Chain piecing
#12
Junior Member
Join Date: Feb 2021
Location: My own private Idaho
Posts: 182
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For me, it depends upon the pattern. I usually like to work in sets but no more than 10. For example, if I need 360 then I will do 36 sets of 10. If I only need 36, then I would do 6 sets of 6. I cannot work doing them all at one time because I can't sleep if I leave something unfinished. By breaking them down in sets, it allows me to finish a process and keeps me motivated because I can easily track my progress. When I break it down into sets, it seems much less overwhelming. As a bonus, it's easy to pick up where I left off if I don't get back to it until the next day, week or month!
#13
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 158
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Thank you to everyone for your responses. I am really surprised at what I feel, just an honest appreciation for so many who tirelessly dedicate themselves to the huge amount of sewing involved in making a quilt. Knowing all the work that will be required yet still forging ahead, it's really amazing. And it is Sunday morning, a good day for a healthy dose of humility, and a sense of pride too, in what we do.
So let me share my BIG project, LOL! If the photo will post...this will become a placemat, right now it's 12" X 15". There are 20 square in a square blocks which I did ten at a time. Obviously this little chickadee still has a long way to go.
![000_0941.jpg](https://www.quiltingboard.com/attachments/main-f1/634392d1626019933t-000_0941.jpg)
So let me share my BIG project, LOL! If the photo will post...this will become a placemat, right now it's 12" X 15". There are 20 square in a square blocks which I did ten at a time. Obviously this little chickadee still has a long way to go.
![000_0941.jpg](https://www.quiltingboard.com/attachments/main-f1/634392d1626019933t-000_0941.jpg)
#14
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I chain piece until I am done with that unit. If I am working on a large quilt that could be more than I can keep count of. I would guess more than 200??? If I am working on a smaller project, say a wall hanging or table runner. There could be 20 or more of the same piece that is being chain pieced. Then each section is pressed and squared up for accuracy. Now that I am using the Accuquilt system I have less squaring up to do but still a lot of chain piecing.
#15
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Location: Virginia
Posts: 235
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Thank you to everyone for your responses. I am really surprised at what I feel, just an honest appreciation for so many who tirelessly dedicate themselves to the huge amount of sewing involved in making a quilt. Knowing all the work that will be required yet still forging ahead, it's really amazing. And it is Sunday morning, a good day for a healthy dose of humility, and a sense of pride too, in what we do.
So let me share my BIG project, LOL! If the photo will post...this will become a placemat, right now it's 12" X 15". There are 20 square in a square blocks which I did ten at a time. Obviously this little chickadee still has a long way to go.
Attachment 634392
So let me share my BIG project, LOL! If the photo will post...this will become a placemat, right now it's 12" X 15". There are 20 square in a square blocks which I did ten at a time. Obviously this little chickadee still has a long way to go.
Attachment 634392
#16
Super Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Ballwin, MO
Posts: 4,242
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I think chain piecing with regular piecing is a different proposition than chain piecing with paper piecing. Ten sounds like a reasonable number with paper piecing. With regular piecing, I'll piece until I need a standing break, which is around 20-30 min.
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2020
Posts: 706
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I’m in awe reading about the awesome chain-piecing skills on this board. Two things stop me from massive chain-piecing sessions: cutting and pressing. I tend to work scrappy, so I don’t cut too much at a time. And then the thought of pressing hundreds of a unit makes me go cross-eyed! I have more than 50 HSTs sewn as leader/enders still waiting for me to press. All in all, I work in chunks, which also means I can usually finish a chunk before quitting for the day. Of course, this means I’m a slow quilter, but I’m also a slow runner and still get to the finish line.
#19
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,469
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umm....I do as many as the spirit moves me to do. It changes with every quilt. I do need to get up and change positions periodically. I do like to get everything cut first and then I chain for a bit, then get up and do the pressing, then go throw a load in the washer, then walk the dog, then come back and chain some more, and then press, and then get distracted by a phone call, make a batch of cookies, then chain some more. Basically, I love being retired so I can mostly do things as the spirit moves me.
#20
Super Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Pacific NW
Posts: 9,529
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This reminded me of the time I was chain piecing. It was late at night, everyone else was in bed asleep, and I was enjoying some alone time. There I was, happily stitching away, when all of a sudden some kind of creepy crawly ran down my leg. I shrieked, jumped back about 6 feet and fell off my chair onto the floor. All the sleeping menfolk came a-runnin to rescue me. I had to sheepishly tell them it was just my chain-pieced string of blocks, falling off the far edge of the table, that had brushed against my leg. 🥴🤣