Here's what I accomplished today. I got all four stacks done. Tomorrow I'll cut and sew the sashing strips between the stacks and around the perimeter. Then the quilt top will be done. I do have to make a decision, though. Something doesn't add up in the instructions for the baby sized quilt so I've sent an email to ELizabeth (the designer) for clarification. The problem is that the quilt top is much wider than the instructions say the finished quilt will be. With the sashing and borders, it will actually be slightly wider than it is long. If I remove a stack and have only 3 instead of 4, the dimensions are about right. That's probably what I'll do but I'll sleep on it first.
Meanwhile, if anyone has any suggestion about what I should do with that leftover stack, fire away. I have leftover fabric but I'm not sure I have enough for another baby quilt. Maybe I do.
I have figured out more about my machine. Part of the problem with the machine is that the way the feed dogs are situated, for me to get a quarter inch seam, the edge of the fabric has to run right along the middle of one of the feed dogs and I think that's why the fabric wants to pull. Adding to the difficulty is that I don't have a proper sewing table that the machine drops into and so I'm sewing up on a ledge which makes it harder to keep the fabric straight as it's feeding through. The platform of my machine also had a little dip where the bobbin plate is so even on top of the machine it's hard to hold the fabric flat as it feeds into the machine. So now I know I need a new machine AND a proper table for it. I will definitey not tackle any matching seams until I have a new machine. Until then, this type of quilt design allows for some inaccuracies. My dreams of dresden plates, flying geese, and half square triangles will have to wait until I have new tools.
And now, I'm beat. And my back is sore from cutting, sewing, and ironing in unergonomic positions.
Hello. I haven't commented before but I have been following your adventures in quiltland for a while. My suggestion for the left over strip would be to use it on the back and make a pieced backing. No accuracy needed about where to put the strip. It could go down or across the middle, off to one side or the other, it just depends on where you want it and what fabric you have available for the back.
ReplyDeleteHaving looked at Elizabeth's examples I would rather you stayed with four coin stacks not three. I have a couple of suggestions. Do you have enough fabric to make the coins stacks longer? That way the quilt would not be wider than it is long. OR Could you trim each stack a little along their lengths and that would help the balance? The leftovers could be joined together and used on the back as QuiltSue suggested.
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose your sewing machine has an adjustable needle position? That may help with the placement of the feed dogs on the edge of the fabric.
Anyway good luck with putting the rest of the quilt together- it looks really pretty! I'm sure whatever you decide you will have a quilt you will be proud of!
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ReplyDeleteI'm liking the suggestions above. I agree 4 stacks would look better; and what a good idea to trim off each and use those on the back!
ReplyDeleteOh and way to go. . . you have accomplished so much in one day! What cute fabric.