February's Four Patches

[Denise L.]

You know, regardless of where you are in the process or even not participating in the BOM, everyone here is helpful by asking questions and the great responses and ideas that come from them.

I was away yesterday and pooped last night but I did manage to make my 4 patches, got up early this morning to start setting them. It’s a lovely process. My square once set on point was ¼ in off but I think it’ll be fine – floaters are a blessing.

Thanks to everyone for your input – it’s how we learn.

denise

[Sharon E.]

I am not sure if anyone can help. I was so excited to start the block again. However, I did the math and added the first filler strip and it was the perfect size. I then added the 4 patches, so far so good, and then added the final strip and it was 1/2" off all around. I redid my measurements and it was all okay. So I pinned, squared and starched the heck out of it last night. It is still on the table -- did anyone else have that problem. I tried to find how wide the 4-patch strip was supposed to be, maybe that was the problem.

Sue said not to worry if the last measurement was off it could still be corrected, but 1/2"? Will that be corrected, I assume, in March?

Thanks for any input.

Sharon in Colorado

[Margo C.]

Sharon, what you have is FINE! Go to the Show & Tell/ Show BOM only, and click on Sue's finished quilt. It's the very first one in the gallery. If you click on it again, you will get a larger view and you can see that one of the things we will do in March is add another floater strip, and you can make any necessary changes there! No big deal!!
If you will also click on my finished quilt (the third one in the gallery) and compare the widths of the floater strips, you will see that the one on the outside of my pinwheel border is much wider than the one in the same position on Sue's quilt.
That's the beauty of this great design. We can all make adjustments to make things fit together, depending on what size they turn out!
Kool, huh?

[Margo C.]

Margo thank you for you wonderful web-shots, they made every thing much clearer,

I had to make my first floater strip wider than the second one to make every thing fit, and my center is still a little large,reading what has been said before i am hoping it will sort its self out in March.
I am having trouble with the sawtooth stars,they are so fiddly,

Lots of members have sent comments about my completed February block, How does one reply to them? to say thank you for all the encouragement, I only joined TQS last year and I am still finding my way around the site. Dorothy

[Margo C.]

Dorothy, when you get a comment to approve, you can click on the members photo and it will take you to their profile page. From there you can send a personal e-mail with the box on the lower right side. Doesn't it feel good to get comments? And nice to share our stuff!

BTW...your February block is beautiful!!!

What do you think is the problem with your saw tooth stars???

[Margo C.]

Hi Margo

Thank you for your reply, I am pressing the sawtooth stars seams open as your web-shot shows, and all is O k till I get to the last two seams, I am pinning them together very carefully stitching and then when i press them they are lumpy, its almost impossible to press them open, the best they look is when I press them away from the centre.

It made my day when I got up this morning and i had got so many encouraging comments. thanks for the info on how to reply, this is all so new and exciting. Dorothy

[Margo C.]

Press them which ever way looks best to you, Dorothy! The nice thing about piecing these saw tooth blocks into the border is that none of the seams have to match up with other seams, so the direction they are pressed is not an issue!

You might also want to check out the tutorial I did for the alternate block. I showed how I made the flying geese units for the saw tooth stars with no center seam, which eliminated some of the bulk.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album...ost=good-times

[Margo C.]

Margo, it there a reason why Sue used the half square triangles for the saw toothed star vs. flying geese? I haven't read all the directions yet.

[Margo C.]

Hi Judy! I guess it's probably because she likes the accuracy of paper piecing. Come to think of it, I guess the one without the seam can be paper pieced too!

At any rate, there are probably 10 ways to make flying geese units, and she just used her favorite.

You are welcome to use your favorite method! Just make sure the measurements are right and you finish with 4-1/2" (unfinished) stars!

[Margo C.]

Thanks Margo I was just curious.

[Denise L.]

I'm not at that point yet but here is a good website for all sorts of piecing variations.

http://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.ne...inePiecing.htm

denise

[Margo C.]

Thanks, Denise! It looks like there is lots of great info there!

[jimmie w.]

I have finished my four block borders -- the short borders measure 22 in. and the long or top and bottom borders measure 27 in. My center unit measure 21-1/2 in. I don't know why my borders did not finish the correct size. Was I suppose to use a scant 1/4 seam or a regular 1/4 in. seam? I used the Elmer's glue and my points are perfect. I figured the floater strips - and it figured to cut them 3/4" wide - If I cut it 3/4" wide do I take 1/4" seams on both sides making the actual floater strip 1/4" wide? or am I so tired I can't figure it? Help! Jimmie (Mimi62)

[Margo C.]

Jimmie, you figured it exactly right! Cut your strips 3/4" wide. You will need two strips 3/4" x 22" and two strips 3/4" x 21-1/2". Stitch these to the sides of your feathered star, following Sue's directions on the top of page 9 with your 1/4" seam. (Your floater strip will only finish to 1/4" wide, but that will make the four patch units fit.)

Then you will add your 4-patch strips and the next floater strips.

Why don't you just set it aside for tonight, and tomorrow it will all come together for you! You can do this!

[jimmie w.]

Thanks Margo - I think I will put it up for tonight and start again tomorrow. Thanks again for all of your help for me and everyone else. Also I would like to say all of the blocks in Show and Tell are beautiful. I know I never dreamed that I could make a quilt like this, but I think it is going to be beautiful not perfect but beautiful. Jimmie