Uneven - What do I do?
07-27-2010, 05:12 AM
#11
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Idaho Falls
Posts: 1,907
I think you did a great job for your first quilt!! It didn't turn out badly at all and from a distance, which is how most people will view your quilt, it looks darn good. :thumbup:
A book that I consider a Must-Have in any quilter's home library is a book by Sally Collins called "Mastering Precision Piecing." She does quilts that are considered miniatures, I'm talking a 4-patch that is only a quarter inch big and stuff like that, and her piecing is perfect. Her book teaches how to go step by step to achieve the perfect piecing. I must say, she's a pretty darn amazing lady and her quilts are absolutely stunning! One of her many tricks is that she measures each unit before advancing to the next stage. If it isn't right, she knows the mistake is in what she has just done and this makes it easier to spot what you are doing to make the mistake and to fix it before you get too far into the quilt.
She also has a video out that shows her in her home sewing room. She gives a tour, shows the tools she considers a must-have, and demos various techniques. Her technique for ironing is amazing and has made a HUGE difference for me. She presses the unit or block and then sets a weight (she uses a book or a ruler with a weight on it) on the piece and allows it to cool completely before picking it up to sew on the next piece. I was shocked at just how flat the piece comes out. The reason to let it cool completely, which only takes a minute or so, is because when the fabric is still warm it can stretch. Most of us press our pieces and then snatch them up and head straight to the sewing machine to sew the next piece on. I know I am always eager to keep going. It never occurred to me that I could be stretching out my pieces by moving them while they are still warm and pliable. I didn't think I had a problem in this area but I sure do notice a difference doing it her way!
If you can't afford to buy them, see if your local library can get hold of them. They're worth reading/watching. ...Can you tell I'm a fan!?! :lol:
Are you going to quilt this yourself or send it out and have it done by a long-armer?
A book that I consider a Must-Have in any quilter's home library is a book by Sally Collins called "Mastering Precision Piecing." She does quilts that are considered miniatures, I'm talking a 4-patch that is only a quarter inch big and stuff like that, and her piecing is perfect. Her book teaches how to go step by step to achieve the perfect piecing. I must say, she's a pretty darn amazing lady and her quilts are absolutely stunning! One of her many tricks is that she measures each unit before advancing to the next stage. If it isn't right, she knows the mistake is in what she has just done and this makes it easier to spot what you are doing to make the mistake and to fix it before you get too far into the quilt.
She also has a video out that shows her in her home sewing room. She gives a tour, shows the tools she considers a must-have, and demos various techniques. Her technique for ironing is amazing and has made a HUGE difference for me. She presses the unit or block and then sets a weight (she uses a book or a ruler with a weight on it) on the piece and allows it to cool completely before picking it up to sew on the next piece. I was shocked at just how flat the piece comes out. The reason to let it cool completely, which only takes a minute or so, is because when the fabric is still warm it can stretch. Most of us press our pieces and then snatch them up and head straight to the sewing machine to sew the next piece on. I know I am always eager to keep going. It never occurred to me that I could be stretching out my pieces by moving them while they are still warm and pliable. I didn't think I had a problem in this area but I sure do notice a difference doing it her way!
If you can't afford to buy them, see if your local library can get hold of them. They're worth reading/watching. ...Can you tell I'm a fan!?! :lol:
Are you going to quilt this yourself or send it out and have it done by a long-armer?
07-27-2010, 05:53 AM
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WV, USA
Posts: 748
Originally Posted by Tiffany
I think you did a great job for your first quilt!! It didn't turn out badly at all and from a distance, which is how most people will view your quilt, it looks darn good. :thumbup:
A book that I consider a Must-Have in any quilter's home library is a book by Sally Collins called "Mastering Precision Piecing." She does quilts that are considered miniatures, I'm talking a 4-patch that is only a quarter inch big and stuff like that, and her piecing is perfect. Her book teaches how to go step by step to achieve the perfect piecing. I must say, she's a pretty darn amazing lady and her quilts are absolutely stunning! One of her many tricks is that she measures each unit before advancing to the next stage. If it isn't right, she knows the mistake is in what she has just done and this makes it easier to spot what you are doing to make the mistake and to fix it before you get too far into the quilt.
