What did I do wrong? Advice needed please!
10-29-2008, 12:20 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Dudley, UK
Posts: 909
Does anyone know what I have done wrong here to make the wrinkles appear in the border. The pic shows the back only as the wrinkles didn't show up on the front in the pics as it is a busy fabric on the front. I was doing stitch in the ditch on either side of the border, and the wrinkling only appeared while doing the outer edge. As I was sewing it was like there was too much quilt top and not enough backing. As a result on the front there is a few puckers.
The layers are sandwiched together using basting spray, do you think maybe I didn't use enough on those edges and this caused the layers to shift? This is only the third quilt I have done (all baby size) and have not had this happen before.
I was using a stitch in the ditch foot at the time.
Not sure if undoing the stitching and re-doing it would make any difference? My fella says he would never have noticed if I hadn't pointed it out (men!) and that it all looked great anyway (bless him!).
I think I will chalk this one up to experience but am curious as to what it was I did wrong so I don't do it again! You advice and input would be appreciated as always!
The layers are sandwiched together using basting spray, do you think maybe I didn't use enough on those edges and this caused the layers to shift? This is only the third quilt I have done (all baby size) and have not had this happen before.
I was using a stitch in the ditch foot at the time.
Not sure if undoing the stitching and re-doing it would make any difference? My fella says he would never have noticed if I hadn't pointed it out (men!) and that it all looked great anyway (bless him!).
I think I will chalk this one up to experience but am curious as to what it was I did wrong so I don't do it again! You advice and input would be appreciated as always!
10-29-2008, 12:58 PM
#5
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Location: MN
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Originally Posted by quiltwoman
Did you sew the 2 lines in opposite directions? I have had that happen when not using a walking foot--I tended to "pull" my fabric thru the machine.
10-29-2008, 02:22 PM
#6
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: rural Maryland
Posts: 1,564
Hi,
It happens to all of us. Did you by any chance cut your borders on the cross grain of the fabric? If you did they have just enough stretch in them to allow them to wrinkle as you sew. Even a walking foot might not solve the problem. The reason that garmet patterns have big arrows to indicate the layout as it regards to grain is that the proper hang of a garment depends on how the fabric is cut. Remember that the only place that stretch is a good thing in a quilt is the binding. It was many years before I knew that you don't cut your borders by just sewing them on and cutting off any excess. You have to take an average of the crosswidth of the quilt in several places and cut your cross borders that length. Then you ease the border and the body of the quilt together letting your feed dogs ease in any differences in the two peices. We have all seen quilts that look like the last border is a ruffle. That is what happens when the borders are not cut on the "straight" of the grain. Depending on who will be using your quilt it may not make any difference. A loved one will probably love it no matter how disappointed you are in it's appearance.
A reputable quilt judge would grade the item down if the borders ripple.
I have resorted to couching decorative yarn in the ditch of my quilts that had what I considered flaws in points matching etc.
Unless your quilt is going to be judged by a professional I wouldn't worry about the wrinkles. Just be glad you finished it and didn't just create another UFO.
Mary
It happens to all of us. Did you by any chance cut your borders on the cross grain of the fabric? If you did they have just enough stretch in them to allow them to wrinkle as you sew. Even a walking foot might not solve the problem. The reason that garmet patterns have big arrows to indicate the layout as it regards to grain is that the proper hang of a garment depends on how the fabric is cut. Remember that the only place that stretch is a good thing in a quilt is the binding. It was many years before I knew that you don't cut your borders by just sewing them on and cutting off any excess. You have to take an average of the crosswidth of the quilt in several places and cut your cross borders that length. Then you ease the border and the body of the quilt together letting your feed dogs ease in any differences in the two peices. We have all seen quilts that look like the last border is a ruffle. That is what happens when the borders are not cut on the "straight" of the grain. Depending on who will be using your quilt it may not make any difference. A loved one will probably love it no matter how disappointed you are in it's appearance.
A reputable quilt judge would grade the item down if the borders ripple.
I have resorted to couching decorative yarn in the ditch of my quilts that had what I considered flaws in points matching etc.
Unless your quilt is going to be judged by a professional I wouldn't worry about the wrinkles. Just be glad you finished it and didn't just create another UFO.
Mary
10-29-2008, 03:06 PM
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 18,726
Pretty, I was thinking the same thing as Mary.. It may be as simple as using a walking foot (if you weren't), but Mary's explanation could be the culprit either way. :cry: I wouldn't get too worried about it on this quilt since your honey said he wouldn't even have noticed it. On the next one I know you will be paying more attention to this in advance and it will probably never happen to you again!! :lol:
10-30-2008, 04:51 AM
#9
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Eastern Shore, Maryland
Posts: 326
I have to agree with Quiltwoman. I sew for a living and one rule is to sew two lines in different directions to eliminate the pucker. Sometimes it doesn't matter, but why take the chance. I know that I have taken things apart for exactly the puckering reason.
Barb
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