Piecing together rows....NOT LINING UP!!!

[skibri89]

Your seam widths could vary a little. Fabrics can give or stretch differently from one to another. Did you base the measurement of the solid strips on what the pattern said, or by measuring your pieced strips? It's better to base it on your pieced strips. One way to work with it is to mark the centers and match them up, then ease in the fullness as you sew. If you put the fuller side on the bottom, the feed dogs will help with that. Use lots of pins.

Thanks for the help! What exactly does "ease in the fullness" mean? I'm still learning the lingo, lol.

[skibri89]

When I am sewing a pieced row to a long strip and then a row of pieced to the same long strip this is what I do to make sure the pieced strips line up together:

after I sew the pieced row to the strip, I fold the solid strip and the pieced strip on the seam right sides together. On the edge of the long strip that I will sew my next pieced row, I put a pin in the strip of fabric at each seam of the pieced row. I use the pins that I placed to mark the seams of the first row to pin on the next pieced row, starting in the middle and work my way out.

Does this make sense?

I have to admit, I had to read this about 3 times to figure out what you were saying. But YES! Thank you. That is very helpful.

[skibri89]

Are you starting to sew from the middle & sewing to each side? I pin approx. every 3" when putting rows together. I always start in the middle for the pinning as well as the stitching. Maybe that will help you. JCY

No, I was working from L-R (though I admittedly forgot to alternate directions at the very least...probably a big part of the problem!). Is it best to start from the middle and work out (vs. alternating starting on either side with each row), or is it one of those depends-how-you-like-it things?

[Claire OneStitchAtATime]

I'm just a newbie, but I do believe that for newbies it is best to pin as described by others, matching the middles of the strips, and start the seam from the middle (approximately) for each strip. It does make it more time-consuming to pin & sew because you have to turn it after you have done half the seam but sewing long strips evenly is notoriously difficult & I think starting from the middle is probably best for new quilters like me. Jenny Doan can probably do it standing on her head but I can't!

[Vonnie]

Just remembered something else. You can also use your quilting/walking foot for piecing.

[skibri89]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I pulled a couple of seams, followed your advice, and everything came out much more evenly than before! Not perfect, but I wasn't willing to pull EVERY seam, lol.

Thanks again to all! It was very, very helpful.

- Brianna

[Lightwriter]

I did something similar not long ago and had problems. Ended up actually taking a marker (one that disappears with water) and marking the intersections on the plain piece. Also learned it is ok to use a dab of Elmer's Glue to place the fabric at an exact spot (I also use a pin). Good luck!!

[Claire OneStitchAtATime]

Looks great!

[Sylvia H]

Oh, I am glad that you were able to solve your problem. The quilt looks very nice, by the way.