She also has a video out that shows her in her home sewing room. She gives a tour, shows the tools she considers a must-have, and demos various techniques. Her technique for ironing is amazing and has made a HUGE difference for me. She presses the unit or block and then sets a weight (she uses a book or a ruler with a weight on it) on the piece and allows it to cool completely before picking it up to sew on the next piece. I was shocked at just how flat the piece comes out. The reason to let it cool completely, which only takes a minute or so, is because when the fabric is still warm it can stretch. Most of us press our pieces and then snatch them up and head straight to the sewing machine to sew the next piece on. I know I am always eager to keep going. It never occurred to me that I could be stretching out my pieces by moving them while they are still warm and pliable. I didn't think I had a problem in this area but I sure do notice a difference doing it her way!
If you can't afford to buy them, see if your local library can get hold of them. They're worth reading/watching. ...Can you tell I'm a fan!?! :lol:
Are you going to quilt this yourself or send it out and have it done by a long-armer?
A book that I consider a Must-Have in any quilter's home library is a book by Sally Collins called "Mastering Precision Piecing." She does quilts that are considered miniatures, I'm talking a 4-patch that is only a quarter inch big and stuff like that, and her piecing is perfect. Her book teaches how to go step by step to achieve the perfect piecing. I must say, she's a pretty darn amazing lady and her quilts are absolutely stunning! One of her many tricks is that she measures each unit before advancing to the next stage. If it isn't right, she knows the mistake is in what she has just done and this makes it easier to spot what you are doing to make the mistake and to fix it before you get too far into the quilt.
She also has a video out that shows her in her home sewing room. She gives a tour, shows the tools she considers a must-have, and demos various techniques. Her technique for ironing is amazing and has made a HUGE difference for me. She presses the unit or block and then sets a weight (she uses a book or a ruler with a weight on it) on the piece and allows it to cool completely before picking it up to sew on the next piece. I was shocked at just how flat the piece comes out. The reason to let it cool completely, which only takes a minute or so, is because when the fabric is still warm it can stretch. Most of us press our pieces and then snatch them up and head straight to the sewing machine to sew the next piece on. I know I am always eager to keep going. It never occurred to me that I could be stretching out my pieces by moving them while they are still warm and pliable. I didn't think I had a problem in this area but I sure do notice a difference doing it her way!
If you can't afford to buy them, see if your local library can get hold of them. They're worth reading/watching. ...Can you tell I'm a fan!?! :lol:
Are you going to quilt this yourself or send it out and have it done by a long-armer?
I plan on quilting this one myself. I couldn't justify paying to have it long-armed. My only debate is whether to do it on the machine or by hand - and then what pattern to use when I do decide. I kind of want to do it by hand because I really like the idea of it, but I'm also tempted to use the machine - but then I'm afraid it'll be hard to manuever all the fabric around in my machine.
07-28-2010, 07:04 AM
#15
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Idaho Falls
Posts: 1,907
Originally Posted by Lady Shivesa
...snip...
I plan on quilting this one myself. I couldn't justify paying to have it long-armed. My only debate is whether to do it on the machine or by hand - and then what pattern to use when I do decide. I kind of want to do it by hand because I really like the idea of it, but I'm also tempted to use the machine - but then I'm afraid it'll be hard to manuever all the fabric around in my machine.
I plan on quilting this one myself. I couldn't justify paying to have it long-armed. My only debate is whether to do it on the machine or by hand - and then what pattern to use when I do decide. I kind of want to do it by hand because I really like the idea of it, but I'm also tempted to use the machine - but then I'm afraid it'll be hard to manuever all the fabric around in my machine.
Hand quilting is very relaxing, at least for me, and I usually do it when sitting in front of the tv. I'm horrible about being able to just sit there & do nothing with my hands. If you are like me and you enjoy hand quilting, I bet you are going to just love applique! (Come to the Dark Side!) :lol:
07-31-2010, 07:16 AM
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WV, USA
Posts: 748
Originally Posted by Tiffany
What size will your quilt be? If it is going to be queen sized or larger and you choose to machine quilt it, my suggestion would be to practice first on something the size of a lap quilt or smaller. It's a dickens trying to quilt something large when you are not used to it. I decided to do a king sized quilt years ago on my home machine and while I can do a quilt that size now, it sure wasn't what I should have started with! :|
Hand quilting is very relaxing, at least for me, and I usually do it when sitting in front of the tv. I'm horrible about being able to just sit there & do nothing with my hands. If you are like me and you enjoy hand quilting, I bet you are going to just love applique! (Come to the Dark Side!) :lol:
08-01-2010, 05:19 AM
#17
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Idaho Falls
Posts: 1,907
Sounds like hand quilting will be the way to go. I understand what you mean about having more freedom with your quilting doing it by hand over machine quilting, esp when you are just getting started. I can do a lot on my machine but I still feel more comfortable doing difficult quilting by hand.
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