Nudging a Seam a Tad Narrower to Preserve Points

I thought I had my quarter inch seams worked out--finally.  But when I sewed a few churn dash blocks together I noticed points missing here and there.  It wasn't such a big deal but it was on my mind as I was sewing more blocks together.

It occurred to me that the problem might not be my 1/4 seam but that sewing eight layers of fabric together (four on each side of the seam) might effect how flat the fabric lays when pressed.  The seams do press flat but with so many layers it seems like the points just slightly curve into the seam, giving the appearance of a missing point.  With so much fabric in one spot, you can only press the fabric apart so far, even if the seam is pressed flat.

I decided to try nudging the seam a tad narrower to see what would happen.  It's a little hard to see in the photo below but click to enlarge if you want to see detail.  I wasn't sure if sewing a little closer to the edge would distort the seam and the whole block or not.

Here's the seam pressed open, below.  The slightly narrower seam over the points doesn't seem to have affected the blocks and the points aren't missing.  Hooray!

This is something I'll try to remember to do when I have to sew points again, always checking to make sure the blocks come out okay.  (Are you cringing at this idea?  Have I missed a reason not to do this?)

Life Aside from Quilting
We spent a few days with my daughter and her family last Thursday and Friday.  I always come home sore and tired but it's so worth it to be in the company of her and her husband, and our delightful grands.  (I forgot to take photos, again.  Sight.)  We went down for a Grandparents Day event at the school, a sprawling "fair" on the school grounds.  I think the favorite part of the event for the grands is always the book fair but the lines were so long we missed most of the other activities.  The children didn't seem to mind.

Did you see the moon last Thursday or Friday night?!  It was huge, low, and golden as we drove home.  Gorgeous!

We've had two beautiful late summer/early fall days yesterday and today.  The high temperatures were in the low 70s with sun, a few clouds, and wonderful breezes.  It seems like we might have an early fall this year....

I finally cut setting triangles.  I think they'll work.  (I'll write a post about that later.)  I'll recheck sizes tomorrow and then pin and sew.  I have to get a move on this quilt so I can have it done by the end of the 3rd week in September since I'll be at the ocean the fourth week.  I'm so looking forward to that!

I hope all is well in your world.

--Nancy.

What to Do About a Quilt Top with Ruffled Edges?

I stitched together the sections of Cheddarback yesterday including the sashing around the edges.  It was great to get it done, but now I have a potential problem.

You see those ruffly edges?  Should I be concerned about those?

I don't believe I've ever had this problem before and I'm not sure what to do.

Are my seams a few threads too wide?  Are those blocks a smidgen too small?  Or both?  Or is there some other problem?  The center and top edges and corners of the quilt are flat, it's just the lower right and left sides and corners. 

I suppose it's possible those ruffles will quilt out but maybe not.  If I can improve the situation now I'd rather.

Thank you for any thoughts about this problem!

-Nancy.
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An Error in Judgment

I'm open to using a variety of thread for hand quilting.  If the color's right, the thread's strong, it doesn't smell like smoke or mildew, and it's all cotton or natural fiber, I figure it's good enough to use to hand quilt.  I found this spool of light brown/tan at a local craft shop where people donate their unwanted craft items for others to have (after a monetary donation) and brought it home. 

When I found it I didn't have an intended purpose but I knew the color would be useful.  I tested it by burning a section and found that it's a natural fiber because it turned to ash.  I don't know beyond that what fiber it is but it's too shiny to be cotton.  I also tested it before using by washing and drying it and by putting it under a hot iron.  All good.

The spool was full but there was no indication how much thread was on a full spool.  But then I never think about whether there will be enough thread to quilt a quilt, probably because in the past I've been able to get more.

Now I find that I have 15 squares and 8 stars yet to quilt and this (on the left photo) is what's left on the spool.













I was not exactly frugal while quilting.  If I had a few inches of thread left at the end of a row or block, I cut it off and threw it away and began with a fresh length, never thinking that I could run out.

My error in judgment is to use thread without considering whether there's enough for the whole quilt.  I may find I made a second error in judgment if, after tossing the finished quilt in the washer and dryer, I find that the thread has shrunk more than cotton usually does, or disintegrated, or some other untoward event happens to cause the quilt to need requilting.  Oh, how I hope that doesn't happen!

