Quilt for Alu
06-23-2010, 08:12 PM
#41
Banned
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: dreaming of a simple life. Living off the grid!
Posts: 3,259
Originally Posted by lab fairy
I am not an expert but after making a few of these signature blocks I've figured out a few important things: 1.) it is hard to write on the fabric 2.) its hard to know where the 1/4 inch seam allowance really is when writing.
I decided to fix the writing issues. I dry ironed the white fabric onto freezer paper and then cut out the 3 1/2 inch square. On the paper side, I marked the 1/4 inch seam allowance with a bright red or pink sharpie.
I wrote whatever I wanted onto the white fabric (staying in the seam lines because I learned after the first one I made).
I shortened my stitch length to 1.5 and sewed the rest of the block as directed. The 1.5 stitch length made the paper really easy to remove.
This sounds really more elaborate than necessary but I found it far easier to write on the stabilized fabric and it actually saved me time. If I were to make a block and not write on it, I wouldn't have done the stabilizing thing.
I decided to fix the writing issues. I dry ironed the white fabric onto freezer paper and then cut out the 3 1/2 inch square. On the paper side, I marked the 1/4 inch seam allowance with a bright red or pink sharpie.
I wrote whatever I wanted onto the white fabric (staying in the seam lines because I learned after the first one I made).
I shortened my stitch length to 1.5 and sewed the rest of the block as directed. The 1.5 stitch length made the paper really easy to remove.
This sounds really more elaborate than necessary but I found it far easier to write on the stabilized fabric and it actually saved me time. If I were to make a block and not write on it, I wouldn't have done the stabilizing thing.
06-23-2010, 09:50 PM
#42
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Muscatine, Iowa by way of West Virginia, Washington State, and Montana
Posts: 1,130
I'm so glad I read these suggestions. I have had a terrible time trying to write on the fabric! I will try the tape. It can't hurt. I am mailing 3 blocks tomorrow, and will try to make some extras. I was thinking it was going to take a whole lot of patches for a good size quilt. Thanks everyone! I learn something every time I check this site.
06-29-2010, 07:51 PM
#44
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: High Entropy Zone
Posts: 1,247
My frustration in getting the sashing to look right on the quilt I am trying to finish has a bright side. I was able to finish several more blocks for Alu's quilt. I'm going to try to finish the pile I've cut before mailing.
I noticed that this particular topic doesn't have a lot of "traffic". Maybe a post under the Main category would generate more blocks for the quilt?
I noticed that this particular topic doesn't have a lot of "traffic". Maybe a post under the Main category would generate more blocks for the quilt?
06-29-2010, 07:56 PM
#45
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Muscatine, Iowa by way of West Virginia, Washington State, and Montana
Posts: 1,130
Originally Posted by lab fairy
My frustration in getting the sashing to look right on the quilt I am trying to finish has a bright side. I was able to finish several more blocks for Alu's quilt. I'm going to try to finish the pile I've cut before mailing.
I noticed that this particular topic doesn't have a lot of "traffic". Maybe a post under the Main category would generate more blocks for the quilt?
I noticed that this particular topic doesn't have a lot of "traffic". Maybe a post under the Main category would generate more blocks for the quilt?
06-29-2010, 08:32 PM
#49
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: At my little house, buried under a pile of fabric.
Posts: 2,034
I would like to make a suggestion since there doesn't seem to be so many people doing this. Maybe we could make a siggie block and then send a few 3.5 squares to make a it 9 patch scrappy quilt. Or just make the 9 patch with the siggie as the center block and then send it. That would also help Gwyn get the quilt done soon enough to go off to college with Alu.
06-29-2010, 08:49 PM
#50
Super Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: High Entropy Zone
Posts: 1,247
I know I'm speaking blasphemy here. I live in the Austin area, don't like sports much, and ... this is terrible ... went to Oklahoma Universities. Although my kids are at Texas Tech (one is working on graduate reseach with Texas A&M and going to graduate school at Tech and the other is working on his bachelors), I think I'll spare Alu the "Texas" fabric.
