My blocks are too wonky!
02-23-2022, 11:00 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 202
My blocks are too wonky!
I'm a bit frustrated and I haven't even started my latest quilt. I'm attempting to make a sawtooth star block (need a total of 41) and so far all I have made are practice ones, none of which have come out okay. Despite all my efforts in measuring over and over before cutting as well as overcutting, and lining everything up and measuring again and doing my best to sew precise 1/4" scant seams, etc. I can't come up with a decent star. And this problem isn't just limited to this particular quilt, I have the same problem if I'm doing something as simple as a 4 square. Things just don't line up. I could cut two individual precisely measured 5" squares but when I put one on top of the other, it's guaranteed they won't line up exactly. And then there are the big clumps where all the seams meet, sometimes my sewing machine won't even sew over them.
I'm attaching a couple of pics of one of my practice squares and you can see how wonky it is and this is after I tore out several seams and restitched because they were even wonkier.
I plan to use the Eleanor Burns method for making the flying geese, except for the directional fabric, for those I'll use another method I found. Is there a preferred method for flying geese, one that is most accurate? I've ordered a stripology ruler and wing clipper ruler, crossing my fingers that this will help. And I'm going to have to overcut a bit more.
I'm also attaching a picture of the quilt I want to make, it's from Better Homes & Gardens American Patchwork & Quilting, issue 166. I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew, or should I say cutting up more fabric than I can sew.
I'm attaching a couple of pics of one of my practice squares and you can see how wonky it is and this is after I tore out several seams and restitched because they were even wonkier.
I plan to use the Eleanor Burns method for making the flying geese, except for the directional fabric, for those I'll use another method I found. Is there a preferred method for flying geese, one that is most accurate? I've ordered a stripology ruler and wing clipper ruler, crossing my fingers that this will help. And I'm going to have to overcut a bit more.
I'm also attaching a picture of the quilt I want to make, it's from Better Homes & Gardens American Patchwork & Quilting, issue 166. I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew, or should I say cutting up more fabric than I can sew.
02-23-2022, 11:19 AM
#2
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,168
I think maybe you are being a bit hard on yourself and that your work is well within acceptable standards. You might not win a quilt show prize, but if that is not your goal I think you are ok. We have such high goals for ourselves, but fabric can be treacherous! If the goal is to match the stripes better (not saying you have to) that's more cutting than sewing and will be tough to match.
For me, I am the most accurate when I use pins, when I press my seams open. My fabric is pressed a lot, every step, I don't use starch myself. I spent my first couple of decades being very precise with my cutting and stitching. For the last couple of decades I also tend to cut/sew large and trim down -- I get better overall results, I really waste very little fabric, and it is more fun and faster for me..
I think your desired pattern will be great -- have you considered instead of making geese units, just putting together two HST (half square triangles) -- does that work better for you? I think the scrappy design will make any close up imperfections fade quickly.
Final thoughts -- I believe in repetition and that piecing is at least as physical an activity as playing the piano. At least for me, it takes constant practice to keep my sewing skills up. We start out a bit rusty and we get better. Sometimes I designate some things as practice and just sew up a bunch of 9-patches or whatever to warm up before a major project. While fabric is treacherous, some times we are adding in our own tensions and pulling or pushing instead of letting the machine and the fabric do the work for us. Deep breaths and sally forth!
For me, I am the most accurate when I use pins, when I press my seams open. My fabric is pressed a lot, every step, I don't use starch myself. I spent my first couple of decades being very precise with my cutting and stitching. For the last couple of decades I also tend to cut/sew large and trim down -- I get better overall results, I really waste very little fabric, and it is more fun and faster for me..
I think your desired pattern will be great -- have you considered instead of making geese units, just putting together two HST (half square triangles) -- does that work better for you? I think the scrappy design will make any close up imperfections fade quickly.
Final thoughts -- I believe in repetition and that piecing is at least as physical an activity as playing the piano. At least for me, it takes constant practice to keep my sewing skills up. We start out a bit rusty and we get better. Sometimes I designate some things as practice and just sew up a bunch of 9-patches or whatever to warm up before a major project. While fabric is treacherous, some times we are adding in our own tensions and pulling or pushing instead of letting the machine and the fabric do the work for us. Deep breaths and sally forth!