I suppose I'll use cotton quilting thread in a color as close as I can find to the one above if I don't have enough of this thread to finish the quilt.

Do you ever make errors in judgment with your quilting?  Do you always use the same brand of hand quilting thread?  Which kind do you like best?

Oh, yes!  I almost forgot.  It's the first day of spring.  Happy Spring!  Snow is predicted for our area tonight and most of the day tomorrow.  Those two groundhogs I saw eating greens on Saturday will probably be surprised.

I'm linking this post to
> Fiber Tuesday at The Quilting Room with Mel
> To Do Tuesday at Stitch All Things
> Let's Bee Social #220 at Sew Fresh Quilts
> WOW at Esther's Blog

Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.
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Shortening a Quilt

This in-progress quilt needs to be a little shorter.  It can be because the pieced setting triangles on the ends really only need to be half-block size plus 1/4" for the binding.  Below is the first step in making them that size.

I laid the quilt out on the floor and smoothed the ends, squaring the quilt as much as possible.  Then I aligned my 24" ruler along the center of those blocks.  (In the photo above, the ruler was not yet properly placed.  I shifted it forward a bit on the right side.)  Once the ruler was exactly in place I drew a line across the fabric with a soft lead pencil.  I've been quilting just past the line.  When the quilting is finished, I will cut 1/4" beyond the line and stitch the binding at the penciled line.

I hope it works!  I hope I don't lose any seams or any quilting stitches when I cut those edges.

I suppose quilters with more experience than me are probably shaking their heads, knowing how much easier it would have been to make the half-blocks the size they needed to be to begin with.  (This was the first time I converted a regular block to a setting triangle and I didn't know what I was doing.)  Or possibly those experienced quilters have better ideas to shorten this quilt than what I've done.  If so, I hope they will share them.

I've quilted five half-blocks and have three to go to reach my One Monthly Goal for June.

This is one of my works in progress this week.  I'm linking this post to WOW at Esther's Blog and Let's Bee Social #129 at Sew Fresh Quilts.  Thanks for hosting, ladies.

--Nancy.
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One Monthly Goal (OMG) for June

My One Monthly Goal for June is to finish hand quilting this quilt.

The reason it's not already finished is the half-blocks on the ends.  When I made those pieced side-setting triangles I knew the grain of the fabric needed to align with the edges of the quilt and I redrafted the half blocks so the bias wouldn't be along the edges.  I extended them a little because I didn't know what I was doing.  (You know, that first-time-and-let's-see-if-this-works experience.)  I left them that size, thinking it would be easier to cut them off than have them too small.  In retrospect, I think that was probably a bad idea.

This quilt is one of those too-long quilts and now I want to get rid of the extra 1 1/2" on each end.  A more experienced quilter might consider it an easy fix (or wouldn't be in this situation at all) but I see problems:  seams unraveling, crooked or wavy edges, etc. . . .

There are eight of these half-blocks and I've quilted parts of four of them:  all the parts that don't go to the edge of the quilt.  I'll have to spend some time deciding how to measure and mark the edges, and then quilt them.

These setting triangles have become such an ordeal (a mental roadblock, so to speak) that instead of just quietly finishing the quilt, I have to set fixing those edges as a specific monthly goal so I can finish it!

I think one of the wonderful things about life is that we can learn as we go. 

I'm linking this post to One Monthly Goal June Linkup: Goalsetting at Red Letter Quilts.  Thanks for hosting, Heidi.

--Nancy.
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Oh, No! An Applique Mistake!

I always think I am being so careful when I cut the back of applique blocks.  But somehow, this morning -- the first time ever --

I cut through the rust-colored fabric into checked fabric of the top circle!  The rust fabric behind the circle is completely cut away.  I was trimming inside the circle a little more.

Now what?  I searched the internet but didn't find any information about fixing a mistake like this.

Can I patch it?  Can I unstitch part of the plaid circle, sew a straight seam to add fabric, trim it, and re-stitch?

I doubt I will be able to unstitch the whole circle, replace it, AND have it come out looking remotely round.  I don't have the experience or ability (yet, if ever) to do it.

Will I need to begin again, from the background fabric up?

I stitched the rust circle yesterday while watching Downton Abbey.  I stitched (and cut the hole in) the checked fabric this morning.

This is what it looked like before I cut the slice out of it.

