I hate cutting out fabric....can I say that?? Is that allowed? It never fails that I'm off just enough that it messes up my block. Typically....because I know I have this problem...I cut out the fabric for one block at a time. Well....I started the Oh My Stars quilt along and I thought "HEY...I will cut out all the stuff for the blocks at once to get that part out of the way because I hate that part so much!" BAD IDEA....tried my first block and yep, it's off by just a smidge. Enough so that it is noticeable. Soooooo....now I have to recut the stuff for the blocks. GRRRR!!!! I need to say that again...GRRRRRRRRR!!!!
Any tips or tricks for this new quilter! I am in desperate need of assistance. How do I measure accurately each time?? I don't have a lot of gadgets and tools so the less of those types of things used the better.
HELP!!!
5 comments:
just practice and measure twice cut once,good luck.
Are you sure it's the cutting? Maybe your quarter inch seam is off. You can check it by cutting two scraps that are 2-inches wide and a few inches long. Sew the strips together along the long edge and press as you normally would. Then measure the width. It should be 3 1/2 inches wide.
If it's not, then repeat the process, adjusting the placement of your needle (if you can) or the strips. You can put some tape on your machine where your fabric needs to be in order to guide it into the machine at the right spot to get that accurate seam. I hope this makes sense, and good luck.
Thank you for both comments!! *smile*
Do you cut with a 6 x 24" ruler. That's the best size for me in general. I think the longer ruler helps to ensure straight lines. You'll get the hang of it! Also, try not to move your fabric on the cutting board. Instead, rotate the board or you move to the other side of the table.
I found if I used the same brand of ruler, I got much more accurate pieces and using the lines on the mat just didn't do it for me. There's a lot to getting a block just right - the cutting, the seam allowance, the pressing - so much to think about. I learned that sewing just to the right of my drawn line gave me more accurate piecing because you lose a tab bit of fabric when you fold it over.
Keep trying different things. Oh and yes, always true up your pieces before you sew them together. Best of luck
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