I get so disgusted...ready to give up

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Originally Posted by CrazyMtnLady

Hang in there. I just take a deep breath and try again. I am not a perfectionist and that does help. As long as it's close I don't worry to much.

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I'm kind of like that to.. and these are placemats so they arent close together, but there is no way this would work if I were doing a quilt.

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Originally Posted by quiltingtrish

Good morning Cheri! Please don't give up. Is there someone you can get together with to perhaps watch what you are doing? Sometimes, it's the littlest thing that we don't see ourselves. I know it can be frustrating after we've spent all our time being so careful and then not have

Hugs,

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Thanks for the thought. No, I don't know anyone else that quilts and there are no classes in quilting at the craft store (yet). I was having a problem where the squares were to small...so I lined the ruler/template up and gave it just a smidge (1/8" or less) more and then cut and that worked great!, but now they are just to big!!! At first I was using cotton/poly blend fabric and found that the stretchy was my problem So now is nothing but 100% cotton. All these are that. But my problem is reverse...now I cut them exaxt to the template and they are to big!! These are placemats so they won't be close together so they will be okay, but there is no way I could do this with a quilt..it couldn't be fixed. I am trying to learn how to make the designs with the small squares - only 3,1/2 is smallest I will go. I see all those scrappy quilts an things with small squares...there is no way I could do that and make it so it'd be usable. I even stopped "ironing" and only "press"!!! I use spray starch before, during and after to make sure the fabric is stretching as little as humanly possible!

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Originally Posted by Quiltlover

I agree with the ladies who suggested that you make larger squares and then cut them to size so they are exactly the size you need. Also over time I notice that I am now sewing a scant 1/4 inch seam. Then, if I need to take in a bit more I'm not ripping out seams. These scant seams allow just a tad more fabric to work with. I definitely am not a perfectionist. My favorite quilts are the vintage ones with grandmas make do scraps from everyone's clothes. That odd print that she had to add to have enough. I have a couple of those that I found at flea markets and my dream goal is to be able to make something as interesting as those.
Brenda

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I get the point, but how do you know when to add or take away from the standard 1/4 seam allowance? These were 3,1/2 by 22" strips - yellow and green. I sewed them togethe ron the long side, then cut them into 3,1/2 x6,1/2 sections, then sewed two of them together with alternating colors to make a 4-patch. As doing them they all looked fine. But then sewing them together with a 6,1/2"c3,1/2 print inbetween the patches..now it's all wonky.

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Originally Posted by Bubby

I strive for excellence...not perfection! If you expect perfection from yourself you will never stop beating yourself up. I would recommend you lay your sewing aside for at lest one day and don't worry about it. I think all the suggestions you received here are very good. You need to be kinder to yourself....quilting is a skill we learn from practice and more practice. Your work in your album is very good....Hugs, Barb

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The bigger stuff I seem to do okay with, but the smaller stuff...kills me! I was hoping to learn to do the smaller stuff...like the 9 patch and HST etc. I don't go smaller than 3,1/2" but want to do all those cool designs and all. I see in the blogs so many ladies have scraps that they do this with and everything looks like it goes to gether fine...seams match and everything.

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Originally Posted by ttucsok

I just started quilting and so far I've made a table runner, a baby quilt and I'm working on my first quilt "of size", it's almost a queen size. If I was following ure enough I'm getting better. Sometimes I think I'm getting worse but it's really a learning process. Please don't get discouraged. Try not to focus on perfection and just call all this early work 'practice'. Soon you will be looking back and it will all have paid off.

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I am like that to.. I can't folllow a pattern to well. I make it up as I go along. I design a center block and then start adding outward. I do okay with larger blocks. But these smaller ones are killing me! All I was basically doing was a 4,4-patch blocks with a sash between them. I want to be able to do all the designs with the blocks and tris and flying geese etc. I know there are alot of "mistakes" i my quilts and I do pretty good a covering htem up and chalk it up to experience and try to remember not to do that next time. But this was terrible. I just stacked the placemats up this morning and cut them all to same size...and some have 2 inch squares on top row, other have 3". I cut anywhere from 1/4 inch to 1 inch off the edges!

