Ever been completely bamboozled by a pattern?
05-31-2010, 04:21 PM
#41
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 851
Originally Posted by amorerm
When sewing on the center piece...I started with a pin in the center of the cirlce piece then matched it to a center seam on the blaze and pinned. Then the two sides; then center of each of those, then center of each of those.
I will soldier on, however. Thanks for your helpful suggestions.
05-31-2010, 04:42 PM
#42
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Des Moines IA
Posts: 525
You're right. When you pin the piece, it will curl up on the ends. You have to work with it curling up. And, when you sew both ends will continue to do this until you fold over to press. I found it easiest to put the circle fabric on top when sewing. I don't tear off the paper until the blocks are finsihed unless it comes off by itself. (Just be sure that the seams are facing in the right direction also.)
I know this sounds stupid maybe someone else can explain. Sewing these pieces is "nothing" like sewing anything else.
I wish my camera was working. I could take picks. I have pieces pinned ready to go. And I shoot them as I sew them. I'll see if I can find someone with a camera that works.
I know this sounds stupid maybe someone else can explain. Sewing these pieces is "nothing" like sewing anything else.
I wish my camera was working. I could take picks. I have pieces pinned ready to go. And I shoot them as I sew them. I'll see if I can find someone with a camera that works.
05-31-2010, 04:58 PM
#43
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 18,726
Ooohhh, it sounds like a real "vocabulary builder" of situation to me. You know where the air in your sewing room turns blue??
It is a fantastic looking pattern if you can get it to work and the batiks that you've chosen are beautiful! I think I would do my best (which you are), then applique the centers or add the leaves like you were thinking...It will look spectacular when you get done..
It is a fantastic looking pattern if you can get it to work and the batiks that you've chosen are beautiful! I think I would do my best (which you are), then applique the centers or add the leaves like you were thinking...It will look spectacular when you get done..
05-31-2010, 05:33 PM
#44
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 216
I stay bamboozled all the time! I am just beginning too make quilt tops and I have a kit that my daughter has had for years and she gave it back too me. It is only squares but now that it is time too make the blocks, I can't get at least one side too match up on the seams and have too take it back loose and try again. I am thinking I have chosen a much harder hobby that I have always wanted too learn too do, than my brain can figure out how too do all this putting together! I think I might be a hopeless case. But I won't throw any of the things I have done away. I may share these with someone else if I decide too just give up on quilting. It really calms me down too try at night but then when it comes out not right, I get back upset.
05-31-2010, 06:50 PM
#46
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 851
Originally Posted by Poodles
It really calms me down too try at night but then when it comes out not right, I get back upset.
05-31-2010, 07:07 PM
#47
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington state
Posts: 4,303
Valori is Jean Wells daughter. her mother started the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. The name of their shop is The Stitchin' Post. You might look them up on the internet and send an e-mail or call the shop.
05-31-2010, 07:19 PM
#48
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Posts: 3,037
Originally Posted by bstanbro
Do you know what bamboozle means? Or is that something I made up?
Anyway . . . I bought this pattern at a quilt show.
http://www.newleafpatterns.com/Patte...ll/firefly.gif
I'm hoping that link will let you see the large version of the picture. It is paper pieced, and I cannot for the life of me get the sun pieces to lie flat. I've done paper-pieced circles before (Statue of Liberty style). When I've done those, I've done a quarter of the circle and then sewn the four quarters together. This is like that, but the suns are sort of stretched out so that the finished quarter is rectangle shaped instead of square like the ones I've done before. I've tried all different ways of pinning it, and I simply cannot (after making five of these) get the suns to lie flat.
I'm ready to give up on it, and I hate that I've wasted my expensive batiks on it. I could quit and still have pieces big enough to use for something else. If I keep going, I feel as if I'm throwing good fabric after bad.
I guess I'm sort of venting, but I wonder if others have ever just given up on a pattern. Or do you fight with it to the bitter end? Or do you know some magic trick for me to get these suns to lie flat? They are so puckered that I doubt even the quilting can hide it. I've put so much work into the five I've made. I keep thinking if I can get just one to lie flat, then I'll take the others apart and do them again. But after five tries, I'm ready to give up.
I put it away once before and took a class. That was how I learned to do the Statue of Liberty style quarter-circle. I had no problems with that. But this is different. The sun is not a perfect quarter circle. It's stretched out somehow. There is one mark I'm supposed to match up, and I've done that. Still, I just can't make it work.
I've been quilting for two years, and I've made 23 quilts. I've never had one defeat me as this one has. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Anyway . . . I bought this pattern at a quilt show.
http://www.newleafpatterns.com/Patte...ll/firefly.gif
I'm hoping that link will let you see the large version of the picture. It is paper pieced, and I cannot for the life of me get the sun pieces to lie flat. I've done paper-pieced circles before (Statue of Liberty style). When I've done those, I've done a quarter of the circle and then sewn the four quarters together. This is like that, but the suns are sort of stretched out so that the finished quarter is rectangle shaped instead of square like the ones I've done before. I've tried all different ways of pinning it, and I simply cannot (after making five of these) get the suns to lie flat.
I'm ready to give up on it, and I hate that I've wasted my expensive batiks on it. I could quit and still have pieces big enough to use for something else. If I keep going, I feel as if I'm throwing good fabric after bad.
I guess I'm sort of venting, but I wonder if others have ever just given up on a pattern. Or do you fight with it to the bitter end? Or do you know some magic trick for me to get these suns to lie flat? They are so puckered that I doubt even the quilting can hide it. I've put so much work into the five I've made. I keep thinking if I can get just one to lie flat, then I'll take the others apart and do them again. But after five tries, I'm ready to give up.
I put it away once before and took a class. That was how I learned to do the Statue of Liberty style quarter-circle. I had no problems with that. But this is different. The sun is not a perfect quarter circle. It's stretched out somehow. There is one mark I'm supposed to match up, and I've done that. Still, I just can't make it work.
I've been quilting for two years, and I've made 23 quilts. I've never had one defeat me as this one has. I'd love to hear your thoughts.
05-31-2010, 08:27 PM
#49
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Upstate NY, north of Syracuse Area
Posts: 6,003
bstanbro, you are serving as a wonderful example to me of persistence. Now I know what frustration really is, and will remind myself that my little difficulties are just that, little!! I appreciate how dedicated you are to your craft, to have tried 5 times before coming to ask for help, and without once setting the pattern on fire or throwing it into the compost heap!!
Your choices of fabric are so beautiful, your project is going to be well worth all your efforts, and you can be extra proud because you didn't give up, but stuck with it!!!
Your choices of fabric are so beautiful, your project is going to be well worth all your efforts, and you can be extra proud because you didn't give up, but stuck with it!!!
05-31-2010, 10:08 PM
#50
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Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 851
Originally Posted by wildyard
bstanbro, you are serving as a wonderful example to me of persistence. Now I know what frustration really is, and will remind myself that my little difficulties are just that, little!! I appreciate how dedicated you are to your craft, to have tried 5 times before coming to ask for help, and without once setting the pattern on fire or throwing it into the compost heap!!
Your choices of fabric are so beautiful, your project is going to be well worth all your efforts, and you can be extra proud because you didn't give up, but stuck with it!!!
Your choices of fabric are so beautiful, your project is going to be well worth all your efforts, and you can be extra proud because you didn't give up, but stuck with it!!!
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