Seam Ripping Patterns
 

I recently had to take out four seams that were quite long. (more than 46 inches each). I stayed calm, and did it over a period of about 3 1/2 days.

Now....if you dare think about it,

I am wondering what pattern gave you the most trouble over the years? I do not want to cause any memory trauma, but which pattern made you have to get out the seam ripper the most? And, how much did you have to take out?

I bought two of these quilts off Ebay. My goal was to do easy, inexpensive, quilts until I could get my 1/4 inch seam done pat. The instructions were basically to make the blocks like the picture. I've been sewing a long time, so managed to figure out how to sew the different segments of the block to get several done. The I noticed something. One of the problems was that the block was shown as only one orientation, but you had to reverse the block for the other side. It made everything so much more interesting. Then I laid it out. Just knew I had it right. I very soon found out that taking a picture of the layout with my phone helped me find where I had sewed the blocks wrong. Took me 3 or 4 times to figure that out. Doesn't look hard, does it?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Quilt-Kit-C...4AAOSwMtxXvH7t

In the end, it was a very good learning experience for me. And the value of a good ripper cannot be overstated.

It took you 3.5 days??? Wow, you're way more patient than I. :thumbup:

For future reference: I attended a Ricky Tims seminar. He demonstrated (and had all of us try it with much success!) how to rip such seams within seconds. You rip the first couple of inches, then grab the fabric, one in each hand, and quickly pull it apart, as if you were ripping yardage. It works!

It works better for me to rip like that if I use a 2.5 (about 11 stitches per inch) metric stitch length. Problem is, I prefer a 2.0 (about 13 stitches per inch) metric stitch length so that the blocks won't come apart while I am handling them. It's not much difference, but it does change the dynamics of ripping.

I'm currently putting the top together for On Ringo Lake, this year's Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. I think this one has given me the most trouble. So far it seems I'm having to do most rows three times. I worked on it all weekend and it's still not done. Had to put it aside for now.

Oh, the 3 1/2 days were really evenings. I sew in the daytime and if something has to be taken out, I do that while watching the Olympics. That is how I managed to stay calm.

The quilt I'm working right now. Never ripped that much.
It was supposed to be a very simple quilt for my practice FMQ.
Just Quarter Square Triangles with sashing and cornerstones.
Easy peasy, right? Wrong. I didn't like the pressing and bulky
seams. So I ripped most of the sashing. It's a lot better now.
The FMQ is a different story but like they say...practice....bla bla bla.

I did a civil war panel quilt that took 25 Ohio stars and everyone of these blocks I ended up seam ripping because I lost the points. I ended up cutting them out a second time and redoing them....if this wasn't a 30th anniversary quilt for DH I would have scrapped the project or made an alternate block. I was so discouraged. I finally found a pattern for Ohio star that was better then the pattern instructions and they assembled beautifully. I was practically in tears...the quilt was a hit but it was bittersweet....

I once took out every bit of quilting on a lap sized quilt that I had heavily fmq’d... I’m not usually picky, being of the school that done is better than perfect, but that one was really going to bother me LOL!

Rob

I have always ripped my seams if it is a long run.