i am starting a new project a quilt pattern by darlene zimmerman i am makingafour path and a pinwheel block i noticed she says after sewing the 4 oieces together to make the block to twist it together in the middle to loosen the stitches anyone ever here of this before and why ??

thank you

that is suppose to say a four patch im sorry it is late and i have been cutting my 3 in squares

maybe so the middle wont pucker when it's all sewn together? I dunno, only thing I can think of.

I think i read that recently for pinwheel and other patterns that have a lot of seams coming together in the centre, i haven't heard it's to loosen the stitches, i heard it's to help the seams kind of spiral together so they lay nice and flat in the centre.

:roll: interesting I'll have to remember that and see the difference.

I think Barb.M is right its to keep your seems lying flat and all going the same way Wilma

Thank you everyone i will try it wow i learn something new everytime i come to this forum
and that is a good thing !!!!!!!

Eleanor Burns is the one I've seen do it, especially on a pinwheel block. It really does help the center lay flatter. You do have to loosen the threads down to the intersecting seam or it won't work though. It will make a little pinwheel on the back where you mush it flat, then all the seams will press in a spiral to the left (at least that's the direction mine seem to go). On a 4-patch it forms a little 4-patch on the back.

good tip. I made the pinwheel and had a lump in the middle, so practiced and practiced & still couldn't get rid of it. Needless to say, I don't have a quilt top out of that pattern LOL.

than you BJ so do i just twist the intersection ???

would think that would make the stitches 2 loose and they would come out
anyone know how tight do you twist them so the stitches dont fall out ?

maybe giving you wiggle room, like the no pucker idea... good guess on that one !

Ellen

I love to use thangles for the pinwheel square !! you can do some fun designs with that one !!

ever try them?? found them in Kansas too.

a quilt show find. I love quilt shows.. lots of fun tricks to use! bough a jelly thimble too !!

color coated for size.. gotta watch out for those colors.. they mean something !!!

Ellen

Barb ! That has to be the answer !! too much bulk !! Good one !!

Ellen

I don't twist it...I use my seam ripper to loosen the thread down to the seam. Where the seam is locks the thread from there to the edge in place. Then I just kindof mash it with my finger and then press the seams on the back all going the same direction in a spiral. I'll post pics, but I don't know how clear they'll be. edited...not very clear on a couple!

more

Here's a pinwheel/hour glass block. Shows you can do it with just 4 pieces joined also.

thanks of much for the pictures !!

pictures are such great help ! Thanks for all of them !!

wow thank you so much for the picture it is making sense now i think i need to go try it on a practice piece seeing it done is how i learn easier

thanks!!!!!!!!

great job bj, that should help her understand with the visual aide...

I used this method when I did the garden patch quilt. It makes the points on the back side lay down like a pin wheel patterns and that makes the quilting easier without so much bulk. I never had to take any stitches out to twist them. They are loose enough when you don't knot them at the end of any seam.

You pull out the stitches that are in a straight line down to the seam, then press with your finger and you get a nice flat circle. Its hard to explain but so simple. Watch El Burns do pinwheels.

The stitches are loosened on the first sewn pieces. The longer seam is left intact.