Y Seams....Help, Please!

Having never attempted Y seams before, I have run into a problem with a particular quilt block and have pretty much ruined the look of the entire thing. Everything looks wonderful until you look at the center, which has a gaping hole where I attempted to sew a Y seam and failed miserably. I wound up with stitches visible on the front of the block, so I unpicked and started again. Then, after another few attempts ( and more unpicking! ), the material bunched up and looked horrible. Can anyone recommend a technique for a " presentable " Y seam, please?

Gillian in SW Michigan.

Reply to
Gothikka
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I was going to try to describe how I do it, but I do it better than I can explain it!

In the meantime, I found a Web site that gives some pretty good instructions:

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Reply to
Louise

I avoid Y-seams - but only 'cos I'm lazy. They are not hard if you take your time and are careful.

I am assuming that you are sewing to a needle's width short of the seam intersection. I find it easier to sew two separate seams rather than trying to turn. I know some clever people can do the seam in one go but I'm not one of them. I am sure there is a "right" way to sew the seams but I usually sew "in" for the first one and "out" for the second, although that can vary with how I am feeling on the day. If I foresee any hassles with piecing I lightly starch (just spray ironing aid) my fabrics before cutting to help prevent distortion with handling.

I don't know if any of that helps but I will watch the other answers with interest.

Good luck. Hope we get to see pictures.

Reply to
Cats

Y seams may actually be easier by hand than by machine... at least until you get the hang of it.

First -- mark on the wrong sides of all pieces of fabric involved in the Y seam

-- the 1/4 inch mark. Do this at all sides of the fabric where the BE EXACT -- this is critical.

Then sew from intersection point to intersection point of your drawn lines... NOT out to the edge of the fabric at the inside of the Y seam. This allows you to "reposition" your fabrics going out the other side.

So... start at the outside edge... sewing in to the "Center" of the Y -- stopping 1/4" from the edge (should be where your drawn lines intersect). Reposition your fabric and continue to the other end. If you are using the machine -- stop at the center with the NEEDLE DOWN.

I hope this makes sense!

Kate in MI

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Reply to
Kate G.

If by machine,stop with the needle down just as Kate G. said; then reposition the bulk of the fabric behind the needle and finger pin the raw edges together to finish to the end. If you can remember try and shorten the stitch length just before you enter the Y and lengthen again after you have past the point.

Best to luck

Audrey

Reply to
Audrey

Could we persuade you to practice on some scraps for just a few? Make perfect, accurate marks, a sharp pencil point on white scraps would be a good practice place. One more little thing I don't see mentioned - I like to set my stitch length shorter for the 'Y' seams. It seems that just one standard stitch length too many can be just enough to blow you out of the water. If your SM is contrary and has a mind of its own, approach that stopping point using the hand wheel and don't put the needle down until it is going where you want it to. Hang in there, you can do this. Polly

Reply to
polly esther

Kim Graham's description of how to do a LeMoyne star might help, too.

Julia > I was going to try to describe how I do it, but I do it better than I can > explain it!

Reply to
Julia in MN

I was going to post the very same link, Louise! This is -- without doubt -- the *best* method of doing Y-seams ever! I love making Lemoyne stars because of Sharyn Craig's method (the one on Jan Krentz's site), and it's really easy. Practice on about three or four before doing them for "real", and you'll discover how easy it is and what lovely results you'll get. Good luck! :)

Reply to
Sandy Foster

Sorry you've had this experience Gillian, because they really aren't difficult - just a 'new' way of doing things! I have read those responses which were 'up' when I read your post, as I don't want to duplicate things. Of course, keeping within the seam length is the most important thing, and using the handwheel to get the last stitch, like Polly said, is a trick to perfect. However, for me, the next most important thing has been to start the seam in the centre, and treat it like two completely separate seams. You can then take it away from the needle and re-position all the fabric, and put the needle down to start the seam in *exactly* the spot you want to. . In message , Gothikka writes

Reply to
Patti

I'm with Pati on this - do seam A, stop take it out, remove any stitches that went over the 1/4" line - no matter how hard I try the machine is faster than I am so I almost always have a few stray stitches to tame! Then wrangle the next seam in place (making sure no extra bits of fabric try to sneak between the layers) and start sewing at the 1/4"mark it's a fiddly job but you *can* do it!

Reply to
Jessamy

When you unpick to try again, make sure your bias edges are not distorted. Might be worth it to cut fresh pieces, if you can! I always sew the 2 arms of the Y, then the long "trunk". 3 separate seams. It's possibly a pain, and I know some people do 2 seams in one sweep, but I can't get accuracy unless I do them separately!

When pressing, the "trunk" seam usually gets pressed open, and the 2 arms toward the outer side. Thus the square corner will tend to cover up the back side of your 3-seam intersection, if that makes sense. Roberta in D

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Reply to
Roberta Zollner

Thank you very much to everyone for your help. It is truly appreciated. I will try again in a few days.

Gillian > When you unpick to try again, make sure your bias edges are not distorted.

Reply to
Gothikka

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