It sounds like you are sewing ith inaccurate seam allowances. If you are using templates or are measuring correctly before you cut, its not the cutting that's the issue, its the seams or the pressing.

Do this test: Cut 3 strips of fabric, 2 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. Sew them together on the long sides using the seam allowance and set up you are using now. Press the seams to one side and then measure. You should have a square of fabric that now measures 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches square. If you do not, something is wrong. If it is slightly smaller, its probably your pressing, repress and measure again. If it is smaller than just a few threads, if you can, move the needle to the right 1 click. If you can not move your needle, you can do a couple of things. Measure from your needle out 1/4 inch and put a stack of postie notes to mark the edge (postie notes, masking tape, mole skin.. they all work) re sew using that as a guide. If you can get a presser foot with a fence, that is a good thing as well, but you need to measure where your needle is in relationship to the fence on the foot.

How ever you manage to achieve that quarter inch is your preference. Sew as many tests as it takes and then WRITE IT DOWN! After you get all that done, then move the needle one click to the right and that will be your scant quarter inch for a perfect seam.

I have taught this method to a lot of students and it works every time.

One thing that I also found is that not all machines are created equal when it comes to the feed dogs. most will pull the fabric straight, but some Viking machines will pull the fabric to the left, don't know why, but I have seen it happen on more than one and they were totally different Viking models. Hope this helps and don't give up!


Side note: I see your additional posts about being wankie.. Me thinks it is your pressing! If you are using UN-washed fabric and then using steam on the seams to press them open.. that is a big issue. Fabric shrinks unevenly and will cause a wankie seam if you use steam or starch on unwashed fabric. Lots of quilters wash their fabric before sewing, I don't, but I also don't use steam or spray starch.. that's your preference. Do this test: Cut a 6 inch UN-washed square using an Omni grid 6 inch square ruler, press it with steam, measure it... you will see shrinkage and that may be your problem right there.

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Originally Posted by Fabriclovr

It sounds like you are sewing ith inaccurate seam allowances. If you are using templates or are measuring correctly before you cut, its not the cutting that's the issue, its the seams or the pressing.

Do this test: Cut 3 strips of fabric, 2 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches. Sew them together on the long sides using the seam allowance and set up you are using now. Press the seams to one side and then measure. You should have a square of fabric that now measures 6 1/2 x 6 1/2 inches square. If you do not, something is wrong. If it is slightly smaller, its probably your pressing, repress and .

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Thanks so much. I do pre wash all fabric and I don't use the steam on my iron..it doesn't work anyway! But I had heard that the steam can shrink a tad bit more.I tried this time to press the seams open instead of to the side...thinking that the pressing might be the problem, even tho before I would press to set, then pull open to press seam open but allowance to the side. I have done the needle test...I use a seam guide and butted it right to the pressure foot (all purpose one) and then sewed a straight line. I then, measured it from the raw edge to the line and from there would move needle to equal 1/4" inch. I have to set my needle at 6.1 for it to be 1/4" and with the seam guide, I get 1/4" allowances all but exact...I have written that on a piece of masking tape and taped it to the machine right in the area where the needle is threaded (so it kind of flags out for better notice!) so there is no way I can miss not seeing it to remind me...but so far, I have gotten pretty good at remembering it and doing it right off, but that tape stays there! I guess I'll just keep pluggin' along...the placemat are done, but they are so crooked, but I guess for every day use..I'll keep them. Having a yard sale at the end of the month..maybe I"ll put them in there and use what I sell them for to buy new fabric and try again!

I betcha it's something super simple, like ironing. One of Jenny's tuts talked about sewing in different directions when sewing strips so your strips don't "bow". Tried that?

Only thing I have seen/read is to PRESS not IRON the seams when you set them. So I started pressing..but it doesn't seem to make to much a diff if I am using 100% cotton.Before I was using 50/50 cotton/poly. And I have noticed...this doesn't happed with larger squares...just the 4" and smaller..which is what I am trying to learn the technique to use! I want to learn how to make all the amazing designs by sewing small squares and tris together to make the design.

Sorry bout your troubles-we must be long lost twins when it comes to cutting fabric! My strips always end up bowed!