Bonnie Hunter 2023-24 Mystery -- Indigo Way
12-10-2023, 01:03 PM
#181
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: South Dakota
Posts: 8,138
Iceblossom, With prewashing, I've found it does not matter which machine I use (and I have two sets, one for the main home and one in the studio apartment I use for sewing), It is how I dry it that makes a big difference. I've found that as long as I put a large cotton bath towel in with the wet fabric (the towel is dry) and then use the "wrinkle free" setting that periodically rolls the drum after it's complete (cause I often forget I've got fabric in the dryer), my washed fabric comes out good enough that I rarely press it before ruler folding it. I do sometimes have problems with charm squares and layer cakes, but fat quarters and anything larger usually comes out fine.
If I forget and don't throw in the towel, I end up with enough wrinkles I'll put it back in with the towel and use the "refresh" setting and that helps. I
If I forget and don't throw in the towel, I end up with enough wrinkles I'll put it back in with the towel and use the "refresh" setting and that helps. I
12-11-2023, 07:22 AM
#184
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,067
Go go everyone!
I'm with you Macybaby, about the drying being more important than the washing in being ready for ironing. I've been sitting by the dryer for a long time! I also prefer to wash things in a "mixed load" with a towel or some jeans being part of the process. When we moved I decided on trying the newer technology of impeller washer and its been doing fine. I ordered a set of 20?? neutral fat eighths for this project and threw them all in one load and was very pleased that none of them got all wadded up or chewed up or otherwise caused any problems at all. Maybe I should try a jellyroll which was always the worst size/shape to prewash to test it out. When I do wash long skinny strips I generally put 3-4 of them in a lingerie bag.
Speaking of those fat eighths, I've used up a lot of them especially as I cut this clue. One of them I cut for the last clue with the skinny triangles but the scatter of colors was so far apart they essentially came out as just white so I scrapped them. I am keeping one of the fat eighths out of this project for future use on a project for the hubby... is a Northcott fabric with white background that has skinny stripes of cursive writing love and an image of avocado, That will go in with the olives and bowling and other husband fabric.
When I was trimming my Clue 2 blocks, I found I was one set short! Maybe that's why I had the two extra red triangles left... it was an under cut and not an over cut. Usually I sew quite scant, with my long break of non-quilting I am all over the place but mostly a bit too much seam. I've gotten really good now at the trimming and when I did that last missed set, my piecing was pretty spot on. I found myself humming the Sesame Street song about "one of these things is not like the others" as I was trimming. It was amazing to me how these were all cut at the same time, all sewn at the same time, yet so different. Is good that I cut large, I would have had a lot of failures if not. As it is, they are not so bad that they can't be used and at least they are the correct finish size.
I'm with you Macybaby, about the drying being more important than the washing in being ready for ironing. I've been sitting by the dryer for a long time! I also prefer to wash things in a "mixed load" with a towel or some jeans being part of the process. When we moved I decided on trying the newer technology of impeller washer and its been doing fine. I ordered a set of 20?? neutral fat eighths for this project and threw them all in one load and was very pleased that none of them got all wadded up or chewed up or otherwise caused any problems at all. Maybe I should try a jellyroll which was always the worst size/shape to prewash to test it out. When I do wash long skinny strips I generally put 3-4 of them in a lingerie bag.
Speaking of those fat eighths, I've used up a lot of them especially as I cut this clue. One of them I cut for the last clue with the skinny triangles but the scatter of colors was so far apart they essentially came out as just white so I scrapped them. I am keeping one of the fat eighths out of this project for future use on a project for the hubby... is a Northcott fabric with white background that has skinny stripes of cursive writing love and an image of avocado, That will go in with the olives and bowling and other husband fabric.
When I was trimming my Clue 2 blocks, I found I was one set short! Maybe that's why I had the two extra red triangles left... it was an under cut and not an over cut. Usually I sew quite scant, with my long break of non-quilting I am all over the place but mostly a bit too much seam. I've gotten really good now at the trimming and when I did that last missed set, my piecing was pretty spot on. I found myself humming the Sesame Street song about "one of these things is not like the others" as I was trimming. It was amazing to me how these were all cut at the same time, all sewn at the same time, yet so different. Is good that I cut large, I would have had a lot of failures if not. As it is, they are not so bad that they can't be used and at least they are the correct finish size.
