GoBama

I didn't use anything like that. Just cut strips of various widths and laid them on my 12" square then sewed them and then trimmed to 12" and sew together into strips. It was fun and easy, but I'm paying now for my instant gratification since I have these enormous strips to hand quilt. Am on the last one and when that is done it's just to sew to the other 2 already sewed together and bind it off. Hopefully I will reconcile myself to this thing in time. Who knows, I may even like it in time!

GoBama

Thank you so much. I feel better about it now. Will post pix if I can figure out how to do it.

kwiltkrazy

good one, ghostrider.

The best way is to cut from salvage to salvage..

IrishNY

One tip for bias edges - starch the heck out of the pieces and they will stretch less.

georgiat

I, for one, think you should have said "I like the challenge of working with bias. It shows my skill level that I can accomplish this! Don't all good quilters do it this way?" Whatever it takes to shut the quilting police up! They don't realize that this is to be a pleasure, not a test, or perhaps they are afraid they might be one upped so they try to be superior. I love to teach my friends and the first thing I tell them is to do whatever works FOR THEM. It may not be the way I would do it but that doesn't mean it is wrong!

GoBama

Well, you see I haven't been quilting long and have learned from books mostly and on the fly. Don't have enough confidence to debate someone who has been doing it for years. I think I was also supposed to sew the strips to a foundation (which I didn't do), but I thought if I did I would have trouble hand quilting through the top, foundation, batting and backing. Am still unsure about that--do you use batting if you use a foundation for the strips?
Anyway, I'm quilting the last of it and will soon get it put together.
Whether it ever sees the light of day is another question!

Thanks for your input--I have learned a lot from everyone on this site.

GoBama

I didn't sew them to a foundation because I wanted to use batting and backing like in a regular quilt. Do you use batting if you sew to a foundation? That's probably a stupid question, but if I ever do it again I'd like to know. Thanks for your input. I need all the help I can get.

georgiat

You can do foundations in various ways. Some use paper as a foundation that is usually torn away before quilting but after the top is complete. I have heard of one person who left it in place also. I don't think I would as most paper has some acid in it that might cause your fabric to brown over time. Others use muslin as a foundation. I would probably use a thin batt if the foundation was muslin and I was hand quilting so there would be less bulk to quilt through.

C.Cal Quilt Girl

No Quilt Police, most of the time if hit that situation just listen thru, thank for the info and figure no one dies if my project works for me it's good enough.
Do a lot w/ strips generally cut selvage to selvage, have ended up with other direction, No one died.
Have cut not w/grain a little off for me less fraying, No one died.
Don't generally use foundation, unless paper piecing or applique, even if didn't, No one died.
Don't always use 1/4 inch seams, No one died.
Are you catching a theme here...:)
If you enjoy the way you work, and since we are all a work in progress ( or at least i am).
Many patterns can be used with some strip usage, don't care for little squares. and can do much with the method.
Good Luck and Happy Quilting !! :)

BellaBoo

Strip piecing usually means one of two ways:

Sew the strips on to paper, interfacing, wash away stabilizer, or the new stay in stabilizer. Remove the paper and use the strip block as any other block.
or
Put batting on top of the backing fabric and sew your strips together on top of the batting and backing. When you get your block sewn it's completely quilted.

I have never paid any attention to grain when strip piecing.
I think the fencing you are referring to is what most call sashing? I'd love to see a picture of your blocks.