What would you do about a wonky block?

Well....that depends on how wonky the block is. If you can stretch it, mess with it, so that it is not glaringly obvious, I *might* use it. However, if it's going to be noticable, I would redesign the quilt.

How wonky? When I did a mariener's compass block (for a bag, so only did the one), the instructions said to pin the finished block (no paper!) to the ironing board to shape, sprits with water, press (don't iron!) and leave to dry.

It was not flat before this, but it was (and is) fine after.

Otherwise, I might be tempted to take the block apart partially and redo the seam joining sections, if it looks like that might solve the problem. With foundation piecing, if you follow the paper, you are not doing the usual tiny bit of fudging that one might do when joining pieces.

Hanne in London

Hanne - The pieces of the block look fine...it is just that is doesn't lie flat. The edges "wave" and the centre bows ever so slightly inward. Before taking the block apart, I will try your method of stretching/flattening the block. If all else fails, I'll redesign the quilt.

Many Thanks!

- dlm. in central MA

Sounds to me like you will be fine with the careful pressing - Judy Mathieson herself said in her book that it is not uncommon for the centre to bow one way or the other.

I'm sure it will be fine.

Hanne in London

Depends how wonky it really is, and why. Is it worth printing out another foundation and unpicking the fabrics to do over? (no room for error!) Is it wonky because the background setting is slightly the wrong size for your compass circle? (easy fix.) Personally, I'd get out the steam iron and beat it into submission. And do lots of quilting so it stayed that way. Roberta in D

"- dlm." schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:eKCdnZYTE5vOYqjVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com...

GACK! Nope...definitely not going to be unpicking the entire block. Probably won't unpick at all. If I can't beat it into submission with the iron ( Note to self: Press don't iron ), then I'll be forced to redesign the quilt.

- dlm.

After pinning to my ironing board, spritzing with water, then pressing with a hot iron, I have to say that my wonky block doesn't look nearly as wonky. There is very little waving about on the sides now and the centre doesn't seem to bow. THANKS for the suggestions!

Have a great weekend!

- dlm.

Do the rest and see how you feel about it, as you get more practiced, you might find you need less fabric - requirements for paper piecing are quite high, but sometimes when you get into the swing of a pattern you can allow less extra, so if you haven't already, I wouldn't cut all the pieces, you might find you have extra fabric and can make another, or inspiration for something better than you planned might hit. Sometimes taking in or letting out just one or two seams can also have a good result.

cheers Anne

Glad to hear your block is smoother now, Dawn. I think it might be helpful to practice a few more blocks with scrappy fabric.Do you have enough extra foundations to do that?

Anne - I only cut the fabric that I need for one block at a time. I have been able to decrease the width and length of the strips of fabric used in each pieced unit. I'm hoping that I'll have enough fabric left to make another MC block or even something related to it ( such as an appliquéd lighthouse ).

Thanks!

- dlm.

After the first "wonky" block I found myself in the "zone" and have not made another error in piecing. That said though, I did consider making more MC blocks with some of my scraps. I have found that with each block completed, my cutting and piecing is smoother and the blocks go together much easier. I have plenty of foundation papers.

A problem that I've so far been unable to solve is that my SM has fits when sewing the curved units to the pieced units due to the thickness of the seams in various places. I've started pressing some of the seams "open" rather than to the side as per the directions. Hopefully that will help.

Thanks!

- dlm.

If you are really short on fabric, try "pre cutting" the pieces. Not just squares/rectangles but actually make templates, with slightly larger seam allowances and use the templates to cut your fabric patches. Especially when you have long skinny triangles this can save a lot of fabric. (You can trim the point of the seam allowance some and this requires a "shorter" shape, you can also plan and cut 2 triangles from one rectangular shape that is just a tiny bit larger than the rectangle you might cut for one triangle.) Having the angles cut at the correct angle also helps speed placement of the piece as you go along.

Hope this all makes sense.

Pati, in Phx

- dlm. wrote:

It makes perfect sense, Pati! What a wonderful suggestion. This will definitely save fabric!

- dlm.

I don't think I've ever machine pieced the curve on a mariners compass, I've done it on a simpler pieced curve, one that doesn't have as many seams, but with a mariners compass I've always done it by hand. I think once I machine appliqued it, but curved piecing, no way! I might try it if I have something that splits into quarters, but if you're trying to get a whole circle on to a complete piece of fabric, then it's just not going to happen for me!

Anne

I don't think I've ever machine pieced the curve on a mariners compass, I've done it on a simpler pieced curve, one that doesn't have as many seams, but with a mariners compass I've always done it by hand. I think once I machine appliqued it, but curved piecing, no way! I might try it if I have something that splits into quarters, but if you're trying to get a whole circle on to a complete piece of fabric, then it's just not going to happen for me! Anne

It's truly not that hard! Provided your "hole" and your compass circle are the correct sizes. I mark eighths on both and pin together at those points. No other pins! Clip the concave (background hole) curve about every half inch all the way around. Stitch with the concave side on top. Take a few stitches just before and after one of your pinned points, then with the presser foot holding that bit in place, nudge your seam allowances into alignment up to the next pin. Your clipped seam will spread open. You can very gently stretch both top and bottom pieces so there are no tucks. And that's all you have to worry about! Roberta in D

"Anne Rogers" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news: snipped-for-privacy@a1g2000hsb.googlegroups.com...

I don't think I've ever machine pieced the curve on a mariners compass, I've done it on a simpler pieced curve, one that doesn't have as many seams, but with a mariners compass I've always done it by hand. I think once I machine appliqued it, but curved piecing, no way! I might try it if I have something that splits into quarters, but if you're trying to get a whole circle on to a complete piece of fabric, then it's just not going to happen for me!

Anne

no, that method relies on there being no placement of the inner piece, you cut a square big enough to fit the hole an just plonk it on keeping everything flat.

Cheers Anne

Oh, I know the theory, it's just not all that easy to cut an accurate circular hole the sizes I've dealt with, 16inches across being the smallest. Add in some fat seams, a split ray means you have 4 meeting at a point. I hand sewed a 48inch compass in place not long ago, it took 2-3 hours I guess. It would have easily taken that long to find a flat space, mark and cut a circle and manhandle the whole thing through the machine and I don't think the results would likely have been so good. This one had 64 points, the background was the same as the negative space in the compass, doing it by hand allowed me to easy the curve a little on a couple of points that fell slightly outside where they should have been. Smaller and machining might seem preferable, but smaller also means even less time to hand sew! Judy Mathieson says she prefers to hand sew compasses in place!

Cheers Anne