What would you do?
 

I've been working on a quilt for about a month right now and have almost finished piecing it. Around a week ago I ran into problems decided to take a class to help me trouble shoot and planned on finishing after the class.

After taking the class I learned a lot and discovered some of my largest issues including finding out that my 1/4" seam allowance from my 1/4" presser foot isn't a 1/4" and is too wide.

Now I'm stuck in this situation where I want to make a beautiful quilt and I'm almost done but every seam I'm sewing I know is wrong but if I want to continue with this quilt I have to continue with the wrong seam.

I have two choices I can continue and make this quilt knowing all the mistakes or I can stop go buy new fabric and start all over...

What would you do?

Here is an image of my quilt plus the block I did after learning a lot yesterday...

Thanks for your input.

Yael

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I'd continue. Should end up being fine -- just a teensy smidge smaller than you intended :) . You've done such a beautiful job so far -- honestly, I am in AWE -- that the quilt deserves to be finished.

This is a quilt deserving to be finished. I am not one who is always convinced that every quilt should be finished , but yours is too pretty !

It looks beautiful! I would finish it even if it was a bit smaller than planned. Maybe when you finish up you can put on an extra border which will bring it to the size you want and make it more unique and all your own.

I'd finish it using the seams you started with. Consider it a lesson learned for future quilts. BTW, I think your quilt looks great.

I agree. Your quilt is beautiful. If I was in your shoes, I would finish it with the size seam you have been using. As others have said, it might be just a bit smaller....but still beautiful.

I learn something with every quilt I have made. It is just something that happens.

Dina

Oh don;t stop.It;s beautiful!!!

as long as all your seams are the same and everything fits, it should work out. like using the same ruler to cut all your pieces. good luck.

i'd continue. it's beautiful

Keep going with this quilt, as the others have suggested.

I discovered, like you, that using a 1/4" foot on my machine is not, in itself, the fool-proof way to make a 1/4" seam. It does keep the right edge of the fabric lined up nicely as it goes under the needle. I learned that I ALSO needed to move my needle two settings over to the right because the standard needle position on my machine is for garment sewing. But it took me a while to learn that fact, and it did cause a ton of frustration when my blocks were too small.

Don't worry about the seam width. Mary Ellen Hopkins always called it 'your own personal seam allowance'. As long as it's uniform, it works. Your quilt is beautiful!

Ditto, the quilt is beautiful, and you should finish it. Just keep on keeping on, no one but you will ever know your seam is over a 1/4th inch but you and us of course and we won't tell the quilt police.

I would finish it to a more complete point in the design. If you don't turn it into a bed quilt, it will still make a beautiful display piece.

Awesome Quilt.. I would finish it!

I would finish it and try to figure out if I can correct the seam allowance for future quilts. There's nothing wrong with your quilt, it's beautiful! It'll just be a little smaller than planned, but that's no reason to quit now.

It looks great to me. It would be a shame not to finish it. Don't worry about perfection - it doesn't exist for us mere mortals!

Definitely finish it, it's beautiful!

It will be beautiful and you have learned something. Try your new knowledge on the next quilt. I have made over 118 quilts - trying to make the perfect quilt. I have not made one perfect yet, I just keep trying. I have improved alot and still have a way to go.

Please continue...the quilt is awesome! You are way to harsh on yourself. You have a gift.

It is beautiful...I would continue and use your new knowledge on your next quilt. I love your quilt!

The 1/4" seam is an arbitrary width. It matters if you need the pre-determined finished size that you would get using 1/4" or if you are putting together blocks that have different seam allowances. Finish the quilt with the seam allowance you've been using - it's too beautiful to stop now!

Please continue it! It is too pretty to abandon! You might see everything that is "wrong" but most people will see how striking and beautiful it is!

Keep going....consistency is the key. It looks beautiful and when it's done and quilted it will be a stunner.

Consistency is what counts! The books by Harriet Hargrave are a valuable aid - Even tho I have pieced for a long time I have learned a lot from her books! (Quilter's Academy series)

keep going. it is beautiful and I am sure you can make it work

I would finish it doing just as you have been. It's just part of the process to develop more skill. More skill doesn't mean what you have done before is bad just on a different level. Celebrate where you are at and work towards improving the craftsmanship.

By the way, I think it's awesome.

Finish it! To pretty to quit, Just keep all your seams the same. nether you or anyone else will see the seam side, and it doesn't change the look of the Quilt, your points look like they match, everything looks like it is lining up correctly.

I'd continue...it is beautiful and no one will know about the seam allowance unless you tell them.

If the quilt is fitting together fine, don't worry about the seams. its more important to have consistent seams. you can adjust your needle for your next quilt

For what it's worth, Yael: There is no law that prescribes 1/4" seam allowances on quilts. If everything fits together or can be tweaked to fit together, who cares what the exact measure is? Folks have already said that.

Now looky here. I've completed 5-6 quilts. None of them used a 1/4" seam allowance. Mostly they used 1/2". That's what I felt like using, I cut my pieces for that allowance, and it worked fine. Of the two quilts I'm working on now, one is using mostly 1/2", and one is using 1/4" except for the piece I'll probably cut at 1/2" because I want a little leeway there.

And the one that's mostly using 1/4"? I didn't measure it. I'm not going to measure it. I'm using the 1/4" line on the sewing machine plate and whatever thread I happen to have that's strong enough and not so fat as to cause big lumps. The stuff that needs to fit, fits.

If I were hand quilting (as I intend to do on one of the current projects), I might want to trim any big seams down to 1/4" so there's less in the way. My previous quilts with the humongous seam allowances were machine quilted, by me, with no difficulty whatsoever.

The seam allowance doesn't make the quilt. YOU do, and you're making a beautiful one.

a beuatiful piece and finish it the same as you started. Just add a border or so extra if you want it bigger to fit your bed or whereever you plan on using it. Wish I had the guts to make one.

I would definitely continue with the same allowance, it's beautiful!

One thing I would do is square it up before moving on to any other pieces that go onto it.

Sharon Schamber has some videos on shrinking blocks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6apl...C6C3CBD760D867

Video on squaring up a quilt.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQnHLkA7bTs

Thank you so much for the info. Also thank you everyone for all the encouragement to proceed.

I agree. Finish the quilt with the original seam allowance. It's still a beautiful quilt and you are doing a fantastic job. Now you'll know for the next quilt. Just remember the learning process is suposed to be fun.

Definitely would finish and no one would be the wiser about seams, unless you tell them. It is too pretty to not finish. Hang in there and let us see this when done, please.

Just watched the video of the quilt being basted. Does anyone really do it this way?? Seems like an awful lot of work! I guess I am not that much of a perfectionist! LOL!!

I agree that if all your seams are the same it will work out. Your quilt looks great. When you complete this one then change to 1/4" seams. Some use an old credit card to lay down on the bed of the machine to give you something of a guide for your 1/4" seams.

Continue, it is beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Continue as you have been doing keeping 1/4 as you have. Any alterations will affect the whole quilt. I was told just after I started quilting to even keep to the same sewing machine to piece a quilt as there could be thread differences in the seam. 1 thread on each piece makes a big difference over 60 inches. This was my excuse to buy more sewing machines. One for each project. Quilting also keep to one machine as stitch length has a variant as well.
Your work is beautiful so remember the class info and finish this super quilt. Can't wait to see it.