What’s the trick to line these up?
 

I have two strip pieced parallelograms I want to join with an inserted strip of fabric. The parallelogram s are at 45° angles. I’m sure there must be a sure fire way to know where to position the pieces so it works out without guessing? I’d like my outside edges and strips to line up after they are sewn together.
Thanks for your help,
Kathy

The best "no-guessing" way I know involves some marking.

First, on the wrong side, make where your 1/4" seam will be on the center strip (light blue in my diagram). Then, use a ruler to extend a line from the edges of the parallelograms across that seam allowance line (red in my diagram). The edge of the new parallelogram strip needs to go through the point where the two lines intersect when you put them right-sides-together to stitch.
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I hope that someone else suggests an easier way; I'm doing something similar, and would love an easier way to line things up!

That’s what I would do too and mark some on with my frixon pen

There are some really fine pins you can get from Amazon (can’t find them anywhere else). Clover Extra Fine Patchwork Pins. Using the directions given above by Jennifer23, I would also have the seams pressed and then draw the 1/4” stitching line on the second pieced parallelogram you are adding to the center strip. Use 1 pin to line things up. Stick the one pin straight through where the seams should line up on both pieces. Then use another pin to hold the pieces together as you usually would. I usually use a pin on either side of first one before removing it. // I have tried just using one pin and then after matching the intersections on each piece just tipping the end of the pin into the fabric but I was always a little off when I tried that. // The first method gives me the best results. Just took a few tries to teach my hands how to hold things.

This is one I would paper piece. It would save a lot of time.

Thanks Jennifer! That’s kind of where I was thinking when I called it quits last night. Had another go this morning and I’m going to have to go with “Close enough”. I noticed in the two strip sets I have in the picture, the centre strip in the second parallelogram is actually an 1/8” narrower that the first, so obviously, that going to throw it off, as it also did on the third parallelogram I joined to it :rolleyes:. The thing with this project is it’s supposed to be an Improv piecing method, so perfect doesn’t matter so much, but I just hope when I try to square up, I’ve got enough left in my set to move to the next step. Of course I don’t have a pattern...that would be too easy. It didn’t look difficult in the picture, insert “eye roll” here :o). I’m working with strips I won playing Strip Poker with my fellow quilters and have 80 strips to work with, as well as a bit of fabric I’ve pulled from my stash for accent. Wish me luck and thank you and the other responders for your suggestions.

Yes, I would use dots on the edge and do the two inner seams also.

It may be that some of the strips are different widths.

Yes, I suspect the strips aren’t equal widths, but for this project I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal.

Are there any angles on your cutting mat that would help with alignment?