Pressing a Hexigon Quilt Top
12-12-2017, 01:54 PM
#11
Power Poster
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
You might try spritzing it with water, which will help relax the fibers,then pressing it with something really fluffy underneath, such as a newer, fluffy towel. I don't know that you're going to be able to press it all out, though. It kind of looks like there's excess fabric gathered in the seams.
Spritzing with starch (and allowing them to dry, or ironing dry if the plastic templates can take the heat) before removing the templates would have helped.
Honestly, a quilt top does not need to be pressed absolutely flat before quilting. At least, on my longarm, I can compensate for lots of problems with fullness and uneven piecing by using lots of quilting on the quilt. (I have done this for my sister.) The trick is to do a lot of quilting and use a *polyester* thread for the quilting. Doing close quilting with cotton thread will stiffen up the quilt; close quilting with polyester thread will not stiffen the quilt. My current favorite is Bottom Line thread for quilting, as it is fine enough so even an inexpert machine quilter such as I am can make the quilting look really good. It's nice to have a flat quilt top to work with, but not absolutely necessary.
Edit: You also want to use a batting with loft to finish the quilt top. A lofty batting will fill in those hexagons. My first choice would be Hobbs wool batting, which would work for either hand or machine quilting.
And I wouldn't fuss over the seams at this point. I would work just on the right side of the top. Jinny Beyer hand pieces and lets her seams fall any way they want. She says it does not make a difference once they are quilted. (I will say, though, that she never seems to use white fabric in her quilts, which may help.)
Last edited by Prism99; 12-12-2017 at 02:02 PM.
12-12-2017, 07:12 PM
#13
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: kansas
Posts: 6,407
I agree with this. You need to have something with a lot of loft underneath. Once the fibers have relaxed, you may need to work a finger underneath to fluff up each piece. Once they look better, do not iron! Just dust with spray starch and let them dry naturally. Basically what you have done is pressed in lots of creases that you now need to remove.
Spritzing with starch (and allowing them to dry, or ironing dry if the plastic templates can take the heat) before removing the templates would have helped.
Honestly, a quilt top does not need to be pressed absolutely flat before quilting. At least, on my longarm, I can compensate for lots of problems with fullness and uneven piecing by using lots of quilting on the quilt. (I have done this for my sister.) The trick is to do a lot of quilting and use a *polyester* thread for the quilting. Doing close quilting with cotton thread will stiffen up the quilt; close quilting with polyester thread will not stiffen the quilt. My current favorite is Bottom Line thread for quilting, as it is fine enough so even an inexpert machine quilter such as I am can make the quilting look really good. It's nice to have a flat quilt top to work with, but not absolutely necessary.
Edit: You also want to use a batting with loft to finish the quilt top. A lofty batting will fill in those hexagons. My first choice would be Hobbs wool batting, which would work for either hand or machine quilting.
And I wouldn't fuss over the seams at this point. I would work just on the right side of the top. Jinny Beyer hand pieces and lets her seams fall any way they want. She says it does not make a difference once they are quilted. (I will say, though, that she never seems to use white fabric in her quilts, which may help.)
Spritzing with starch (and allowing them to dry, or ironing dry if the plastic templates can take the heat) before removing the templates would have helped.
Honestly, a quilt top does not need to be pressed absolutely flat before quilting. At least, on my longarm, I can compensate for lots of problems with fullness and uneven piecing by using lots of quilting on the quilt. (I have done this for my sister.) The trick is to do a lot of quilting and use a *polyester* thread for the quilting. Doing close quilting with cotton thread will stiffen up the quilt; close quilting with polyester thread will not stiffen the quilt. My current favorite is Bottom Line thread for quilting, as it is fine enough so even an inexpert machine quilter such as I am can make the quilting look really good. It's nice to have a flat quilt top to work with, but not absolutely necessary.
Edit: You also want to use a batting with loft to finish the quilt top. A lofty batting will fill in those hexagons. My first choice would be Hobbs wool batting, which would work for either hand or machine quilting.
And I wouldn't fuss over the seams at this point. I would work just on the right side of the top. Jinny Beyer hand pieces and lets her seams fall any way they want. She says it does not make a difference once they are quilted. (I will say, though, that she never seems to use white fabric in her quilts, which may help.)
12-12-2017, 07:55 PM
#14
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Illinois
Posts: 9,018
I only use paper templates for epp, I once bought the plastic ones, but could not work with them. They seemed thick to me whereas the paper template is thin.....and I think that's how yours got puffy...your basting probably was loose, and the thickness of the plastic added to the looseness......as you said, they were pretty smooth...they should be tight against the template.....but following the advice given above will ease much of that fullness in. Did you watch any videos on YouTube before you started....there are quite a few of them, each one has some helpful hints on how to....I was inspired by Sue Daley's videos, along with a few others....don't be discouraged......you did a great job of joining them...no stitches are showing..that's the toughest part to do........keep us posted.....
12-13-2017, 02:56 AM
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Dunwoody, GA
Posts: 156
Oh, what a trial you have. Your colors and fabrics are lovely, hope you can get some workable advice. I use plastic templates from Brandy's and they are quite thin and I can iron over them -- and they are reusable. I usually spray starch the hexie, press, dry and then remove the thin template and press again.
Great advice to try, but it looks like you're going to have fluffy flowers, too many little gathers/pleats. When quilted it will still be wonderful.
Great advice to try, but it looks like you're going to have fluffy flowers, too many little gathers/pleats. When quilted it will still be wonderful.
12-13-2017, 06:55 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,229
Wondering if more stitches per square inch would have prevented a lot of those tucks and pleats? I admit that I'm a bit OCD when english paper piecing making 12+ stitches per inch, but haven't had wrinkles like that when the templates are removed. I really don't know what I'd do in your situation except try the suggestions already given, and though you may not be able to get them all out the quilt will still be lovely! From what I can see the colors and fussy cut hexies are beautiful!
12-14-2017, 04:23 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 659
Wondering if more stitches per square inch would have prevented a lot of those tucks and pleats? I admit that I'm a bit OCD when english paper piecing making 12+ stitches per inch, but haven't had wrinkles like that when the templates are removed. I really don't know what I'd do in your situation except try the suggestions already given, and though you may not be able to get them all out the quilt will still be lovely! From what I can see the colors and fussy cut hexies are beautiful!
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