Have you ever had a problem like this?  If so, how did you resolve it?

I'm linking this post to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts and Oh Scrap! at Quilting is more fun than Housework.  Thanks, ladies.

I hope you're making progress (and not regress, as I am) with your quilting endeavors!

--Nancy.
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Puckered Up - A Hand Quilting Problem

Hand quilting was going along smoothly until I quilted into the border.  Then the puckering began.  (The white line is masking tape used as my guide.)

This is the first time it's happened -- that my stitches have puckered the fabric in the border.  But then this is the first time I've quilted a border on the diagonal.  I'm using the same "tension" on these stitches as I used on the center of the quilt where there was no puckering.  I'm using a hoop in which I begin with the fabric tight but after I get the knot buried I loosen the hoop so the fabric has some give.  And I'm not pulling the thread tight.

Should I be concerned about the puckering?  If I don't take out the stitches what will the finished quilt look like?  Maybe I should not quilt on the bias in the border.  I originally intended to quilt straight lines parallel to the edges of the quilt.  Maybe there was some wisdom in that.  If any of you have knowledge to share about this problem, please leave a comment.  I would be grateful.

I'm quilting on this string quilt.  I so need to finish it so I can get on to the quilt for new grandbaby.  Do you dislike interruptions and quilting problems as much as I do?

I hope you have a great weekend.

--Nancy.
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All Is Well

It's amazing what a good night's sleep will do for one's attitude about and insight into solutions to problems.  There was last night's mess that I didn't want to fix -- that I just wanted to be fixed.  I awoke with more energy and a clearer vision of the problems I would have if I just left the quilt back as it was.  I decided to remove the quilt top (that hadn't yet been pin-basted) and batting and increase the width. 

I added 8" along the left side in the photo above and the back is plenty big now.  It may not be as good as if I'd measured correctly the first time, but it will work.

Thank goodness for sleep!

--Nancy.
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Measure Twice

You know that old adage, right?  The one that says, "Measure twice, cut once?"  I worked in a wood shop for a few years so I know that adage.  But do I think of it when I'm working on a quilt?  Not usually.

Case in point:

The Sunday Morning quilt top laying on top of batting and backing.  Before making the backing I measured the top at 67 1/2" x 90".  I spent nearly a week making a scrappy back that measures 76" x 98", or a little more.  (I didn't think I needed to be too careful about the outside edges of the back being even so some sections extend wider.) 

I finished the back today, pleased to have batting on hand, pleased that I could get on with the layering, basting, and finally the quilting, which is what I really want to be doing. 

I pinned the back to the floor.  I layered the batting on top.  I carefully laid the quilt on top.  What?  How could the back not have 4" all the way around?  I measured the top again only to find that the real measurement is 74 1/2" x 90".  Disappointment set it.  I am so sad.

As I see it, I have three choices:

1. Take off the top two layers.  Take out the pins in the back.  And add a strip of fabric along the width of the back.  (I have no interest in doing this.  I'm tired of working on the back of this quilt.)  Or,
2. Remove one block along the width of the quilt top, thereby making it 67" wide.  Are the proportions out of whack for a quilt to measure 67" x 90"?  Or,
3. Quilt it as it is and try not to let the top shift (and add fabric to the back if/when I find it needs it.)

Have you ever had this problem?  What did you do?

One more quilting lesson -- learned the hard way.

--Nancy.
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Binding Uneven Edges

The hand quilting is finished on the the Plaid Churn Dash.  It only took about five months - for better or worse.  I wasn't in a hurry and it was a little warm to sit under a quilt during the summer months.

When I laid it out to cut off the extra batting and backing I remembered the unevenness where some of the edge triangles join, shown at the bottom of the photo below.

I asked you readers in an earlier post what you would do in the case of a quilt made years ago before you had enough experience to be successful and whether you would try to fix those large triangles around the edges.  Most of you recommended leaving it and chalking it up to lack of experience, which is exactly what I did.  I think I'll be doing some fudging when I stitch the binding on.

I hope to stitch the binding on tomorrow and then I can begin hand stitching it to the back.

I'm linking this post to WOW at Esther's Blog and W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Thank you, ladies for hosting.

--Nancy.
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Novice Quilt, New Eyes

The reason I shouldn't leave a quilt top too long between finishing it and layering and quilting it is this:  I notice all the problems and begin to reevaluate and reconsider.  If I think too long I'll have the whole quilt taken apart and redone. 

