Questions for Sarah--Month 1 (January)

[Renata L.]

I'm behind the power curve but catching up... :? ops:

Question regarding the paper-pieced star for January: when you come to the end of paper-piecing the star and you are left with two 1/4" seams to connect, is there some good way to ensure you are pinning the two sides correctly without accidentally shifting something in the process and ensuring you have the correct amount of fabric on both sides to make the last spoke look good just in case you don't have exactly 1/4"? I've tried pinning the pieces, but I don't feel confident everything is holding together properly...

Thanks,
Renata

[Renata L.]

Renata : ...is there some good way to ensure you are pinning the two sides correctly without accidentally shifting something in the process and ensuring you have the correct amount of fabric on both sides to make the last spoke look good just in case you don't have exactly 1/4"? I've tried pinning the pieces, but I don't feel confident everything is holding together properly...

Renata, If I understand your question, here's what I do: Hold your fabrics right sides together aligning the pieces as best you can. Then stick a pin straight through on the sewing line (through the side you will be sewing on) and all the way out through the second piece. If needed, move the 2nd fabric piece until the pin is coming through exactly on the sewing line where they are to be sewn together. Make sure both fabrics fit snugly together and then stick the pin through both pieces again. Your first "stick" will keep the lines exactly together when you sew on your seam line. As you're stitching, don't pull out the pins until your needle is really close. This will keep it from shifting. I also like to sew a longer stitch length for the first time through. That way if I have some alterations to make, it's easier to rip out in that section. Then when I'm happy with it all, I stitch over the line again with the shortened stitch length. I hope this makes sense and answers your question.

[Renata L.]

Liz,
thank you for your explanation--it was much clearer to me than the guidance provided (that's what happens when a newbie bites more than she can chew...). But, I was able to follow your instructions and finish the star. Thanks!!!
Renata

[Renata L.]

OMG, I helped? Geeze, I was sweatin' it. I've never posted before... and I had a hard time trying to make sure my words made sense... not easy! Glad it worked.

[Renata L.]

OMG, I helped? Geeze, I was sweatin' it. I've never posted before... and I had a hard time trying to make sure my words made sense... not easy! Glad it worked.

Your explanation worked! Hope you come up on the Forum more often--I just started piping up recently and feel very welcome by folks who have been quilting and up on this Forum much, much longer than I. So, welcome aboard, Liz! And thanks again!

[E.M. T.]

OMG, I helped? Geeze, I was sweatin' it. I've never posted before... and I had a hard time trying to make sure my words made sense... not easy! Glad it worked.

Well..Hi! Liz...Nice to read a post from a "neighbor" You're just up the road from me !
Do you quilt with the Pinehurst quilters? Marilyn

[E.M. T.]

OMG, I helped? Geeze, I was sweatin' it. I've never posted before... and I had a hard time trying to make sure my words made sense... not easy! Glad it worked.

There that didn't hurt one bit :wink: Great to see a new face on the block! 8) & welcome.

[Renata L.]

Yes, I am quite behind the power curve--had not had a chance to get back to Month 1 ops: until today... I have just finished basting the center star to the second template. QUESTION: when sewing the two pieces together in the round, is it better to have the center star on the bottom or on the top? THANKS!!!

[Jill B.]

its great to see so many new faces on the forum, I have been very silent for a number of months,
although I did pop in almost every day and have a quick read.... ops: ops: ops:

[Nancy R.]

Hi Renata -

I just finished month 1 myself. I used Ricky's stable stuff for my foundations. I didn't read the instructions well and sewed the border with the circles to the center star before adding the plain border to the outside, but it all went well for me. When sewing the first border to the star center, I put the star center on top. After pinning, the parts were laying such that it looked like it would be easy to stitch either way, so I put the star on the top so I could easily stitch without chopping off the star points. When adding the outer plain border, I stitched with the border on top. For both circles, I first stitched with a basting stitch so that I could easily remove parts of the stitching if something didn't come out nice, then went around again with a regular length stitch. I ended up not having to remove anything, but you never know.

Hope this helps!

Nancy

[Renata L.]

Nancy,
thanks for the reply--I did not want to move forward on stitching the star to the circle until I received some advice. I did follow instructions and put the two outer borders together with a loose machine basting first but I did put the border on the bottom and it did not turn out as perfectly as I would have liked; ergo the email out for help.

This time, I went back to something I remember from childhood in Italy... in my mother's atelier, seamstresses would hand-baste with basting thread the pieces of a garment before the first fitting... so, I pulled out some basting thread and because I did not like the way machine-basting did the circle, I meticulously basted the star circle to the second circle by hand. This time, everything was perfect, no need for easing anywhere because I was able to pull the thread through from front to back and vice versa on the marked lines on both sides. But, with your posting in hand, now I can sew the seam with the circle on top. Makes sense, won't chop off the points.

On an aside, I actually used Carol Doak's foundation paper. I was a little worried that it would tear and not hold up to the end. I was wrong! At the end of month one, it is still standing and I know it will tear off easily when the time comes. For those who had difficulty with the thickness of the paper when assembling the circles because of paper in the seams, I would say, do a hand-basting first--everything else will fall into place.

Thanks for your help. I'm ready to go. In the meantime, I've picked out the gradations of grey and beige for my triangles, printed out the triangle papers and am ready to go.
Cheers,
Renata