02-23-2022, 11:20 AM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,539
Are you doing your blocks in flannel? Flannel is harder to get precise piecing and the seam intersections will be bulkier then quilting cotton. A seam guide on your machine may help with accurate piecing. You should also check your seam allowances to see if they are 1/4 inch……however…if you are sewing with flannel , I usually do a larger seam allowance because the weave is usually looser and they tend to fray.
02-23-2022, 11:34 AM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,460
So far the best tool I found for making "perfect" flying geese is the
Bloc Loc ruler. You cut bigger, sew then trim with the BL ruler.
If your squares are not accurate to start with maybe your ruler is slipping
while you cut. Put some Nexcare tape under the ruler to prevent that.
Check your table. Put a level on it and check if it's perfectly level.
A lot of tables have a bow in the middle. Found that the hard way.
I make my cuts closer to the edge of the table for that reason.
I also starch all my fabric before cutting to avoid stretching.
It's whatever works for me.
Edit: I have the stripology ruler. Worked well at first but with time I guess
my table had a bigger bow and it became more of a pain so I gave up.
Bloc Loc ruler. You cut bigger, sew then trim with the BL ruler.
If your squares are not accurate to start with maybe your ruler is slipping
while you cut. Put some Nexcare tape under the ruler to prevent that.
Check your table. Put a level on it and check if it's perfectly level.
A lot of tables have a bow in the middle. Found that the hard way.
I make my cuts closer to the edge of the table for that reason.
I also starch all my fabric before cutting to avoid stretching.
It's whatever works for me.
Edit: I have the stripology ruler. Worked well at first but with time I guess
my table had a bigger bow and it became more of a pain so I gave up.
Last edited by EasyPeezy; 02-23-2022 at 11:44 AM.
02-23-2022, 12:36 PM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 9,735
I use a seam guide a lot and it really helps me with accurate 1/4" seam allowances. As does the method of cutting and sewing 3 blocks and measuring vs measuring the actual seam allowance to make sure your seam allowance is accurate. I've also found that using a 50 or 60 wt thread helps my accuracy. Things don't get wonky because of the amount of space the thread takes up. For some blocks, I also press my seams open and that seems to help.
And I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't learned about starching. I starch all my fabrics before cutting and sometimes during the construction process. It helps to tame the bias.
And I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't learned about starching. I starch all my fabrics before cutting and sometimes during the construction process. It helps to tame the bias.
Last edited by cashs_mom; 02-23-2022 at 12:38 PM.
02-23-2022, 01:59 PM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 202
I think maybe you are being a bit hard on yourself and that your work is well within acceptable standards. You might not win a quilt show prize, but if that is not your goal I think you are ok. We have such high goals for ourselves, but fabric can be treacherous! If the goal is to match the stripes better (not saying you have to) that's more cutting than sewing and will be tough to match.
For me, I am the most accurate when I use pins, when I press my seams open. My fabric is pressed a lot, every step, I don't use starch myself. I spent my first couple of decades being very precise with my cutting and stitching. For the last couple of decades I also tend to cut/sew large and trim down -- I get better overall results, I really waste very little fabric, and it is more fun and faster for me..
I think your desired pattern will be great -- have you considered instead of making geese units, just putting together two HST (half square triangles) -- does that work better for you? I think the scrappy design will make any close up imperfections fade quickly.
Final thoughts -- I believe in repetition and that piecing is at least as physical an activity as playing the piano. At least for me, it takes constant practice to keep my sewing skills up. We start out a bit rusty and we get better. Sometimes I designate some things as practice and just sew up a bunch of 9-patches or whatever to warm up before a major project. While fabric is treacherous, some times we are adding in our own tensions and pulling or pushing instead of letting the machine and the fabric do the work for us. Deep breaths and sally forth!
