I am still working on my original Block of the Month,
this one is Tonga Back to Nature
with fabrics from Timeless Treasures.
I am struggling with the smaller blocks stretching,
even though I am Best Pressing
the heck out of them.
Any suggestions?
This is one of the corner blocks.
(there will be 1/4 inch seams around the edge to eliminate
the hanging green parts)
The entire quilt is pictured below.
This is the center block, I have since added the border to it.
I've completed all the other blocks
so after I finish the other three corners
I'll be ready to work on the log cabin pieces next to them
which scares me even more.
They recommend some sort of fabric tape so it won't stretch.
Then there are the hundreds of flying geese.
Linking to Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday
and My Simple Country Living Country Homemaker Hop
15 comments:
What about pinning it, them do a long running stitch thru it. That way after you sew it the long stitch will come out easily.
I do the Best Press when I am cutting my half square triangles, sewing and pressing them open. For this pattern you then trim down to 2 inch squares. So far so good. Then I sew the HSTs together and they (as a pair). It may be around here where they get a little stretchy. I try to press down and now move the iron back and forth to keep them stable. So then when I sew my 5 inch block to the grouping of HSTs and the single 2 inch sq, the 5 inch rectangle ends up being ever so slightly short because the seams might be pulling on the HSTs. I have a Pfaff and it has dual feed, plus they are pinned at the seams and inbetween seams (lots of pins for something so short). I know it's me but not sure why,
Whoa, you are waaayyy beyond my realm of expertise! It's going to be beautiful though! :)
Really striking blocks! And the name of this quilt is wonderful. Will have to look into this - my husband was an Army pilot - 2 tours in Vietnam.
It may not be something you did or did not do. Fabric thread count plays a roll too - if the weave is not tight for example. Though it looks like you are working with batiks? They typically have a higher thread count & don't have much give, if any. You might go back & recheck measurements - even cutting an 1/16" can create problems. Wondering about the directions to use tape on those log cabin blocks too - have not heard of that before. Would not think it would be necessary?? How are you cutting your strips - from selvedge to selvedge or down the length of the fabric - parallel to the edges? Have found when I cut lengthwise - as for long borders the fabric tends to move more & create wavy edges. Just my own 2cents.
Forgot to mention - easy on the iron - try pressing downward gently rather than ironing back & forth. Our guild had a national instructor years ago who really called all of us on that - she said we were not ironing shirts! LOL
I have gone to extremes before and used starch. It worked.
I try to use spray starch if I seem to have too much stretching.
All I know is that is a great block and will be a beautiful finish!!
Oh I do press straight down and then straight up again. I cut the HSTs, spray them, sew the seam, press the seam straight down, open up the HST and finger press to hold it down and then set the iron down on it. I'm going to bring it to the quilt shop and have her watch me. She told me today that this block tends to stretch a little and we have to be super gentle.
The Best Press is "fake" startch and it does stiffen it up pretty much. It's me, it's something I'm doing.
Thank you!
I wonder if real starch is better, not against bugs which is why I am using the Best Press, but maybe holds it better.
Thanks! I hope so.
It's been a while since I quilted and my "quilt brain" is a little rusty... It sounds like you know exactly where it starts to stretch. It depends on your machine, but some machines pull the bottom fabric faster. If your machine is doing that, you may want to put the stretchier of the two pieces on the bottom. Reverse, if the opposite is true. Also, I would pin heavy. At every seam/junction where top and bottom fabrics should line up, I'd lock the fabrics in line with center pins and pins immediately right and left of the seams. I'd also use a stylus or specimen tweezers to help with control and move slowly. Your blocks are gorgeous. I can hardly wait to see this top all done.
I don't think I can get another pin in these 2 inch blocks! My Pfaff is great though, it has the top and bottom feed dogs so it pulls evenly. My quilt shop is going to watch me make the next one and let me know where I'm going wrong, but that won't be until a Wednesday when there is no BOM.
really pretty quilt pattern. I don't have any other advice than what has already been given. sorry.
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