The bane of my quilting experience is triangles. I have long avoided any projects with triangles in them since I started quilting 6 years ago. I have started BOM projects and just quit going because I couldn't get the triangles not to warp. I hate it to infinity. Triangles are horrible.

That being said....

I'm doing my first mystery quilt. It had me make 40 HST (not HST blocks, just specifically the triangles) and sew them on some squares. This clue I have to make 40 to make a square in a square. I've never done that before and despite the pain in the butt that the triangles were, I'm really happy with the way they turned out:

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...1216131498.jpg

http://i190.photobucket.com/albums/z...1216131488.jpg

Also in this clue are 320 more triangles. Half are HST and the rest are QST. My brain hurts already. I made sure to meet the middles when I made these squares.

So, what do you really hate? Is there anything that when you make it frustrates you more than anything else? Also...any advise? I have to sew 1 QST on the side of a HST. Aside from starching the bejeepers out of it (starch is my new best friend) I'm not sure what else to do. At the end of this project, I will probably still hate triangles, but at least I will know how to sew them!

I'm curious to see what bothers you.

Melissa

It looks really good!!!
I dont know that I like it or not cause I havent tried it yet, but I have avoided paper piecing. I think mainly because I lean towards traditonal quilt patterns. But one day I will try it!!

yes I would have to say PP. I've never given much of a chance because I just can't get interested in it but I too will do it some day just so I can say I tried it.

I dont like to paper piece, and I dont like tearing off paper.
Hate 8 pointed stars with set in seams.
Dont like the waste of mitre corners on borders.
Full size quilts and larger are just to much hassel to handle.

I don't like anything with a curve. And I have trouble with a pattern that about 8 or more seams meet in the center.

I'm not sure if I know what an 8 pointed star is. It sure sounds scary. I've always been too intimidated to try paper piecing. I'd have to take a class on it or something. I have done foundation piecing on other fabric, but never with paper.

I haven't found any I really hate to do, but I've found some I'm sure not very good at! :) I've found a bunch that I hate I'm not brave enough to do :) Curves, anyone?

Add me to the "Ick to paper piecing!" list.

I don't mind the paper piecing itself,the tearing out is for the birds. I can not get all the paper out. If I could just learn to fold the 1/4 inch seam allowance back and sew it there. Can't seem to do it. Oh well,as they say pratice,pratice, dont think so. \
Bill'sBonBon

I don't mind paper piecing and like the results but I hate, hate, hate tearing away the paper....how tedious...
I also do not care for applique very much and I despise Sun Bonnet Sue!!!!
K
PS....well you asked :D

I can't stand tumbling blocks. Only did it once and that was quite enough.

Yes, I did ask. I like hearing about all this stuff. Makes me feel better than I hate triangles so much because everybody dislikes one thing or another. Great!!

I love paper piecing now that I have it down pat but the triangles are hard for me to...I did watch quilters Tv this week and a lady was on that specializes in triangles and she had a nifty little way of doing them that was easy and she used copy paper as you would with paper piecing...her points were perfect to.

Hi,

I don't like peicing in general. After 40 years quilting I like the hand quilting part the best. I love fabric so I force myself to do piecing when necessary but I pick the simplest blocks and the largest I can get away with. I also love "cheater's cloth" I have done a wall hanging of a Baltimore Alblum quilt made with cheater's cloth that even experienced quilters didn't catch on until they examined it very carefully. I have an embroidery machine and use it to fancy up my plain, large blocks. I have even used my serger to construct large blocks for my patriotic lap quilts for soldiers etc.
I guess my biggest problem is I am so aware of any mistakes I might make that I don't feel confident showing my work to other quilters. We have some in our guild that are hypercritical.
My biggest accomplishment is that I usually finish anything I start.

I understand what you mean. I'm proud of my finished projects (finishing is the hardest part on ANY project for me) and like to show them to people who aren't quilter's. I'm bound to get a nice reception on a project. That being said, I'm more reluctant to show them to quilter's as I feel very inadequate in comparison. I've been quilting 6 years now and haven't done ANYTHING that isn't an elementary design. I think this darn mystery quilt would be the only exception to that rule. I'd love to really do a block of the month, but then I'd have to take the completed block in to have someone look at it. I guess I'm quilty shy.

Every time someone says they use starch, I remember hearing somewhere (Simply Quilts?) that you have to remember to wash it out later, because bugs eat it and the fabric its on! I prefer to use sizing, because bugs don't eat it.

Paper piecing is much easier if you don't sew through the paper. Use freezer paper as your foundation, with the sticky side toward the fabric, and the design on the back, because you iron the pieces to it as you sew. Before you start sewing, take the time to sew with an unthread needle on every design line. Then fold on every line before you start using the foundation. Iron piece #1 to the paper. Place piece #2 in the usual way. Now, fold back the paper on the seam line and sew, NOT on the paper. Trim the seam to 1/4 inch. Now unfold the paper, and iron piece # 2 over it. Proceed with the rest of the pieces. The freezer paper holds the pieces in place. If they slip a little, use pins in the finished areas. I know it sounds confusing, but try it, and I think you'll like it. Best of all, no little pieces of paper to pull out with tweezers.

I wish I could remember who showed this method on Simply Quilts Maybe one of you remembers, so we can give the proper attribution, because I'm not the one who thought it up! :)

I just can't seem to like paper piecing. I imagine if I would practice it I would like it more.
I like squares, pine trees, flying geese, drunkards path, Sunbonnet Sue,
my favorite is friendship star. I like doing houses, but haven't done them in awhile. Everything needs to be cut exactly and pressed, I like doing that.
I find I have to read and reread the patterns to understand them.
I'm so glad theres instructions with everything.

Have a wonderful weekend.

simple quilter

I don't like Sunbonnet Sue, have not done much applique and am afraid of curves, though I have seen several patterns that I love that involve curves. I have done a bazillion half and quarter square tri-angles. I think my very first quilt had quite a few of those.

Drunkards Path, especially itsy bitsy ones :lol:

If you cut those triangles and sew them on your square right away, you shouldn't have any problem. And your square looks great.

I don't like working on the bias either.

Yeah triangles..every other one I have to rip out....I follow the directions why why why :roll: :roll: :roll: Curves don't bother me. I used to make a lot of blouses and dresses for my girls, curves are like setting sleeves :D I don't like cutting out quilts....and i don't think I like mystery quilts :D :D :D I love the piecing :D

I don't care for mystery quilts either, Ruth. I like to see the whole project so I can plan colors better. Plus, I often resize my blocks, and with a mystery quilt you can't do that. The last one I did, the colors turned out to be the ugliest quilt I've ever made and the block pieces were too giangantic for me.

paper piecing intimidates me
did a Sunbonnet Sue- it was OK but it was also my first attempt at applique, so that's just OK too
flying geese irritate me (as I tell DH- it makes me grumpy)
afraid of triangles- do them, but reluctantly.
have discovered crumb blocks where I can play and play and play with lots of peices of fabric and nothing is ever wrong and needs to be resewn.
haven't tried curves, pretty sure they would intimidate me too.

Guess I'm just a scaredy cat when it comes to stepping outside my comfort zone. Guess I'll be at the "confident beginner" level forever.

Barb