Smooth chain-piecing

If I recall the block correctly it has rather long narrow points to feed into the needle?

I cheat! I slightly overlap the points from the ending piece to the starting piece (about 1/4 in. overlap) which gives extra bulk and stops the needle from pushing the fabric down into the bobbin area. That point is just extra fabric that will never be missed when you snip them apart- it won't bother anything.

And if I am thinking of the wrong block- my humble apologies! ;-)

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

I like the cheat - hadn't thought of that.

Polly, do you have a single-hole needle plate? When use mine, I never have this problem, when I don't - ah, sometimes. So, if you have one, and didn't install it, do that. If you don't have one, maybe see if you can get one for your machine? If you have one, have it in your machine, and still have the problem, just ignore me!

Hanne > If I recall the block correctly it has rather long narrow points to feed

Well, Polly old dear, since i don't make my HST that way, i can't advise. But, i know your project will be absolutely beautiul when you do work out the kinks. amy in SoCal

First thought, Polly: do you have a single hole plate for your machine? This pretty much eliminates corners getting stuffed down. I am so very new to chain piecing that I hesitate to offer any help; but I spotted your comment about the knee lift and wondered if you were lifting the presser foot each time? I kept my machine running ( on pretty slow speed) all the time and just fed each piece in after I had done a few stitches with no fabric in - no lifting at all. I wasn't doing diagonals, so it was easier and not strictly comparable, (but the seams were very short!) . In message , Polly Esther writes

Well, I'm with Amy - I don't normally make my HST that way either. Except the last (thankfully) very small wall hanging I just completed. Didn't really look at the completed quilt - just started reading directions and cutting. Don't know how many 1.5 inch HST's I did. But it was ALOT. Anyhoo...when I do triangles, I usually just start at the fat end vs the pointy end. I don't have a single-hole needle plate for my machine. Sometimes I need a scrap starter and then can just feed in however many I have and keep going until 1) needle breaks; 2) thread breaks; 3) run out of bobbin or thread; 4) run out of pieces to be chained. So, if you haven't cut all the triangles, make them using squares and cut into triangles after - much easier. I have learned to cut about 1/8 in. larger than called for and trim after. Can be very tedious when there are gazillions of them but for me - much more accurate. Don't know why this makes a difference when my seams measure accurately as well as the cuts but it consistently does on HST's more so than anything else.

Good luck!

If I have no choice but to start from skinny points of triangles I support the fabric with a piece of paper - paper piecing offcuts or other thin paper is just as successful. It is a bit of a pain, but less so than digging fabric out of the works.

Lizzy

I think that's the trick, Pat. When I keep running, it goes much better. And, yes, I was lifting each time and that does not go well with chaining. Polly

I sort of do what Leslie does with just a touch of overlap if I need to and also go over to the machine with the ss plate in it. Fresh needle wouldn't hurt either. I find something on tv that I can just listen to and get or music. Talk radio works too. Sometimes working other small projects in between helps. I was sewing along last night and listening to Dr. Oz and felt guilty and got up and walked on the treadmill for awhile. You gotta be careful of distractions while you sew. Some are too distracting. Taria

And don't forget to try using "leaders" and "enders" when piecing too. Just fold little scraps to sew onto when finishing a seam and leave it under the presser foot until you begin the next one. Sew through the leader and onto your next piece. It's a way of chain sewing when you're not really chain sewing. I don't always remember to use them, but am a happy sewist when I do! KJ

Hi Polly,

I also would recommend making the HST's from squares..two at a time. But, if you've already cut triangles, I'd also recommend the single hole plate, using "leaders & enders" (thanks, Bonnie Hunter), and my BEST tip.....get the Quilt In A Day ruler for squaring up HST's. You place it on the seam, before you press the HST open, trim off the two edges, if needed, press open, and you have a perfect HST. After seeing mine, all of my quilting friends have purchased one. It saves so much time not having to press open and then trim 4 edges; no ratating the piece either. This is one ruler that I definitely use! Here's a link:

I've made 2 Hunters Star quilts but I used pp and they both turned out great. And for me, the making of the blocks went faster as I didn't have to worry so much about the points.

Just a thought.

Donna in WA

I'm going to have to get me one of those. I'm trimming the 4 sides and repetitive doesn't even come close to describing the pain associated with that. Somehow I'm drawn to patterns with HST's. Thanks for the link!

Kim in NJ

Polly, have you cut all the triangles?

If you haven't there's a nifty trick I learned for doing HST and even QST.

You start with two pieces of fabric and draw out squares and diagonals, then sew scant1/4 along all the lines. Then you cut between the lines and away falls hundreds of the little darlings, ready to press. It saves ages and you do long seams not itsy bitsy ones.

Now, let me try and find a link...

This one looks about right:

I like the recommendation for the QIAD ruler. I've seen them and often wondered if they were any good. Now on my wish list, thanks.

Nel (Gadget Queen)

I DO wish there was an edit button on this NG so I could go back and edit daftnesses before they hit cyberspace!

The 1/4 inch seams are EITHER SIDE of your drawn lines, not ON them! Sorry.

Nel (GQ)

Howdy!

I do these by the hundreds, 2 triangles face-to-face at a time. To keep the point from dipping down into the machine I have my hand at the back of the piece, smoothing the way for an incoming point, almost but not quite pulling the former triangle along; just enough pressure to keep the assembly line moving. It's more of a threat than a tug: If you even think about dropping that point in that hole I'll pull you so hard...!

This and a good audio book (book on cd in the ol' boombox) makes this process hum right along; no backache when I use the office chair at the dining room table - it's the right height for me.

Good luck!

R/Sandy - love me some HSTs ;-D

The hardest part about using the ruler is remembering not to press the HST's open! I'm in such a habit of sewing and pressing!!

I know this is dense, but when I look at photos of Hunter's Star, I don't see HST's or long points, only Lemoyne Star and 1/4 triangle squares. Am I looking at the wrong thing?

This doesn't answer your question very well, Polly, but I think I would approach the problem this way:

1) single hole throat plate (it really helps that sucking down into the feed dogs thing) 2) make stacks so you can see your progress 3) get a beverage of strong character, drink a goodly medicinal dose, toss the pieces you've cut and have a good nap. When you wake up everything will feel much better.

Sunny Mostly, just keep smiling and eating those M&Ms