilting to say anything except I'm so sorry this happened to you. As the old saying goes better luck next time and with the advice from all these good quiltrs on the QB am sure you'll do great next time.