Feel like a rookie…
Sometimes I feel like a raw rookie. I’ve been quilting for a very long time and for the most part, I think I do a pretty darn good job! But the last couple of weeks have been quite humbling. In my last post, I showed you my Grandmother’s Choice block for the block of the week by the same name. I tried to make poorly cut rectangles fit where they didn’t want to fit. I should have known better. Wait…I do know better. I just thought I might get lucky this time. Ha! Don’t buy lottery tickets with this luck! Then I decided I didn’t care so much for the fabric combination and was ready to toss it. Some of you convinced me not to do that. I fished it out of the trash and replaced the rectangles with ones that fit and a calmer fabric. Now, I like it!
Looks a little less “nervous” and more calm. I like this so much better.
Ready to move on to Week Two. This block has me talking to myself. I’ve pieced the first version three times and cut a second block that has the same issues. This block has a “Y” seam. I’ve pieced those seams before with little trouble. Not this time!
Here’s Version One…third time through.
Click on the picture to get a better view of the mess! You can see that the center is not square and it’s puffy. The seams are not flat…they’re kind of folded over. Not good. I thought perhaps I just didn’t cut accurately. So I thought I’d make another being very careful to cut accurately. I reprinted the pattern and measured the center square piece as per the instructions. The pattern piece for the square was the proper size. So I cut fabric again…stitched and this is what I got.
It’s so frustrating! This one was even worse! I really think that the either the red triangles are just a bit too small or the center square is too big. But my understanding is that if the center square measures accurately, the other pieces will fit. So, is it pattern error or operator error? I love both of these fabric combinations but I’m not sure I want to cut more fabric until I can figure it out. Any tips on “Y” seams?
Just make myself feel better and remind myself that I don’t always screw up, here’s the snowman quilt I teased you with last week.
Week Three…here I come!
buriedinscraps 
Wow! Your snowman looks so awesome! I do love it!
When I did that Priscilla bloc for aunt Evelyn’s quilt I did it three times before I got it right.
I’ve done it four. Where did you get the pattern?
That’s cuz the snowman had an awesome creator!
I got it from that bible history quilt block page.
Got a link?
http://www.patternsfromhistory.com/bible_quilt/bible_bom.htm
Did you check out the link? I believe they had an 8″ block available for that pattern. Also quiltcache.com. I think it’s called
I did but didn’t hang around too long. I don’t recall seeing an 8″ option. I’ll look again.
Quilter’s Cache was the first place I looked and they didn’t have it.
I’m thinking I’ll just press the bejeesus out of it and be done.
I took a look at that pattern and printed it selecting “none” and it did not print at 3 3/8’s on the B square it is clearly 3 1/4 inch. There lies the problem. And personally I don’t care for her oh well figure it out your problem answers. She complicates the process by squeezing 9″ blocks into 8″ squares.
But I printed it at 101% and the square was correct. I think the smaller triangles are wrong. Cut out the paper pieces and line them up. Mine did not fit correctly. I understand that printers all heve their own little “personalities”. I just think there has to be a better way. Paper piecing would work but I’m too lazy to draft it. 🙂
Looking back on her instruction PDF file. I wonder if she means that the square should measure 3 3/8 and the other pieces remain the same. So that would be one scaled print for the square and one regular print for the other pieces? That makes more sense considering so many have had the same issues with the same block.
I’m a bit of a perfectionist freak too but sometimes we just have to let it go. After all, after it’s quilted, washed and dried, I don’t see my mistakes anymore!
I know…sometimes I can do that. But the photos don’t really show how puffy and off-kilter this block really is. I think I may try one more time. If it turns out the same way, I’m going to throw them in a bag and play grab-bag. Which ever one I pull out, goes in the quilt…puffs and all!!
Block looks really nice, glad you saved the poor little thing!!
I wonder if something isn’t quite right with the new block pattern, like the measurements.
Sounds like a great quilt.
That’s what I’d like to believe! Hate to think it could be me! If I could only figure out what it is that’s wrong, though.
I’m telling you…you should join us! 🙂
Try this: maybe you could ever so slightly curve those points at the square? Ease them in like drunkards path? OR…try to place a needle at that 1/4″ where the point meets at the square- turn an clip? I use to be able to do y seams no problem but I too cannot get them right. Out of practice probably…lol
Phew, i couldn’t get it either. Got so frustrated that i appliqued the star on! What a loser i am! Your puffy blocks look way better than mine did…go with it!
I love it! Find a way…it’s what makes a stumble into our creativeness.
That’s not “loser”….that’s thinking your way out of a problem! I’m just glad I wasn’t the only one struggling!
Mine sucked also – big time. I thought about trying to do it with paper piecing but it was too much trouble to graph it out myself. And, I considered doing it over by hand piecing it but that doesn’t even SOUND like fun. I pressed the heck out of mine and will let it sit there until I can stomach trying it again.
I empathize.
I’m convinced it’s in the pattern. It seemed like the bottoms of the triangles don’t match up with the sides of the square. But it seems like it was hunkey dorey for those who posted on the blog! 🙂
I’m not doing this quilt but I did do Barbara’s Civil War quilt and there are definitely problems with the patterns many times. It takes creative sewing to get some of the blocks to work – I would be inclined to think it’s not your fault.
I seriously don’t think it’s all my fault anyway. I did the CW quilt also. I usually only have trouble with the blocks that need templates. But, I love these quilts so I’m hoping it will all be worth it!
I just cut my pieces after I scaled the pattern to that 3 3/8 square. And the pieces fit perfectly. And that’s as far as I can take it. lol
I love that snowman! I am sorry for your frustrations. You are not alone, though. Just the other day I had to rip out half a dozen pieces because I had sewn them to the wrong pieces. Then, five minutes later, I did it again! Sometimes it’s best just to walk away and come back later.
I’ve done that myslef. You would think after “unsewing” so many pieces that you wouldn’t turn right around and do it again! But, noooo……….
The snowman is my sister’s design. He is awfully cute, isn’t he! I just don’t want to be reminded of snow.
Don’t you have eq6 or 7? Throw up there. Change it to an 8 in block. I used eq7 for that block. Pretty certain now.
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