'Wot RoTT' exchange

[Annis C.]

An idea??? What if we wrote our names etc. on freezer paper and just tapped a bit down with the iron on a strip set to stick it? - then the person just has to peel it off?
Terrie

That's a great idea too. Maybe we could put the adhesive label on the freezer paper after it's been ironed to the fabric so we wouldn't have to write our name over and over.

[Annis C.]

I like the freezer paper idea. We know it will peel off the reels without any problems. I would iron the freezer paper on each reel before I stuck my label on it... don't want the ink to get on my iron!

[Rita C.]

I have already done mine Margo's way. I printed off 3 columns of names per page on my computer, cut them up and stitched them with my largest machine stitch about 1/8" from the edge. And placed them all around the squares so that they would distribute the bulk. It really didn't take very long and I am happy that it will take a lot more than a stray nail to pull them off. Personally, I would not use freezer paper as I find it comes off too easily. I began to worry about putting sticky labels on because they might come off in the process of sorting or they might stick so fast that they would distort those little seams when trying to pull them off. In the end I chose stitching them because I reckoned it was the least destructive to the spools. Just my opinion ladies, please do whatever suits you. Rita.

[Rita C.]

thanks for the idea. I think that i will do what rita surgested. I plan to sew tomorrow and the colours will be blue and yellow.thanks toni.

[Debbie W.]

I'm happy to send FQs for Rosemary and Lorna!

[Debbie W.]

After surveying my stash I really didn't like the way my purples were playing with each other so I'm I've got one batch of 41 reels in red-browns and another set of reels in sort of gold-browns. I'm going to sew my labels on with a basting stitch as well as preping my fabrics and piecing Margo's way. I hope you all have a lovely day!
~lynn

[Annis C.]

I have already done mine Margo's way. I printed off 3 columns of names per page on my computer, cut them up and stitched them with my largest machine stitch about 1/8" from the edge. And placed them all around the squares so that they would distribute the bulk. It really didn't take very long and I am happy that it will take a lot more than a stray nail to pull them off. Personally, I would not use freezer paper as I find it comes off too easily. I began to worry about putting sticky labels on because they might come off in the process of sorting or they might stick so fast that they would distort those little seams when trying to pull them off. In the end I chose stitching them because I reckoned it was the least destructive to the spools. Just my opinion ladies, please do whatever suits you. Rita.

I've had issues with freezer paper not sticking too. That's why I started using adhesive labels for my templates. I think I may go with vellum paper with 3 columns going landscape so they will be the width of the block and I can stitch them down on both sides. That may take a little longer but then I don't have to wonder whether the sticky labels or freezer paper stayed put. And the vellum will tear away easily without removing the stitches.

[Kathryn S.]

Oh, I need some encouragement.

I cut my strips 1 inch wide, am sewing them together. apparently I can't sew a decent quarter inch seam- on measuring my pairs, some of them were quite a bit off! I've been ripping out and re-sewing. I guess I should have foundation pieced these. But I didn't think I would have this much trouble! Do others have this much trouble?

I've got that purple "sewing edge" seam guide on my machine, and it's aligned the same way it was for the BOM blocks which turned out good. Anyway, instead of being in my sewing room, I'm discouraged, sitting out by the computer reading my e mails instead.

Kathy

[Kathryn S.]

Kathy - zip back to page 8 and have a re-read of my posts there, they should cheer you up a bit :wink:

Also provided the finished size is 3 1/2"x 4 1/2", there won't be any problems is the strips inbetween are not 1/2" wide, I'm pretty sure someone else mentioned that this was the case with hers, and I know that this is the case with some of mine. Just make sure that the end seams are 3/4" from the edge, for clearance when they are made up and you should be fine.

PS I've still got to wash my lot :roll:

[Kathryn S.]

thanks rosemary, I'm glad to know that I'm not alone. I cut my strips 1 inch by width of a fat quarter. Don't know if that is making any difference. Guess I'll get back in there and keep working at it. You know for sure that I'm going to appreciate every single block that I get back in this exchange!

Kathy

[Frances L.]

Kathy,
Do what Margo did and cut the two outside strips a little wider than 1 inch. Then if your seam is off, you have extra to cover it. I cut my strips so the inside strips were cut at 1 inch and the two outside strips were 1.25 inches. Then when my strips were done, I cut them at 3.5 inches and then trimmed the ends so it was 4.5 inches tall.

[Mary H.]

I did the same thing that Frances did - cut the two outside pieces at 1.25" to give me a little wiggle room. Also, I sewed my seams at a scant 1/4 inch. They came out perfect.

[Mary H.]

Kathy,
You can do it, just look at some of the work you've done on your profile! I think the idea is to have completed 4 1/2/ x 3 1/2 inch strips. Afterall, these are reels of thread, not steel screws! The difference will add character and interest to the finished product. I've seen some 'spool quilty things' that only have 4 or 5 strips in them, so I think these will be much nicer. The ticket for me was STARCH! I averaged the cut of the strips - 1 1/2" or so, then trimmed to sew all the strips into sets of 2 together, pressed the first seam, then measured the set, folded into 1-inch segments before cutting to apply the next set of two.

I'm thinking of embroidering loose threads coming from some of the reels once all the quilting is done. Life happens, things unravel! Just don't you get unravelled over this. Have fun!

ps - this letter is a hint to those of you who may recieve some of my 'imperfect' reels. ops: Like someone said: Don't sweat the small stuff. It's the friendship part that counts!

[Dawn S.]

Kathy, Yes, I will admit I did have problems! Evidently I was cutting my 1" strips a scant more than one 1". And, my 1/4' seam that I was sewing was a scant less then 1/4 inch! Fortunately, I had only done one 22' unit. They were too big! Cutting the outer strips wider only helps if your 4 1/2' unit is too small! Since we are pressing the seams open, taking in each seam was not an option, and there was no way I was going to rip all of it out. So, I ditched the first long unit, trimmed all of the rest of my strips, and made my seam a little bigger.

And, I will include 2 fat quarters! Thanks Rosemary and Lorna!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

[Annis C.]

Kathy, even though I trimmed the excess width off of my first set of strip sets I still had trouble when sewing them together and they ended up a little wider than they should have been. By pressing the seams open you gain a little width because there is no fold in the seam allowance so your scant seam doesn't need to be as scant. Since I didn't cut my last strips wider like Margo did I had to be careful that I didn't end up with too small a block. I ended up having to use a slightly wider seam allowance for my last seam in the center so my 2 middle strips are right on, the strips next to them are a little wide and the last strips are a little short. These are the olive ones and you really can't tell the difference. I think different widths in the strips makes the blocks more interesting. For the pink ones I used a different piecing method, not enough space to explain here, so all of my strips are really close in width. That took more time though and in the end it really doesn't matter.