Saw a TUTE on Strip Tube piecing that looked interesting. I cut the 2.5" strips and the 4.5 " strip, and pieced all together into a tube, and then cut one of the strips. QUESTION - not sure I cut these correctly ( I did line the 45 degree mark up on alternating seam lines) - I am concerned that I am going to loose the point on these when I piece them together.

Has anyone used this method before? If the 4 individual pieces line up exactly when you lay them out, will they still stitch out OK and keep those center points?

I'm doing the same thing! I made my first 4 blocks and don't seem to have a seam allowance on the outer points! :? Am I doing something wrong?

I just sewed my four blocks together and the outer seam allowances miraculously reappeared! :D I guess the seam itself creates the allowance for the outer seam. And you're right Loretta - I pinned every seam and had to ease it a bit here and there to get the points to match so it's not laying completely flat - reaches for a can of starch! :shock: I'll take more care with the next ones! :D

Eleanor Burns did this the other day on her tv show. I don't know if she has the shows on her quilt in a day web site.

If Santa would bring be a DVD recorder I could record it for you off my dvr and send it your way. Would you please let Santa know I have been a good girl this year :)

I did a runner last night. I cut, pressed and then squared up the pieces. Then sewed together and it came out ok. It was a fun and easy to make but I was careful to match everything.

I haven't tried this yet but am planning to very shortly. But, I was wondering: She placed the 45 degree line on the actual sewing line. Help me think!!! Would it be better to place the line on the edge of the fabric...seems like that would keep from sewing over the points...or am I visually impaired?

Nope, if you didn't place it on the sewing line, you'd lose the seam allowances. :D

BTW - in the video she says cut the large strip at 4 1/4" - it should be 4 1/2". You cut the two small strips at 2 1/2" each, total 5" - you lose 1/2" with the two seams, leaving 4 1/2". :D

I just made 4 blocks and it worked out fine - I paid attention to my seam pressing to be sure they'd butt up when joining the blocks then pinned every seam. The points aren't bad - now I'm deciding what to do with them, table runner? Doll quilt? Both? :lol:

I am not sure how it would turn out...I think maybe you will lose your seam allowance...your points will be off.

The first set I did using my scraps I used her measurements which were wrong..so none of my points matched up--so I am using that block for something else--I already have an idea...but I didn't have any problems with my pink/black blocks.... matching up....although I am not done yet--so maybe some of them will.

but where do you lay the 45 degree line to cut the tube? on a seam/stitch line or on the raw edge? that makes a difference i'm sure. I want to make some but am not quite sure on how to cut. and what size square ruler did she use. it probably doesn't make a difference but i'd like to do the same.

On the seam line... Her ruler was 9 1/2" square - I used my 6 1/2" square and it worked fine. :D

Great, that's what i thought but wasn't sure. thanks,

you will be fine if you follow the inst. right and don't turn the tube around once you start cutting.

I did the 4 1/4 at first and realized it had to be 4.5 inches. I made two blocks with scraps from the twin quilt just to practice. Had trouble with the corners matching, but with reattempts got them to work as best as I could. Used two left over blocks that were extra (wrong size etc) for quilt and did some cutting to make it all work together, but have already finished it complete with batting, backing, quilting and edge. It's hanging on the wall. My third quilt! My first 'scrappy'!
I'll try to post photo.

THANKS to everyone who responded..........My daughter really liked the look of the blocks with this method - using reds, blues and a nice sandy tan for the 4.5 inch lighter piece (many of the prints have that sandy tan color in them). The squares looked really nice when laid out.........but I was concerned before I started sewing - wanted to make sure I was doing it correctly.

Really appreaciate the help............she wants me to do all of the small blocks first, and then let her "play" on the design wall to decide how she wants them put together.....This will be a king sized quilt for her master bedroom.

Appreciate all of the help!

found this with info
http://quiltville.com/hiddenpinwheels.shtml

To eliminate the pt. problem, lay the 45 degree line of your ruler on the long cut edge of the fabric, not on the sewn seam. The top point of the ruler should be on the stitching line at the top.

If you use two 2 1/2" strips sewn together, your sewn strip is 4 1/2" wide. (the video says 4 1/4" but NOT)

If you use the width of the fabric on the 2 1/2" strips you should get 10 cuts (HS triangle blocks). So you'll get 2 complete blocks with 2 extra cuts. I thought I'd use my extra cuts in the borders somehow.

I've been sick for the past 10 days but will try to get some pictures posted back on the original post.

Yep, did that last night. I found my lovely blues and browns and made some blocks. i laid my 45 degree of my 6 1/2 inch ruler on the raw edge. i ended up with 6 inch squares and would have had 12 inch blocks but I needed them to be 8 inches, so i had to cut down each one to 4 1/2. i'm not done making blocks so i must remember exactly how i trimmed them so they all will match up.
i'm covering an ottoman. i need two blocks across and four down the length. 16x32. then my cats can lay on it all they want. mamma cat has loved it so much and jumped onto it from her tree perch that she's made some claw holes in it! So a quilt to the rescue. I can always make another when necessary.

I cut out a few and had no trouble with the points when I followed the instructions precisely.. her math does suck.. and if you listen carefully she says to stitch the strips end to end.. and I believe she stitches them side to side.. to me the cut edge is the side and the selvedge is the end. I used my 6.5 x 23" ruler. Worked fine!

Thank you for this question. I was going to try this pattern, too. Sounds like a bit of "fudge" is necessary.