Spinning head over pinwheels

[Txgrandma]

I have just started a pinwheel quilt and I don't know how it got so messed up. I have never had a problem with cutting things before but I think that's what my problem is. The small squares that make the block are all crooked and curvy. I am pressing not ironing. I have startched them stiff as Blondie recommended and they are still bad. I have a few sewn together and guess I'll just have to square them up. Any other suggestions for how to fix this problem before sewing them together. I just really don't know where I goofed up. I've even considered tossing it all and starting over.

[Blondie]

Morning, Mary! Looks like you were pulling an all nighter!
Maybe someone here has a better idea than I did last night.
I really do find that starching before sewing is the best for any size project. I am sorry that you are frustrated! So am I !
With the precuts and the method that Jenny is showing, shouldn't matter than much. But wait! Didn't you say that the fabric was really lightweight? If so, are both the same weight? That could be the issue.
I haven't had my coffee yet. I need to drink a big gulp of coffee, jump in the shower and get to work. Maybe it will come to me in the shower . . .

[mamaquilt]

Ï've had that with my scrapshirtquilt. When you use different fabric (light and more heavyweight), they tend to get curvy and crooked. I tried to iron them with starch into the form I more or less wanted. some of them turned out ok. the rest I pulled while sewing and the very rest just stayed the way they wanted. I'll post a picture when that quilt is done, needs some back as well as quilting.

[Sandy Navas]

I agree with the above - that's the reason I abandoned the gingham check quilt I had started several months ago. The light weight fabrics tend to go bonkers even if they are starched. I had some on iron-on stabilizer and they went bonkers on me even then. I thought I was being so careful with them. I have recently found that buying fat quarters at the BIG J store results in the same quality of fabric - some are so thin that you can read a paper through them - so they stretch and refuse to lie flat as they should.

I am totally empathetic!

[K. McEuen]

If you are able to reduce the pressure on your pressure foot (I could on my old machine, can't on the newer one) and then use a piece of paper under the fabric as you sew, you might have some luck. Less pressure and the paper both help the feed dogs not to pull as much and stretch the thinner fabrics.

[Alana]

I am just in the process of finishing my first pinwheel top. It was a challange indeed. I did ask Jenny in the class tuts if she could help. She has suggested the same as everyone else here--spray stabilizer or starch and perhaps using a longer stitch size. I did struggle through and did square a lot of blocks, but it is turning out fine in the end.

[Txgrandma]

Thanks a bunch for all the suggestions, I know it's not the pressure of the feeddogs, they are all out of shape without any sewing except for stitching the 2 charms together. The fabric is pretty light weight and looks like it is fairly loosely woven. I'm really afraid if I try to finish them and square them up the blocks will come out quite a bit smaller than I want. I really think I'm going to choose different fabrics and start over. I can chalk this up to experience and a good lesson learned. The one fabric that seems to be the most loosely woven is the Bella Solids has anyone else noticed it with ones they have used. Blondie I have to say starching them did help a lot as far as sewing just not that much with the shape. Thanks again everyone for all the help, I really appreciate it.

[Mia]

Mary, the issues you mention are some I've threatened to rip my hair out over too...
I have had the most wonky squares of anyone I've ever met, lol.
I STILL have a few but not nearly as many as when I began....and the two hints that helped me most are 1. Starch before cutting. 2. Careful with the pressing. Seems like you've done both of those... so it has to be the fabric, as you said. I'm sorry for your frustration .... hopefully a huggg will help a little bit.

[Blondie]

Mary, sorry that you spent so much time with this frustration. but happy that you didn't sew them all just to squarethem up smaller. And good for you Alana for speaking up and asking Jenny.
My favorite accessory is starch. It helps solve and prevent a lot of problems

[nancy14418]

It is definately a learning process! And one of my bigget lessons was "you get what you pay for" I made a baby quilt this summer and used fabric from a less than quality store, and fought the good fight, and lost! The new Mommy loved the quilt, but I was embarassed to give it to her! But I did learn my lesson! MSQS is the only way to go from now on!