A word to the wise
 

I am in the process of making a paper pieced block. I thought I was done, but when I went to put all the pieces together they didn't fit. When I had initially printed out the pattern from Quilter's Cache, I did check the test square on one page of pieces. I didn't check the rest of the pages, thinking they were all printing out the correct size. So half of my block is too small and I have to redo it. I do have enough fabric thankfully, but I am a bit aggravated, cause I thought I was ready to sew it together. Now I'm too tired to finish it tonight, so it will have to wait.
Take it from an expert, check your measurements! Gina

Oh man. Been there done that. Trouble is I get enthusiastic take off running without testing. It will all look better in the morning. Sorry about your frustration. Let us know how it goes.

I feel your pain.. been there look at the bright side... once u redo the blocks... u are already half way there ( or there abouts) to a another quilt!! ...... sigh... sorry

oh, bless your heart! How frustrating --

If it were me, I would be angrier at myself that I had tested at all. To have thought to have done it, and it still not be right!! ugh . .

good for you for leaving it . .

it will seem easier in the morning!

oh, bless your heart! How frustrating --

If it were me, I would be angrier at myself that I had tested at all. To have thought to have done it, and it still not be right!! ugh . .

good for you for leaving it . .

it will seem easier in the morning!

bummer! Now do another one right, and another one wrong, and you will have two blocks ;-)
Put one block on a tote or something. Shame to let that good work go to waste.

I actually caught myself before this happened the other day. So easy to do.

This has happened to me also! After I decided the pattern was 2 different sizes I had to reprint the pattern several times until I got the correct size for all pattern pieces. Why are things so difficult when they could be soooo easy?

I've had that problem with QC PP patterns - especially when combining PP parts to pieced blocks. Even though the 1" line is 1" ... the pattern is not the end size. I've even printed them and cut them out and put the paper only together ... and it's not the right size. I've stopped using QC PP blocks, but if I like one I see I re-create it in EQ7 and print it from there.

I import the paper piecing block to EQ7 and resize it to be exactly what I want it to be. It always prints out the correct size in EQ. I have had too many online pp patterns print the wrong size from what they should be, wasting time and ink.

Some sites do have a 1" scale so you can check printer. My laser was 1/16 short, one inkjet was spot on.

Didn't discover until i measured with a decent ruler and messed up one block.

I am hoping to get EQ7 for Christmas. I think it will be a lot of fun and make things easier. Thanks everyone for your comments and encouragement. I'll post a picture when I get both blocks done.

Lots of free patterns have errors. Just what I have found.
I hope it all works out for you.

It sounds like "EQ7" is a helpful tool. Can someone explain what it is?????

I was taught to mark my first pattern piece as original them make copies of that. It works.

Errors in measurements are not always the fault of the quilter doing the blocks or project. Once I needed to make two blocks as part of a group scrappy project for an ill quilt guild member. I found this really neat block pattern to be made from paper templates. The instructions clearly stated to use the templates as is...no requirements to reduce or enlarge on the copier. Well, I made the first block only to have it come out like a bowl instead of laying flat. :thumbdown: I double checked and it turned out the templates were not correctly sized and I had to redraft the templates. Moral...it is not a bad idea to test the template pattern with either paper or scrappy pieces before starting the actual project.

I'm so sorry you had this trouble. Geez, the best lessons in life are the ones we learn from experience. Its tough though.

RGay: The EQ7 stands for Electric Quilt Version 7, it is a quilt/block design program. It enables you to design blocks, put them in quilt layouts, experiment with color options. If you do a search I am sure you will come up with dozens of sources for the program. Sometimes when I design a quilt, either it really works or sometimes not. I can discard the rejects without wasting fabric. Plus you can "make" dozens of virtual quilts that you might not ever get to in real life. There is a really nice tutorial done by one of the board members that helped us learn more about the prgram.

Great reminder!!

Wow...Bet you were disappointed....Thanks for the heads up...

Why not print th first page at its normal the smears the other and make a smalle project .?

I think we've all done that at one time or another, but glad you have enough fabric to re-make the blocks, unless you want the smaller blocks.

Awwwww, we all feel your pain! I kept a very wonky block that is a result of not testing to show my girls how measuring is the most important part of the process....so that they can see we all make mistakes, and that we all have glitches in uor learning.....they always laugh, bless their hearts......
hang in there......it will be really awesome once you get through this part!!

I printed a pattern today and noticed my printer had an option checked "fit to page". I unchecked that and they printed correctly. I did it on each page.

Recently, I was wondering why my option of "print actual size" is missing. Maybe this option replaced it. Either way I think a printer should print actual size unless I go in and change the options, not vice-versa! I am going to go see if I somehow set some defaults I should not have . . .

Sorry about your block, how annoying! Especially when paper-piecing takes so much concentration to start with.

I just paper pieced some words for a quilt. The letters were all for the same website, all printed at the same time on the same printer. The test scale block was right and the letters were all different sizes. I was able to fudge them to make them work.

Thank you, Emma! I will definitely get my googling going! Sounds like a very handy/fun tool/toy!