Dreaming

Has anyone ever sewn together 3,4,5,ect. strips together and then cut them at a 45% angle and then try to match your seams together. If you have and know a way to get them to match without a problem, please let me know. I have pinned and they don't match, I have not pinned and they don't match. My pieces seem to be the same size. I have unsewn so many times my fabic is starting to fall apart. I may sew them together and they don't match, but after unsewing and sewing again they will match, sometimes. Other times it may take 3 or 4 times. I was so relieved the other night when I finally finished putting my last pieces together (I had to sew six pieces together and match the seams in 5 places to make 24 larger pieces) Don't sound like much, but it took me forever. Then I realize I miscauculated and now I have to make more. I am so frustrated...... HELP!!!!

GingerK

I think the secret is sewing two sets of strips. Then, press the seams one way on the first set and the opposite way on the second. Then cut the pieces for your block. Your seams should nest quite nicely and should be easier to match. At least that is the way I would do it.

QuiltnNan

to make them match, draw your seam allowance on each piece. then put a pin vertically through the intersection of the seam and the line you drew, checking the opposite side to make sure it also goes through that intersection. do not turn that pin to any side. now place straight pins from the piece toward the seam allowance on either side of the vertical pin. iwhen sewing, sew through the intersection of the original seam and your drawn line. i hope this makes sense

dunster

Part of your problem is that you're working with bias edges, and they stretch - more and more with handling. Starching the pieces first, until they're very stiff, should help a lot. I have not tried this, but gluing before sewing might also help.

Prism99

All of the above suggestions are great! After pinning the intersections at the ironing board, though, I would use Elmer's white washable school glue to glue-baste inside the seams. I find this is more accurate for me than adding more pins.

Rodney

You can also tack your intersections together with a needle and thread before sewing for real. Ease the fabric to match each other between tacks if needed. Time consuming? Yes, but you don't need to worry about things moving out of alignment while handling the fabric either.
Rodney

luvTooQuilt

OK who wants to make a picture TUTE for us ?!?!?!?!?!

Id love to see how yall do it..

Peckish

I do a combo of these techniques... I stick a pin in the top layer, right in the center of the seam, 1/4" from the edge. Then I line the pin up with the center of the seam in the bottom layer. With my fingernail, I scoot the fabrics out from the pin in all directions, making sure the pin stays straight up and in place. Holding my iron just above the fabric, I give a shot of steam (just work around the pin). This steam helps the bias relax and fall into place. Then I'll put a dab of washable glue in the seam allowance, set it with my iron, remove pin. Give it another shot of steam and sew.

NJ Quilter

Are you making a lonestar from a strip pieced method? Sounds like one I did that way. Anywho...here's my suggestions. If you can PRESS your strips to get them back to normal, starch the daylights out of them. What I tend to do when I have long strips with lots of seams to match is start it the middle of the strips I am matching. I also do as some others have suggested, placing a pin straight up/down through the middle of the seams both top and bottom fabrics and then, while holding that pin as straight as possible, put pins as close as possible to either side of it. Work your way to the ends from both sides of center of the strip. When working with angles, your ends are always going to have 'dog ears' of 1/4" so don't try to match up beginning with the ends. Hope this helps. Starch (and lots of it) is truly your best friend when it comes to bias edges.