Piecing Help
03-25-2020, 03:15 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 2
Piecing Help
Hi all, I have started piecing a quilt while in lockdown. But I need your help. I am making 2.5" half squares. But I'm having the inevitable issue of getting getting the little bunching on the first few stiches, you know when the little corner gets pulled down inside the needle plate as the needle lowers.
Someone said, use a "cast off" scrap and sew off of the scrap onto the pieces your sewing. That works a little but there must be a better way.
Glad to know all my fellow Babylock brethren.
Craig
Someone said, use a "cast off" scrap and sew off of the scrap onto the pieces your sewing. That works a little but there must be a better way.
Glad to know all my fellow Babylock brethren.
Craig
03-25-2020, 03:30 PM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,457
Welcome from Ontario, Canada. Using a fabric scrap at the start does work and there are many names for it. Some call it a spider, some just call it a starter square. The only other option I know of to reduce the needle pushing fabric into the plate is to use a single hole plate instead of the zig zag plate. If you don’t have a single hole plate you can use a piece of card stock to make one but it can be a bit tricky. Good Luck!
03-25-2020, 03:38 PM
#3
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: SW Washington USA
Posts: 4,386
Welcome to the board Craig! After you send one pair through lead by that little piece of scrap, always follow with another pair and another pair, always leaving something under the foot. Many of us keep things going this way calling it leaders and Enders. As thread has gotten more expensive it is one way to avoid waste.
sewing class taught me to always hold onto the top and bottom thread in my fingers when starting out, does the same thing.
sewing class taught me to always hold onto the top and bottom thread in my fingers when starting out, does the same thing.
03-25-2020, 04:21 PM
#5
Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Bermuda
Posts: 12
I have to start by lifting my presser foot and needle up, placing a little scrap (leader) right under my needle, lower the foot, be sure I’m holding my thread tails in the back, and stitch to the edge of that scrap. Then I can feed my sets of pieces through, one after the other, with only two or three stitches free between each set. (Chain piecing)
When I am done, I finish with another scrap (Ender), stitch across that scrap and leave it in place, with my needle down.
I just have a little pile of offcuts to the right of my machine to use. Others are organised enough to cut their “scraps” in to 2.5” squares, so their leaders and enders wind up being the beginning of a 2” square scrappy quilt.
This has definitely saved me a ton of wasted thread. I also don’t have a bunch of thread trimmings all over to clean up.
When I am done, I finish with another scrap (Ender), stitch across that scrap and leave it in place, with my needle down.
I just have a little pile of offcuts to the right of my machine to use. Others are organised enough to cut their “scraps” in to 2.5” squares, so their leaders and enders wind up being the beginning of a 2” square scrappy quilt.
This has definitely saved me a ton of wasted thread. I also don’t have a bunch of thread trimmings all over to clean up.
03-25-2020, 04:47 PM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: South West Ontario
Posts: 2,235
Another option is when starting out is to start about 1/4 inch in from the tips of the fabric, take a few stitches and then back stitch to the point and then stitch forward. This is a bit bulky sometimes, so my personal preference is to either use a spider or hold the thread tails to the back of my work when starting out, and using a single hole stitch plate if possible.
Good luck, welcome to the board, and post pictures!
Good luck, welcome to the board, and post pictures!
