In search of constructive criticism
 

Hello,

being pretty new to quilting im still learning. I have limited chances to get direction in person so have been using mainly video’s and books to try and learn. This is my latest attempt, found from a Missouri star tutorial, I’ve found it much easier to follow video directions rather than written directions. I would really appreciate feedback ... for instance, I see my points aren’t all touching but really don’t know what I did wrong? What other things do I need to work on? All help is greatly appreciated!

I think it looks very good for a beginner. We all see our own mistakes and are our own worst critic. What I can say is keep going, you're doing better than I did when I first started quilting. Skills get better with practice. It took me several years before I made a quilt top with out an obvious mistake in it. At the rate you're going it will be much sooner for you.

Cari

It looks lovely! If you are talking about your outer points, you don’t want them to touch the edge. They need to have a quarter inch beyond them for the seam allowance, so the points don’t get cut off when you sew the block to other blocks. Yours look perfect on that score!
Just be sure to cut accurately, sew a scant 1/4” seam, and keep practicing.

Welcome to your new hobby, quilting. This is a great first attempt. You probably wont find anyone to criticize your work here. We look, admire, and sometimes share tips and techniques. I recommend you enjoy your first quilt, and know that improvement comes with practice, practice, practice. youtube is filled with visuals on techniques, I found one that might help you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq5DFn6fc6U which is titled " the Best tools to Improve your Quilting Accuracy". Note that one of the downfalls of this hobby is that we tend to be over critical of our own selves and our own work. Don't that discourage you. Mush on. Most of us won't see anything "wrong" with your lovely creations.

I looked at this and thought 'great quilt, it's lovely', and that I will put this on my bucket list to use up fabric for Linus quilts. After I read your comments about your points, I had to go back and look. It wasn't something that I'd noticed.

Keep on sewing and the basics, seam allowances, checking points etc, will become second nature.

You asked, so don't shoot me.....I'm meticulous when it comes to matching up points. This would drive me nuts. But that's me. My first quilt was a Lone Star kit. I had hundreds of little diamonds to sew together & match points. I did a lot of ripping before I got them all right. The more you do, the better you get at it, the easier it gets.

If you haven't trimmed off any of the points after you stitched, you could rip them out & try again. I would suggest you take your time. Slow & easy wins the race when it comes to many detailed quilts. I would suggest you mark your points at 1/4 inch & pin before sewing. I like to use a white chalk pencil. Some of the colored chalks may not wash out. Use a walking foot if you have one. When sewing on the bias it often stretches, so the walking foot will help. Let the machine do the work, do not pull on the fabric. Instead press down on the fabric & let it feed thru the machine. Do a test sew & make sure the needle enters the fabric at the 1/4 inch mark or scant 1/4 inch. Accurate seams are a must when piecing. Use a seam guide.

When working with fabric that will have bias edges it helps to starch it before cutting & sewing. You can still starch & Press, not iron, your pieces. Pressing is just setting the iron down, picking it up & moving it & setting it down. Ironing is moving it across the fabric. That can stretch it. Pressing retains the shape.

Love your color choices. It's going to be very pretty.

Best wishes.

The first quilt I made (4 years ago) is on my bed...I was proud of it when I made it and prouder still when I see all the “mistakes”...few points are correct! ;-). Every time I make another quilt it’s more “perfect” showing my getting more accurate in cutting, seams, etc. my most recent is Deb tucker’s New Years star (pm me if you want to see it) and all points are correct, did cornerstone borders and vertical and horizontal sashing. Your block is fine...keep it as it is and use it as the “measure” of your growth...you’ll be amazed at how you progress...as you merge with your machine you will learn it’s quirks...a quarter inch seam is not the same machine to machine or even quarter inch foot to quarter inch foot. Use the Amish principle...only God can make something perfect, and even God had to do a “do-over”. Don’t obsess...enjoy the journey.

This is a wonderful first quilt. Mine was a simple 9 patch and it took me a couple of years to finish the top! It was 50 years before the internet and I didn't know anyone who quilted to help. You are doing super great! The most important thing is to enjoy, relax and keep going.

Your quilt is terrific. Feather3 gave great advice. I found that my points were much better when I sewed them with the point pieced fabric on top. That way you can see where your needle is entering the fabric... just a thread beyond the point to allow for turning. Keep going!

Not being critical here, just offering some advice on what I think could be your issues. Feather3 did give you some excellent advice.

It appears to me you may have both cutting and piecing issues. If you are using different rulers for different purposes - for example a large one for general cutting and a smaller one for trimming - try to make sure all of your rulers are of the same brand. Not all rulers measure the same! For me, it helps me to be consistent with cutting if I put a sticky note or piece of tape on my ruler when cutting mutliples of the same size. Otherwise sometimes you place your ruler on this side or the other side of the line - at least I do!

Not sure if your seam allowance is consistent. Again, sticky notes or tape are your friend. I tried one of the seam guide 1/4" feet for my machine and found that the seam allowance was greater than 1/4". My machine has a 'scant' 1/4" position so that is what I use. If I manage to keep my fabric lined up with the edge of the foot, my seams are a 'scant' 1/4" all the way along.

I also press my seams open vs to the side. I feel it gives me an overall flatter block but I also feel it makes it more accurate for me to match seams/points. When doing this, I place a pin straight down through the top pieces I'm matching up and then take the bottom section I'm matching and place the pin straight down through that piece. Hold the pin straight up/down while lining up that intersection top/bottom. Once the pin is straight and the top/bottom pieces match, I place pins on either side as close as possible to the straight one. Remove the straight up/down one and then sew. I then pin the balance of the section, matching the ends of the section. If there is a bit of a discrepancy between those two edges, I will 'ease' the larger piece/stretch to smaller piece while sewing ever so slightly. I try to do the 'baggy on the bottom' theory but that's not always possible either.

Press your units thoroughly after they are constructed. Measure to see if they are the size they are supposed to be. Trim if necessary. But don't trim off your points! It's a very tedious process but I press each seam after it's sewn to kind of 'set' the thread into the fabric. Then press my units open they way they supposed to be. That is when I measure/trim if needed.

You're doing a great job. That's a pretty complicated block for a beginner but I also believe in making things you like regardless of how 'difficult' something is rated compared to what you think your skill level. One of my first quilts was a Leymone Star made with strip sets. Much repositioning of the ruler and trimming while getting that 60 degree angle and lots of pinning. It turned out great! Only a table topper but a great piece nonetheless. No one told me it was supposed to be difficult, lol.

'Press' on!