12-11-2023, 10:36 PM
#186
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Southwest Idaho
Posts: 5,999
I got sidetracked the past few days since I bought my first embroidery machine and I have been playing. So much fun. I, also, finished an EPP quilt top I’ve been working on this year. Made a goal to complete the top before end of year, so feeling pretty good about getting that done.
Tonight, I cut out part 3…ready to sew tomorrow…
Quiltbear…I am loving the constant fabrics….going to be a striking finish…
Sync….great work on yours, too! So pretty…
Tonight, I cut out part 3…ready to sew tomorrow…
Quiltbear…I am loving the constant fabrics….going to be a striking finish…
Sync….great work on yours, too! So pretty…
Last edited by Teen; 12-11-2023 at 10:39 PM.
12-12-2023, 12:07 AM
#187
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 835
Clue #2 threw me for a loop and derailed the momentum. (How was I supposed to know triangle in a square is not a 60 triangle??). And then life got in the way. But I have been faithfully writing the short form of the clues and hopefully when life calms down in January, I'll get back to it.
I'm also doing a little "sour grapes". Because this way I can see the final layout before I commit to certain colors. Someone on here gave that perspective and I'm clinging - because it means I'm not a washout, I'm time thrifty.
I'm also doing a little "sour grapes". Because this way I can see the final layout before I commit to certain colors. Someone on here gave that perspective and I'm clinging - because it means I'm not a washout, I'm time thrifty.
12-12-2023, 06:56 AM
#188
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,067
Oof RFF1010, sorry your momentum got derailed. I can understand waiting and seeing more or going along with the other clues with the idea you might want to come back to this step.
I know how mad I was during Frolic to find we deliberately had our time and fabric wasted to make extra pieces "just" for the mystery. Those triangles in a square are difficult units. Normally I would consider that I had the ability to make them correctly and I'm blaming my year and half or so of non-sewing for my inability to make them consistently for this project. I know some of my triangles are leaning. A lot of them have extra on the top, some may even be cut off slightly on the top. Some are going to have a scant seam for one side or the other at the bottom. And that was with cutting the skinny triangles extra large -- if I had gone ahead with correct measurements probably half would have been not usable -- and even worse that would be 1-2 per set. I've learned when I want this unit precise I should paper piece them.
But all is not lost! If your units measure correctly from what I found playing with rulers and samples is that only maybe 1/2" at the bottom gets a bit blunted, with how busy Bonnie's quilts usually turn out you might be okay with that. You might not and maybe you do want to wait until further along in the process, Someone in the group was wanting to make this square project more rectangle -- you might be able to use the units as is for that. Two rows of rejected triangles top and bottom. Slightly rectangular if you want sharp points, trimmed a bit more to make pickets or with strips of red or neutral between, or just as they are.
Sour grapes can be delicious
Whatever you need to do for this to be a happy thing you should do it. What I tell myself is that even when I have complete control over a project, there is always something I would change. Of course, with a mystery and doing it as a mystery there are things I would change in hindsight, so I just keep on and blame Bonnie!
I know how mad I was during Frolic to find we deliberately had our time and fabric wasted to make extra pieces "just" for the mystery. Those triangles in a square are difficult units. Normally I would consider that I had the ability to make them correctly and I'm blaming my year and half or so of non-sewing for my inability to make them consistently for this project. I know some of my triangles are leaning. A lot of them have extra on the top, some may even be cut off slightly on the top. Some are going to have a scant seam for one side or the other at the bottom. And that was with cutting the skinny triangles extra large -- if I had gone ahead with correct measurements probably half would have been not usable -- and even worse that would be 1-2 per set. I've learned when I want this unit precise I should paper piece them.
But all is not lost! If your units measure correctly from what I found playing with rulers and samples is that only maybe 1/2" at the bottom gets a bit blunted, with how busy Bonnie's quilts usually turn out you might be okay with that. You might not and maybe you do want to wait until further along in the process, Someone in the group was wanting to make this square project more rectangle -- you might be able to use the units as is for that. Two rows of rejected triangles top and bottom. Slightly rectangular if you want sharp points, trimmed a bit more to make pickets or with strips of red or neutral between, or just as they are.
Sour grapes can be delicious
Whatever you need to do for this to be a happy thing you should do it. What I tell myself is that even when I have complete control over a project, there is always something I would change. Of course, with a mystery and doing it as a mystery there are things I would change in hindsight, so I just keep on and blame Bonnie!