I see more obviously the side setting triangles and ...

... corner triangles that don't line up.

On the shortest pieces at the seams there is not a quarter inch to be sewn.  If I pretend there's no problem and sew the edges, the corners of some squares will be cut off.  I'm debating with myself whether to rip out and restitch those seams or chalk them up to inexperience and consider them "character."

This is the first quilt I set on-point -- made about 7 or so years ago.  Somehow, I think this will be a bear to quilt.  Even so, I'm eager to get it layered (though I still have to choose a backing) so I can have something to quilt.  I'm at loose ends with nothing to do with my hands when I'm sitting talking to my husband or watching TV.

Do you ever look at your earlier, unquilted tops and decide to make changes to them?

I'm linking this post to WOW = WIPs on Wednesday at Esther's Blog and to W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Thank you, ladies, for hosting.


Happy quilting!
--Nancy.


P.S.  I'm just remembering that this quilt was inspired by a series of quilts by Nadi Lane called "She Did the Best She Could."  Maybe (maybe?) I should just take the title as a lesson and leave the quilt alone.  Maybe she had a challenge with the triangles, too. 
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I Implore You, for the Sake of Your Quilt

On Thursday afternoon I was feeling excited about the ta-da moment of posting my washed and dried snowball and nine-patch quilt for little Olivia.  I'd finished the binding early in the day and tossed the quilt in the washer.  When I pulled it out and examined it I found that the pencil marks for the quilting had not washed out!  Drat!

I was disappointed.  I used pencil on my String-X quilt and it washed out completely.  And I'd sampled pencil on some of the fabrics in this quilt and they washed out.  I know nothing about the chemistry of pencil on fabric.  Maybe some fabrics soak in the graphite, or maybe the longer the pencil is on the fabric, the harder it is to remove.  It doesn't matter.  I would just rather not have pencil lead on a finished quilt.

Being the sensible sort, I did not panic.  I got online and searched how to remove pencil marks from fabric.  I found many suggestions.  I tried each then washed the quilt and air-dried it before trying the next.  Unfortunately none of them were completely effective. 

I tried

• Goop.  It is my go-to stain remover and nearly never fails me.  Chances are it would probably remove pencil from jeans (where it matters much less than it matters on a new baby quilt!).
• a white eraser.  That was a big mistake.  It rubbed the fiber the wrong way.
• liquid hand soap which had no effect whatsoever.
• a mixture of water, alcohol, and dish soap as recommended at Quilt History.  It was ineffective.
• Fels Naphtha rubbed on the marks.  It had no effect.
• ammonia.  This may have lightened some of the pencil lines but did not remove the darkest of them.
• Lestoil.  This may also have lightened some of the lines but also did not remove the darkest of them.

Lestoil was my last resort.  I used a q-tip to dab it onto the pencil lines, washed it, then into the dryer.  While the pencil lines are still there, the puckers in the fabric around the quilting seem to camouflage all but the very worst of the lines.  I've decided it's a fact that pencil is nearly impossible to remove from fabric.  I can only take comfort in knowing that my great-grandmother's quilt, made in the 1920s or 1930s, also has residual pencil marks and it is no less beautiful nor serviceable than if they were not there.

Still, I implore you for the sake of your quilt,

Please do not use pencil to mark quilting lines!

And one last photo, just for the fun of it.  The view into my washer after the last wash.

 --Nancy.
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Uh-Oh! Pinholes!

This . . .

 

. . . caused this!

The safety pin snagged the fabric and pulled several inches of it.  And that's not the only pin that's caused broken threads and snags.  My pins are sharp so dull pins are not the cause.  What happened?

I used large safety pins to pin-baste the layers of this quilt together.  It's one of my first quilts -- a practice quilt, obvious by the uneven stitches.  If this quilt were a gift I would be very unhappy.  As it is, it's my String-X scrap quilt (a la Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville) which will become a picnic quilt or a floor quilt.  Nothing fancy or fabulous, but still.  Holes?!  I've darned one of them and will probably have to search the quilt for others that need repaired, either by darning or patching. 

I don't know what's required to prevent holes in the future.  Baste with thread instead of use safety pins?  I thought pins were helpers but not this time!


This is a Shadow Shot Sunday post.