I Applaud Plaiders
 

Every once in a while I see a picture here that has used plaid fabric. I just know that if I tried to put some in anything that I do, it would turn out awful. Anyone who can get it to line up nicely deserves a prize. I tried cutting some once, and it just did not want to co-operate. So to you who make things look easy, I love looking at them.

I've noticed that a lot of plaids end up being crooked on at least one side. I actually find it charming.

a student once asked how to make a particular block. so before she came over i just pulled a few complementery fabrics from my scrap stash. one was a christmas plaid. we both sewed the block, she following along as i showed her the construction steps. i used the plaid. was one of the prettiest blocks i have ever made. she fell in love w it & i had to let her take it home w her lol. i fussy cut my plaids & stripes and use lines w/in the prints to use as stitching guides. no, the prints aren't on the straight of grain, but with careful stitching, it will work well. tho i too like the folksy appeal of off lines in the quilts i see, in my own little world, all things need to be neat, orderly and aligned :D

When you are right on top of it, assembling the block, it will bug you. but once it is all together in a quilt you don't notice the ones that are off. Give it a try.

I heard once that you should cut plaids at an angle not straight across the line of the plaid. Maybe look at that and see what it looks like

I agree. I go NUTS when the plaids are crooked but they do seem to blend in since plaids are normally very busy prints. This was in a F&P Love of Quilting magazine. They did a TV show on this pattern and Liz Porter did her sample in flannel plaids which inspired me to make this one.

I made a quilt for daughter #1 with plaid fabric for the sashing. Had to cut the plaid fabric very carefully, one layer at a time. Thought never again. Daughter #2 saw it and wanted the same exact quilt - dang, had to do it all over again. Now, daughter #3 is jealous that she doesn't have one also. I have more of the fabric, so guess that I will have to make her one too. Here is a link to the pictures that I put on here of this quilt:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...dd-t52342.html

I love plaids, and use them all the time, and not just by themselves or with solids. They look wonderful in scrap quilts, I also love checks and dots!!

Put me in the camp of fussy plaid cutters! LOL It really bugs me to see a plaid or striped border that "veers" but even smaller pieces in blocks need to be cut with the pattern not the grain for me.

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*** That quilt pic reminds me of a Warm Flannel Shirt.
*** Just beautiful.
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*** I use plaids in scrappy quilts and the twisted off square blocks gives them character.
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