Jack's chain piecing help
05-25-2019, 04:24 AM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Boston
Posts: 368
I didn't save any of the progress photos when I made my jack's chain, but is the route I took.
To make blocks, I sewed the individual triangles to squares, then one at a time those pieces to the hex. Each time I started with the square to hex seam, then the connecting tri to square seam. I found triangles to be slightly wonkier to get my seam to stop 1/4" from the end, so if there was a choice I would sew to squares first.
One too few stitches was better than one too many for my starts and stops!
I considered a hex with a border of 6 triangles and 6 squares to be a block, with filler triangles between to make a row. To make the row, I would match the blocks and sew a seam between 2 triangles of the blocks, and then go back and fill in the extra tri above and below.
Putting rows together was not super difficult but was tedious. Each seam should be matched individually with the same starts and stops as for making blocks. I did read that you could sew all along a row continuously but I did not find that to be the case.
I ended up doing some hand sewing for the last rows. I would hand baste some intersections with a few stitches before going back to machine sew the seam.
This was my first piece (only so far!) with lots of Y-seams and by the end I was both sick of them and much better at them! Deliberate practice! I cannot emphasize enough that if I piece isn't laying right, try taking out a stitch or two at your starts and stops before ripping out an entire seam. In the end, I went back and hand-sewed a few intersections to make them fit better.
To make blocks, I sewed the individual triangles to squares, then one at a time those pieces to the hex. Each time I started with the square to hex seam, then the connecting tri to square seam. I found triangles to be slightly wonkier to get my seam to stop 1/4" from the end, so if there was a choice I would sew to squares first.
One too few stitches was better than one too many for my starts and stops!
I considered a hex with a border of 6 triangles and 6 squares to be a block, with filler triangles between to make a row. To make the row, I would match the blocks and sew a seam between 2 triangles of the blocks, and then go back and fill in the extra tri above and below.
Putting rows together was not super difficult but was tedious. Each seam should be matched individually with the same starts and stops as for making blocks. I did read that you could sew all along a row continuously but I did not find that to be the case.
I ended up doing some hand sewing for the last rows. I would hand baste some intersections with a few stitches before going back to machine sew the seam.
This was my first piece (only so far!) with lots of Y-seams and by the end I was both sick of them and much better at them! Deliberate practice! I cannot emphasize enough that if I piece isn't laying right, try taking out a stitch or two at your starts and stops before ripping out an entire seam. In the end, I went back and hand-sewed a few intersections to make them fit better.
Last edited by Rebecca_S; 05-25-2019 at 04:28 AM.
05-25-2019, 05:27 AM
#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Central Wisconsin
Posts: 4,391
Rebecca, that is beautiful. I have actually started my Jack's chain. I saw a picture and said, "I must make that."
I only have a few of the nine patches made, so am very happy to see the pattern and get the directions.
I only have a few of the nine patches made, so am very happy to see the pattern and get the directions.
05-25-2019, 05:57 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Pikesville, MD
Posts: 720
I'm working on one of these right now, so I was thrilled to see this thread! I've made 12 blocks and I want to make a baby quilt out of these. I've decided to just applique triangles in the spaces between the blocks, but I'm trying to figure out the best way to add fabric to get a rectangular shape for the quilt. I'd love to hear suggestions.
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