When to say NO to Seam Ripping??? Oh if only I could!
 

I wish I could look the other way. I wish I had done all the math before I started. I wish I hadn't used that cursed So Fine poly thread which is unbelievably strong and virtually invisible.

The long sad story...I am racing to complete a quilt for my son before he comes home in two weeks. Here's the pattern: Third Time Around (ironically!!!) http://www.hancocks-paducah.com/Item--i-AQD-P072

I misread "square the right-triangle units to 10 1/4" inches on a side" and I squared them to 10 1/2". I did NOT do the math to check that 10 1/2" on a side results in 14 3/4" on the hypotenuse. I sewed up 48 7" square units into 12 13 1/2" squares, put them on point, and sewed a triangle unit to each side to make 2 big squares. The twelve big squares all came out to 19 1/2" which by my calcs was correct. Of course, I was overjoyed at my careful cutting, sewing and piecing esp. on triangles. Pride goeth before a fall and a haughty spirit before destruction.

So I started joining the big squares together and now I notice that the points on the 13 1/2" on-point squares are mysteriously far from where they should be. They don't touch. So, thinking I could cure this little snafu, I just sewed the joining seam wider, but now my quilt looks a little odd because the outside rings of the triangle and the outside of the squares are too thin. Noticably thin.

I now have to UNSEW two big blocks, then unsew 48????@##$$%%^^%&*$^@%@ triangles, retrim the triangles by 1/8" on each side and then resew them all on.

I guess I can take my machine back to the shop to get the repair finished that they forgot to do last week because I won't be using it :(

Here's a pic of a piece of the cursed block. I don't have the piece ofthe opined fabric but you can imagine there the points fell if I joined that block to another one. Ugh. (Yes the fabrics are goofy because it is all of the things my son likes - his music, coffee, ducks in the pond, his dog, his favorite brown-bottle beer, some of which stuff I photo-printed, so it is all a labor of love and took forever to collect the fabric...)

Must I rip? How long will it take to rip about 760 inches of tiny stitches? Will I be sane when I finish?

Commiserations and horror stories about ripping are greatly appreciated. Misery loves company.

Wish I could see what you are talking about. Everything I see looks so pretty. Of course I know what you mean about making errors. Hate 'em! I used to pick out each stitch. Now I lay the sewn pieces flat, cut about every 5th stitch with my seam ripper, then pull the thread away from the back side. Everything pulls apart and makes taking those stitches so much faster.

Looks beautiful to me. I rip like fayzer does and it goes really fast. I have lots of practice, some times I don't pay attention.

It looks great. are you sure you want to do all that ripping? I'm always ripping, hence my moniker on here.

Call it a design element and go forward. He will love it just like it is.

Says the woman that was raised by a woman that sewed a lot and did NOT own a seam ripper. When I saw them I thought people were kidding me. I still think long and hard before I use one.

if you haven't started unstitching yet ... consider this.

if all of the points don't touch the it will appear to have been designed that way. it may turn out to be a very delightful design change. the blocks might appear to float on the background.

i feel your pain ... believe me. when i want something to go correctly, nothing else will do. if you choose to rip, you have my deepest empathy.

i have, however, sometimes deliberately adjusted blocks so the points never have to touch. less stressful and still looks good. :)

I agree with Patrice ... if you can make it work somehow call it "your design" (heck - sell the pattern!).

If not, I'd like to suggest using a razor blade to rip. Yes it leaves a lot of little thread pieces but what doesn't fall off by itself will come off in the wash (eventually). It's SEW much faster than a seam ripper.

Oh dear. If I lived close to you, I'd bring over a jug of margaritas, my razor blade, and my emery board, and help you rip. It would be faster and a lot more fun!

I agree with Patrice. sometimes you just have to let it go. unless someone is REALLY familiar with the pattern or has it in front of them to compare, no one will ever know.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]315955[/ATTACH] I think it looks better with the points lining up (I did this on the office copier, just folded and taped! no sewing :) )
But being short 1/8 to 3/16 on the width of the outside triangles may not be such a big deal. Better he sleep under it knowing his mom loves him than not get it because I damaged the fabric seam-ripping. That photo-fabric is very difficult, and some of the fabric is thin batik, and some printed fabric is ravelling already. Ugh. There's a good excuse!
Risk aversion!

DogHouseMom, I got myself a scalpel with a turned-up blade , but I am afraid to use it. Do you open the seam wide, then hope to cut straight? I need a tute on that one!

Thanks folks, I appreciate the comforting ideas. And the thought of not ripping has made my day!