Lace hearts

Hi - I'm creeping in a bit nervously, and I hope I'm posting in the right place. I also hope I'm attaching the pictures right, otherwise the post won't really make a lot of sense.
I'm a little bit obsessed with house quilts and schoolhouse quilts at the moment. I came across this tutorial, which I'm sure lots of you have already tackled:
http://quiltville.com/happyscrappyhouses.shtml
I love it and am longing to do my own.
Well, my houses are a bit hit and miss and I wondered if I could ask for advice - I'm very very new to quilting, but I'm very keen. :D
I measured carefully, but my chimneys are not matching terribly well. Also, any advice about choosing prints? I'm not convinced my choices work.
Any advice would be really appreciated. Thank you.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

Things to watch for when pieces don't match correctly are your cutting and your seams. Many, many patterns on quilterscache call for a "scant 1/4 inch" seam. A couple of needle clicks over from 1/4 may solve that problem.

As for your prints working or not, do you like them? If so, they work. If not, they don't. Keep laying your fabric choices out in piles until you find a group that you just love.

tlrnhi

I agree with Lisa.
YOU have to be the one that likes it. There are no "quilt police" here. If you like it, that's all that counts.
If you think your houses are too busy, why not try just a plain fabric for doors, windows and chimneys? Or maybe vice versa?
Just keep practicing and you'll get it. It's patience and practice and you'll be a star in no time.
:) :) :)

kkbrand

I agree with Lisa, if your machine does not have a quarter inch foot, go and buy a universal one, this makes all the difference in how your blocks will turn out. It looks like that may be your problem with the inconsistency of the blocks matching up. One of the things I try to do with variuos prints is make sure they are all the same type of fabric, like cotton, you are using differnt fabrics which will give you a different look and some sew differently than others.

Lace hearts

Thanks so much - I am really new to this, so I'm feeling the way, as I haven't had lessons. Your advice is really welcomed, and makes a lot of sense. I think it is probably the seams. I also hadn't thought to place and move around - I'll do a bit of experimenting.
Thank you.

pieces

You will need to "square up" your blocks. Are they suppose to be 10 1/2 inches? Or 12 1/2 inches? They all will need to be the same size. with straight edges. So when you start putting your rows together the blocks will match up. Good luck

Oklahoma Suzie

I agree

Moonpi

One thing that may help - as you finish sections, measure and square them. In this case, the sides should be parallel to the chimneys and door/window openings.

Unfortunately, checks and stripes both over-emphasize mistakes, so you may want to use them in other places til you have the 1/4" seams perfected.

Lace hearts

Thank you Moonpi. Do you mean, I should trim each section with my rotary cutter as I'm going along? I've done another and I've been really careful with the seams and it has made a dfference. Should I measure each block - say the door and the wall panel after I've sewn them and trim if necessary?
I take your point about checks and stripes. I'd read somewhere that ginghams were traditional for house quilts, so I felt I had to use them. Maybe I should practise more first and stop worrying about that side of things. I'm just so keen to get it right.

mimee4

One important thing is Don't Give Up. It's your quilt and you can do it your way. Welcome from Central PA