Triangles still not working

The pics to see the roof. These blocks were ripped, most pieced replaced and I'm trying to one together again. I also made it a little simpler. Maybe I need to give up on these blocks.

That's why I suggested you use the method of the rectangle with the two squares in the corners to make the flying geese. That way you do not cut any triangles and don't have to try to match them up to sew them. But..... and I hate to say this and make you feel badly, but until you can find a way to get that perfect scant 1/4 in. seam allowance this block will never go together correctly for you. I'm sure sorry you are having such a terrible time with this. I would have thrown it out and found another block a long time ago- I have no patience to do things over and over again.... :-/ You are a determined lady! Good luck!

Leslie, Missy & The Furbabies in MO.

Everything looks perfectly fine to me here:

I'm the problem. :*( I can't find the spot where to start the needle to join them at the right place so when it's opened to the front side they line up correctly.

This isn't the flying geese one Leslie. It's the joining of the parallelogram's. The dark roof of the building and the light sky part which is like a 1/2 SQ on one end. I got the 1/4" seam working OK after an hour of practice on scraps.... but can't find where to start the needle so the roof-sky line up when sewn and opened flat. I once had an old book with excellent drawings that showed how this is done but can't find it. I probably lent it to someone and never got it back. The pics on the websites were helpful but my fabric still didn't line up and had to be redone a mm at a time until I hit the right spot.

That way you do not cut

Not all of them.

The other blocks that came out fine have a LH that is wider on the bottom. I didn't take pics of those.

Try this method then, be prepared to waste some fabric a couple of times to mark it clearly rather than something that is difficult to see. This will only work on two pieces that are symmetrical, say joining two triangles to each other on the long side (not the short side). Fold each piece accurately in half and press each piece to make a sharp mark at the midpoint. Now, place a pin through the seam line and the crease, directly through it, just once, now add the 2nd piece, you now have a pivot point, line up the edges of the fabric, check your pivot point hasn't slipped one way or the other, then pin either side of it. Sew along the marked line. If when you turn the piece over you haven't sewn through the marked line on the other piece, then you pinned it wrong.

This is basically the same as marking the dots at the corners, which would work for any shape of pieces, assuming you mark them correctly. If you can't figure out how to place something to get it right, you have to go back to one of these basic methods, pin through all the match points, then pin along side to actually hold the fabric together.

Cheers Anne

Have you definitely got the right sizes. A parallelogram doesn't work out as a nice measurement, to the extent that I've never seen any other method suggested than the square with a diagonal line marked on it technique.

If you can't place a piece of fabric correctly to get the seam right, the only way to do it is mark match points and use those to pin it correctly.

If you do it and then unpick to adjust, each time you are likely distorting the fabric slightly so if you find a placement that works, that won't be the same as what you have to do if you had two fresh pieces of fabric.

Cheers Anne

I have no problem joining two triangles that are symmetrical. None at all. It's joining pieces together to make a rectangle (flying geese) or a parallelogram to another piece. (see below)

Fold each

I can't figure out where to start the needle to get the three triangles to open flat into a perfect "flying geese." I tried sewing on the seam allowance line and the dots - it still took many rip-out and retries until I

Yes, measurements are all accurate. I had to make the roof that shape so I could use one piece. I could use 2 triangles. There was no other choice. I don't understand what you're saying.

Pining it isn't the problem. Finding where to sew it is. When the flying geese is opened or the roof is joined to the sky piece they don't line up. I must rip them out and try and try until I hit the right place to sew. The book I used to have had excellent drawings of how to sew any shape to any shape. I don't know who I may have lent it to. I can't even remember the name of the book. I bought it around 1980.

I'm sure you're right. I have to find a way to make the flying geese rectangle. The only other option is to sew a square on the end and cut off the unwanted piece leaving a 1/4" seam. That seems wasteful since at one time I could make a flying geese rectangle and not give it a second thought - so it's *ME* doing something wrong over and over again. Maybe I'm going senile. LOL!!!! :-D

See the 2nd method on the quilters cache page posted on Wednesday. If you take a square and mark a diagonal line down the middle, you can then add it to the corner of a rectangle by matching 3 edges and sewing along the line. Trim a quarter of an inch from that line and press. You have either one side of a flying goose, or one side of a parallelogram - depending which way up you put the other square.

if it's pinned correctly there isn't a choice about where to sew, you sew a quarter of an inch in from the edge, you sew right from one end to the other, the way I find easiest to do this is to start with the needle down and the presser foot down. Use the lever to lift the presser foot very slightly, not all the way up, just enough to slip the fabric under, keeping the edge butted up to the side of your quarter inch foot, slide the fabric in so it's right against the needle. Lower the foot. Now sit back, take a look, the edge of the fabric should continue in a perfect straight line beyond the edge of the foot. If your machine is fussy, now take the first stitch by turning the hand wheel, check again, is everything in line. Now, slowly, use the foot peddle and stitch the rest of the seam, go right to the end of the fabric and a few stitches beyond if you wish. That's it, your done. If your cutting and pinning was correct and you've sewn an accurate seam then it will work, if any one of those is wrong, then it won't.

Cheers Anne

Yes, that works well with these small pieces of the LH top/roof and there isn't much waste.

The pics on the site made all the difference in helping me understand and remember how it's done. I can't thank you enough.