Originally Posted by lprice
New to Quilting. Has anybody done the clown around quilt. I cant figure out how to make the sandwich method square the ones I make are not like this one. Hope You can help I am terrible with directions pictures are great Thanks Love this web site you all are so great. lprice
If you are working on the Clownin' Around pattern from about.com, those are Quarter Square Triangles which are not an easy pattern for a beginner but with practice, it will get more accurate.
My first suggestion is to starch your fabric really well. This will help control the bias edges. After you've starched and pressed your fabric and cut it into the 4 1/4 inch squares; draw a diagonal line from corner to the kitty corner on the back side of your light squares.
Pair up your dark square with a light square, right sides together. Sew a scant--very important!--1/4" away on each side of the line you drew.
Cut from corner to kitty corner without the line and then without moving the block, cut on the line you drew.
Take these to the iron and BEFORE you open them, hit the seam line with a hot iron. Let it cool and then open them. Press with your fingers, gently toward the dark. I cover my ironing board with opened little triangles and then I put the iron straight down on each triangle unit. No wiggling or scooching the iron around! I will sometimes use the tip or side of the iron to bump open the triangles rather than finger pressing them but am very careful not to twist on the blocks while pressing open.
After you sew your pairs together and press (again being careful not to twist while pressing), you'll want to square them up before sewing to anything else.
If you have trouble scorching the starch especially on the light/white fabric, try using Magic Sizing. It's not as heavy as starch but it won't scorch on the light fabrics.
Triangles are where you will notice a huge difference in the quality of fabric you are using also. The really thin stuff will need a bath in starch to keep it under control.