I am finally making progress. I have finished all the Star Blocks for Irish Mist and getting ready to start on the panels - the ones that I messed up in the previous version of the quilt...I hope to have them completed today... wishful thinking. Making the quilt the 2nd time (although I wasted time and fabric) really makes a difference. I have a better understanding of where each stack of squares, rectangles, etc. will go. I know which way to press the seams - not relying on the pattern - and taking extra care in cutting, squaring, and sewing. The secret is pin, pin, pin, and go slow.
This is the first time a Designer actually indicated that a "scant" quarter inch seam allowance was used throughout the quilt. This really assists the quilter in knowing whether or not to adjust their sewing machine. AND all machines are different. I have Husqvarna Designer and a Husqvarna Sapphire. Each of them are different in setting the seam allowance. I always thought that my 1/4" seam allowance on the Designer was exactly that. Well, it a "generous" 1/4". Last year when I was working on my Floating Stars quilt I realized that I needed to "adjust" that 1/4" seam. I keep a note on my table that has the settings for a full 1/4" and a "scant" for both machines. This way I do not "forget" and have to rip, rip, rip, of which I have done a lot of "ripping" to achieve a quilt that is square when completed. This information is so critical for new quilters because it can be the deciding factor if the have problems when making first time quilts. I firmly believe that this is why many newbies give up. It is so frustrating to make a quilt and when completed it is not squared, points are cut off, seams do not match, etc.
This is the first time a Designer actually indicated that a "scant" quarter inch seam allowance was used throughout the quilt. This really assists the quilter in knowing whether or not to adjust their sewing machine. AND all machines are different. I have Husqvarna Designer and a Husqvarna Sapphire. Each of them are different in setting the seam allowance. I always thought that my 1/4" seam allowance on the Designer was exactly that. Well, it a "generous" 1/4". Last year when I was working on my Floating Stars quilt I realized that I needed to "adjust" that 1/4" seam. I keep a note on my table that has the settings for a full 1/4" and a "scant" for both machines. This way I do not "forget" and have to rip, rip, rip, of which I have done a lot of "ripping" to achieve a quilt that is square when completed. This information is so critical for new quilters because it can be the deciding factor if the have problems when making first time quilts. I firmly believe that this is why many newbies give up. It is so frustrating to make a quilt and when completed it is not squared, points are cut off, seams do not match, etc.
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