Just be sure when you are laying the ruler on the fabric, for rotary cutting, that the measurement line is right on the edge of the fabric, not off the fabric. As for templates, cut on the outside edge of the line, not inside.

Hope that helps.

Hi ladies, wow what inspiration! well I have laid quilting down for the weekend, I will pick it back up Monday

I love genealogy, this is one of my faves as well, , I also like to crochet, write short stories, yes I see what you mean. I had a neat sermon "hit me between the eyes" today, The pastor gave an example of basketball players, can someone go out there and shoot a basket? course not! when you want to be that famous basket ball player, you have to train for it. throwing that basket ball over and over and over again, thats learning how to be "basketball player"
well I got to thinking about what pastor said, same goes for anything else, quilting, crocheting, genealogy, theres steps to take to learn how to do whatever, takes "patience " too! wow! thanks group for advice , I really needed it! Mary

Yes, oh yes, and definitely yes......

I am new (to sewing and quilting) and I don't want to get frustrated and overwhelmed so that I give up ........I try and focus on how far I've come and know that the only way to improve is to practice......when I make a mistake, I try and find the answer so that I learn something

I concentrate on getting the cutting perfect, the rest I can rip out and redo until I am happy with it

....and I find the best remedy when I am frustrated is to come here and read or ask a question......the encouragement and suggestions offer a new perspective and are usually all I need to get "unfrustrated" (sp)

JudyNH

Mary, I'm a firm believer of the '10 foot rule' If it looks good from 10 feet away - it's good enough for me!!
Also, as someone stated earlier, after the whole is made the big mistakes you thought you made will be hard to find. Don't be hard on yourself, we are supposed to enjoy our addictions!! Have you thought to take a class at a local shop or looked for a person to help one on one? Do you belong to a guild? Ask there for help with your cutting. Quilters are always ready to help - you just need to ask.
Good luck and post a pic when you get a few blocks done. I'll just bet they aren't as bad as you think they are. We seem to be harder on ourselves than on others.

Ooh Yes, I recognise this. I'm working on a Josephs Quilt Along but mine turned out to be a disaster. Maybe this applique pattern is just to difficult for me. I quilted two times backwards and now I don't want to leave my ripper into the box no matter what happens to this quilt. I cant get the points straight together and I hate this project already. But I will finish it because I cut down a whole jellyroll for this quilt.. Wish me luck.

Lauren, I love your 10 foot rule! Thanks.

Mary, have you tried Clover Fork Pins? They make lining up seams so much easier. Take it from a blind quilter, my seams would be 99% worse without those pins.

I also like some mistakes. When looking at an old quilt, the mistakes or imprecision of old cuts seem sweet to me.

If you work on a sampler quilt, you might appreciate being able to see the growth of your skills as you progress.

Yes, when I get over my head, keep making mistakes, the quilt isn't coming together like it should, seams don't line up, tc. I think I am not good enough, I should sell my machine and all my fabric and I wouldn't have these headaches. But then I think how much I would miss it and reconsider. I am doing a BOM and have gotten frustrated with it and have put it up, I don't know if I can finish it or not. It was a Texas quilt for my husband so I probably will get it out one day.

This is what I like about quilting. When you get frustrated, you just put it aside in the U.F.O. drawer. When you're in a better mood, you work on it some more.I must in a wonderful mood these days. I took out all my U.F.O. finished four last week, three more to go!

Sometimes I get so frustrated I want to throw everything out in the yard! That is when it is time to leave the sewing room, chill out in front of the tv or do laundry or anything unrelated to sewing. Frequently after I get myself distracted by something else, I will have an "aha" moment and realize what I have been doing wrong and can go back and start over.

I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I realized that the tiny mistake that was driving me nuts would not even be apparent to most people! It was the most liberating moment of my life!

Hugsss, you are in the right place here, surrounded by new friends and cheerleaders on every side!! We all understand, from beginners like me to those who have many years of experience. I still struggle to keep my seams at 1/4" but at least am improving at seeing when they stray right away. To improve your self-esteem, just post a pic of one of your blocks, mistakes and all, and everyone will praise the things you have done right and make you smile and feel so much better. But no quilt police to pick it apart and criticize you, unless you ask for that kind of input.
Ask your questions and there will be answers galore with many options to choose from.
When you don't understand something, there are tutorials and pictures to study, and explanations when asked for.
It's a wonderful place full of wonderful people. Welcome and huggggggggggs, Linda aka wildyard