For me, I am the most accurate when I use pins, when I press my seams open. My fabric is pressed a lot, every step, I don't use starch myself. I spent my first couple of decades being very precise with my cutting and stitching. For the last couple of decades I also tend to cut/sew large and trim down -- I get better overall results, I really waste very little fabric, and it is more fun and faster for me..
I think your desired pattern will be great -- have you considered instead of making geese units, just putting together two HST (half square triangles) -- does that work better for you? I think the scrappy design will make any close up imperfections fade quickly.
Final thoughts -- I believe in repetition and that piecing is at least as physical an activity as playing the piano. At least for me, it takes constant practice to keep my sewing skills up. We start out a bit rusty and we get better. Sometimes I designate some things as practice and just sew up a bunch of 9-patches or whatever to warm up before a major project. While fabric is treacherous, some times we are adding in our own tensions and pulling or pushing instead of letting the machine and the fabric do the work for us. Deep breaths and sally forth!
Like you, I press and pin a lot. I find even when I pin the fabric gets skewed at the end of the pieces I'm stitching together. I don't know how that happens. I don't press the seams open and may change and press them open. Of course they don't nest and it's a tiny bit harder to match up, but I do think it helps because you don't have the extra couple of thread widths you get when pressing to one side.
I watch youtube videos and it always amazes me how they don't pin, don't press other than finger pressing and sew fast and still their work comes out perfect. What's their secret I want to ask them.
Overcutting is what I often do so I will continue doing so. That was one think I learned early on. The example that I posted I did not overcut which is one reason it came out so wonky. I wanted to see how things would work if I cut exactly to size.
02-23-2022, 02:01 PM
#7
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 202
Are you doing your blocks in flannel? Flannel is harder to get precise piecing and the seam intersections will be bulkier then quilting cotton. A seam guide on your machine may help with accurate piecing. You should also check your seam allowances to see if they are 1/4 inch……however…if you are sewing with flannel , I usually do a larger seam allowance because the weave is usually looser and they tend to fray.
02-23-2022, 02:06 PM
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 202
So far the best tool I found for making "perfect" flying geese is the
Bloc Loc ruler. You cut bigger, sew then trim with the BL ruler.
If your squares are not accurate to start with maybe your ruler is slipping
while you cut. Put some Nexcare tape under the ruler to prevent that.
Check your table. Put a level on it and check if it's perfectly level.
A lot of tables have a bow in the middle. Found that the hard way.
I make my cuts closer to the edge of the table for that reason.
I also starch all my fabric before cutting to avoid stretching.
It's whatever works for me.
Edit: I have the stripology ruler. Worked well at first but with time I guess
my table had a bigger bow and it became more of a pain so I gave up.
Bloc Loc ruler. You cut bigger, sew then trim with the BL ruler.
If your squares are not accurate to start with maybe your ruler is slipping
while you cut. Put some Nexcare tape under the ruler to prevent that.
Check your table. Put a level on it and check if it's perfectly level.
A lot of tables have a bow in the middle. Found that the hard way.
I make my cuts closer to the edge of the table for that reason.
I also starch all my fabric before cutting to avoid stretching.
It's whatever works for me.
Edit: I have the stripology ruler. Worked well at first but with time I guess
my table had a bigger bow and it became more of a pain so I gave up.
Good idea about checking my table. I know my old table was very bowed. I just moved things around over here and now I'm using a different table. I think this one is better but I'm going to double check.
02-23-2022, 02:08 PM
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 202
I use a seam guide a lot and it really helps me with accurate 1/4" seam allowances. As does the method of cutting and sewing 3 blocks and measuring vs measuring the actual seam allowance to make sure your seam allowance is accurate. I've also found that using a 50 or 60 wt thread helps my accuracy. Things don't get wonky because of the amount of space the thread takes up. For some blocks, I also press my seams open and that seems to help.
And I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't learned about starching. I starch all my fabrics before cutting and sometimes during the construction process. It helps to tame the bias.
And I don't know what I'd do if I hadn't learned about starching. I starch all my fabrics before cutting and sometimes during the construction process. It helps to tame the bias.
