You've ever made a massive quilting boo-boo. Anyone? Well, I'm waving both hands in the air today! I was so happy to be approved for another Moda Bakeshop project, but I had one slight problem.....I'd never made the quilt. I have no idea how much fabric it will take or it's final size. Yikes! Due to some complicated math issues, there was no way (read: I wasn't going to hurt my brain with the math) for me to figure it out on paper. Ok, no biggie, I thought. I'll just make a practice version! I sewed like a maniac yesterday with a pretty Verna jelly roll only to end up with this:
Yeah. It's laying "flat" in this picture. CRAP CRAP DOUBLE CRAP! Stupid me forgot that I'd be sewing with a lot of bias edges! Grrr. Now, I'm worried about my ability to make one that does lay flat! I *think* that using pins and laying the quilt-in-progress flat before I pin the next piece will solve the problem, but I'm having some major self doubt here. If anyone has any great tips for this bias-challenged quilter (Tracey, this means you!) please tell me!
In more happy sewing news, I finished my June bee block for VIB's. Meghan is making a patriotic quilt for her hubby who is in the Army. I chose to do a paper pieced spinning stripes block. The instructions said it finished at 12", but in reality, it finished at only 10"! I guess I could have figured that out if I took a ruler to the pattern! Since Meghan wanted the blocks to finish at 16", I knew I was going to have to add borders anyway, so the smaller size wasn't a big deal.
I've also joined Jeni's QAL, Warm vs. Cool. These are my fabric picks. I did end up taking out some of the green, adding some yellow and blue. I'm half way through cutting out the squares to make HSTs, but this project will have to be put on hold for a bit since I'm going out of town tomorrow for a week. We're going to my in-laws in Missouri. Though I'm sad to be away from my machine for a whole week, I get to meet my nephew (Ezra Stegosaurs) for the first time! Plus, my MIL is super sweet and waits on us hand and foot!
7 comments:
Do you also iron the front each time you press a seam? I was just introduced to this technique in a VQB, and it seems to help getting the fabric flat. Or at the very least, you'll identify any problems more quickly, since you'll be looking at the right side of the fabric! LOVE the spinning stripes block! :) Is the pattern available anywhere, or do I need to recreate?
oh, wow - yeah, you weren't kidding. ;) That's a lot, isn't it?
*love* those W/C fabrics. I'm jealous. I totally want to do that QAL. Being very, very good, though. One more UFO = I get to choose a new project, but I need to use that allotment for a specific quilt for my cousin's wedding. (kinda excited at how good I've been these past few months - couldn't do it without the added organization/motivation of my blog!)
yikes! i've made mistakes, but it's never been for a tutorial, so it doesn't matter that much, you know? hope you figure it out soon! and yay for ezra steg!
I'm no help on the bias edges. Sorry!
I've been drooling over your warm/cool stack. I'm really close to caving and joining that qal!
the "warm/cool" quilt along is calling me too... your fabric stack isn't helping. ;)
Score for hanging with the MIL and getting waited on! (and meeting new nephews -- I can't wait to meet my niece!)
Email me about the edges -- I'll need a little bit more info. I have some-what of an idea of what you're up to, but not quite sure exactly how you're joining up those edges. But I've done quite a few bias projects by now... maybe I can help??? ;) (thanks for the love too, by the way)
Not sure how to handle the bias edges as you're quilting, but when you are doing garments - you end up 'staystitching' the edges inside the seam allowance. You basically start at the middle of each individual piece and sew a straight stitch just inside the seam allowance to the end, repeat going the other way. Helps keep things from stretching too much as you're putting things together, but I think this would be extremely time consuming on a quilt. Again, I speak only in theories. ((Hugs)) to you and the boys!
I have never had good results sewing with long JR strips. It seems like no matter what I do, they stretch like crazy. I am not sure if it's something I am doing, or if they way they stretch the fabric into the roll that is causing the issues.
It doesn't look like you are dealing with enough bias to really make that big of a difference. I have had similar issues with the circle table toppers I make, and that's usually because I didn't keep my seam allowance consistent.
Sorry, friend. It looks like you may have some un-sewing in your future!
Post a Comment