Gerbie

I either use a pin on the end I just finished sewing to, or use a piece of blue painter's tape, then I know to switch ends and either can easily be removed. I had not thought of sewing across the end, great idea though. Thanks.
I have also seen somewhere that when sewing the border on a quilt to do it the same way, sew one side or end in one direction, and turn it and sew the other side or end in the other direction. I have started doing this myself. Hope this helps. There are always so many neat ideas on this board.

spartan quilter

I use chalk with a line and arrow point and it brushes off with handling.

:thumbup:

bleighw

I hope this is not a repeat, but: The reason for changing directions that I was given was that most machines feed the bottom fabric slightly ahead of the top fabric when making long seams. The feed dogs grab the bottom fabric more securely. For me, it seems to be true. This can be a big advantage when needing to ease a bit of "extra" fabric. Just place it on the bottom as you sew. It really helps. To avoid the problem, pin often and make sure that the fabric strips start out the same length at cutting. Many new sewers and those in a hurry, ignore the pinning, thereby allowing the slippage to multiply. It is particularly discouraging for a new or young sewer.

Another bowing problem can be created at the pressing stage. Most of us know not to press the iron down hard and push it forward along the seamed line. This heat setting as the fabric stretches can be a cause of lots of bowing, as well. press, lift, press, lift, press, lift, and so on!

I am sure that machine manufacturers would like us to believe that the perfect presser foot pressure eliminates this problem, however, if that were true, none would have started to place the walking feet on for regular sewing!

Molokai Grandma

ditto, or safety pin to be safe

okiepastor

I always put a pin in the top strip, then it is easy to remember which way is the first "up".....and yes, doing a strip quilt without alternating directions will cause a BIG problem if you do not alternate directions---guess how I learned that?

BellaBoo

A lady who use to sew for fashion designers showed me this trick to sewing long seams. Hold the top piece of fabric up high as it feeds under the foot. She put the top fabric on her shoulder and held it up that high. It eases in the fabric at the same rate the bottom fabric is being pulled through. It works great to keep the bow from being so noticeable when sewing a lot of strips or long lengths. And another tip that she showed me when sewing very thin or slippery, satiny fabric was start sewing in the middle to one end then flip the strips over and sew from the middle to the opposite end.

madamekelly

Just stick a pin in the end as you finish it, and start sewing the next one on from the end without the pin! ;)

audsgirl

I don't think you have to panic! It isn't that critical.Once you start sewing again, just alternate from that point on. Doing two strips in the same direction won't have that big of an effect.

M.I.Late

I can vouch for the fact that this actually happens. I was making a quilt once and sewed top to bottom about 20 strips. About at number 10 the bottom half started turning right. Could not get that thing to straighten out. Had to rip the entire thing out. Definitely sew top to bottom, then bottom to top (flip it around). No problems after I started doing it this way. Go figure! But's definitely true. Usually I could tell which direction I sewed next because the end I started with was always perfectly flush (the two pieces) the "finishing" end was always just a tiny bit off.

patricej

i do three things when strip-piecing for tube-quilting and similar methods.

1. i prewash the fabs (just a personal preference.)
2. i starch the heck out of the fabs.
3. i do not cut my strips across the width of fabric. i cut them "up", starting half an inch in from the selvadges.

by changing to the non-traditional direction when i cut the strips, i'm left with strips that don't stretch along the seam line. no fabric rainbows ... even if i don't remember to alternate the beginning between tops and bottoms.

the bonus: when i cut up the strips and start using them together, i do have that little bit of stretch between seams. it comes in very handy when patches are slightly off-size and i need to ease them to fit. :-)