Okay, Count me in!

[Rita C.]

Thanks Margo, I had forgotten about the 'starty-stoppy' but I was using a stilletto. Because the smallest triangles are so tiny they are inclined to shrink back into the seam when you put them under the foot of the machine. It would be easier if I was using sashing but I don't want to, yet! Rita.

[Karen W.]

Rita,
I do use starty/stoppys as Margo says and I use a cuticle stick rather than a stiletto. It is easier to handle for me. Karen

[Rita C.]

:idea: I just realized that If you spray starch and steam iron the blocks when each 8 1/2" block is made it makes it so much easier to sew the blocks together. I only remembered this when I was half-way through sewing mine :roll: One of these days I will remember to do things in the right order Thanks Lorene, Thanks Margo. Rita.

[Karen W.]

Thanks, Rita, that is a good reminder. I had forgotten.

[Kathryn S.]

I used my stiletto or the seam ripper to persuade the tiny corner triangles to stay put when I was sewing the blocks together.

I had thought about starching and pressing but didn't want to distort anything. Did you starch before the final trim?

Kathy

[Rita C.]

Kathy, I starched after I had squared the blocks up to 8 1/2" and it worked really well. It didn't distort at all and it made it much easier to sew the blocks together because the tiny corner triangles didn't shrink back into the seams. Once I starched and ironed the blocks it wasn't even really necessary to use the stilletto. I pinned the corners and put one other pin in the middle so that the seams would stay as close together as possible and that worked really well. Rita.

[Kathryn S.]

Rita, I might try that. I pinned heavily all along the seamline and sewed gently- kind of slowly.

Kathy

[Margo C.]

Check out this pineapple quilt! http://quiltsbyjoyce.wordpress.com/2...ple-completed/

[Rita C.]

Oh my! What a quilt and what quilting! I just spent all day today marking my pattern and pin-basting my pineapple quilt. I hope to start quilting it tomorrow. This evening I will be practice, practice, practicing. :|

[Renata L.]

Beautiful quilting on the purple pineapple quilt, but I look forward to seeing Rita's, especially if it's the one whose blocks she gave us a sneak preview of a little while back because her colors and values were stunning!

[Rita C.]

Well actually Renata, I didn't continue with those ideas. Instead I went for a purple centre and then completely random strips. I have also put a purple border on the quilt because the young lady I am making it for loves purple, apparently. I will try and get a photo of it tomorrow - we just didn't have enough good daylight today - and before I mess it up with my quilting. :lol:

[Renata L.]

Well actually Renata, I didn't continue with those ideas. Instead I went for a purple centre and then completely random strips. I have also put a purple border on the quilt because the young lady I am making it for loves purple, apparently. I will try and get a photo of it tomorrow - we just didn't have enough good daylight today - and before I mess it up with my quilting. :lol:

You're NOT going to mess it up with your quilting! (although, I know exactly how you feel because I feel the same way about the quilting part). The last practice block I did, I even surprised myself--not so bad... and the parts that I thought looked awful started looking better after I washed the piece. I know it will get better as I practice more.

[Margo C.]

All quilters need to be in a 12 step program!! We should take 12 steps away from the quilting and see how it looks from there!
With our eyes so close to the stitches we see every little wobble, but a lot of that will never be seen by others. Especially after it's washed and dried!!
That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!

[Karen W.]

I agree with you Margo. We are our own worst critic. Karen

[karen f.]

I like that! 12 step program.