Yesterday I started a Snails Trail baby quilt and I am using the "Square in a Square" ruler and method to make the blocks. I love this system for making any block that has a square in a square. Every block is square and the same size and although the squaring part is tedious, not having to be sewing bias constantly is a blessing. (If you are not familiar with the "Square in a Square method" check this web page http://squareinasquare.com )
I find that the regular method of sewing triangles to opposite sides of the square and then trying to get it to square up properly or have an accurate 1/4" seam allowance so you don't lose all your points after squaring is painful!
Right side - Wrong side |
White is so hard to tell the difference from right and wrong sides and the fabric I am using is almost impossible. So I am continuously saying "right side up" every time I place a white strip down (sorry Aimee that I laughed at you). I have several pieces in the blocks I have made so far that I see the white is upside down but I am not taking them apart. If I couldn't see it before, no one else will ever notice. Right?
And there was one time when I remembered "right side up" but forgot to put the block right side down on it! grrrrrrr!
I am also having to remind myself that the blue goes on the bottom. The centre blocks are little 4 patches of white and blue. I am chain piecing the white portions to the 4 patches and with 36 blocks at a time, I am repeating "blue at the bottom" 36 times x 3 rounds.
And last but not least... That pesky 1/4 inch.
The one thing about the "square in a square" method is that you have to sew an accurate 1/4". I don't always do that! I tell people as long as you sew the same 1/4" throughout a project it doesn't matter if you sew a little scant. Just always sew the same. MY same is to put my regular sewing foot on and move my needle two places right of the most left position. I always sew like that... ALWAYS!
Except after putting the completed block above together, I realized my 1/4" was too scant. So I put on the proper 1/4" foot, set my guide and changed to the single hole plate and perfect... exact 1/4"!! Yeah!!
My exact 1/4" setup on my Bernini 790 |
Except for the fact that I had completed 3 blocks using my standard everyday, always use it 1/4" and after all six of the blocks I needed were done... the results were not pretty!
block on the left is my 1/4", block on the right is the exact 1/4" at least 1/2" difference in the overall size of the block. |
So I am back to making more blocks! I will have to make 6 using an accurate 1/4" and 6 using the not so accurate 1/4". But the good news is I will have a second quilt ready for the next little boy that comes along!
1 comment:
Laugh away, especially when you're picking ;)
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