Frustrated

[Bunnycoolmom]

Do you find that you cut your pieces out ( and are fairly precise about cutting) and then
sew them together that one of the pieces is a bit longer then the other? It wasn't before
you sewed it. I am working on the intersecting quilt and cut all my pieces out. Sat down
and chain pieced the first two pieces together and when I went to press them the one
piece was a bit longer then the other. To save some time I decided to not trim them
until after I put the other piece on. Paid careful attention to matching up the pieces and
after sewing they are off even more with the other piece. I find this a lot in piecing.

I have a Janome machine. Should I put my walking foot on with the 1/4 guide and piece
that way? I have always just used my regular 1/4 inch foot. I don't want to have to take
all the pieces apart but I always want them to match up and go together smoothly. I've
been sewing for years and have noticed this but with this block it seems VERY obvious!

Any suggestions, recommendations, or advice?

[BarbaraB]

Re: Frustrated

I've noticed this and the problem can be more noticeable in some fabrics. I've had luck by adjusting the presser foot pressure.

[JCY]

Re: Frustrated

It sounds like maybe the feed dogs are moving one piece along faster than the top piece. I would not do regular piecing on cotton fabrics with a walking foot.

[Lyndaj]

Re: Frustrated

I worry about your comment about being fairly precise in your cutting. Are you sure your problem doesn't lay there?

If the cutting is ok, I agree with JCY that your feed dogs are likely to blame. Or, are you pulling the fabric through the machine which could skew the piece?

[PrettyCurious]

Re: Frustrated

Even though I chain piece, I poke the top right corner of every piece I start under the needle with my stilletto. Often that top piece will not move with the bottom, as the feed dogs start to catch it. That will make your seam off a tiny bit at the start. Then once I have a few stitches in, I stop, and grab both ends and make sure they are even. If they start to shift, I poke the top piece with my stilletto once more to make them even. I do not pull or push the fabric, but finger tip guide it as it goes under the needle. Unless it needs a poke, then I just poke it with my stilletto.
Starting with nicely pressed [using starch or best press] fabric helps a lot. Sometimes with I see people sewing several pieces on a block that obviously hasn't been pressed, I wonder how it can possibly come out ok. it usually doesn't, and they wonder why.

If you don't have a stilletto, you can use a wooden shishkabob stick, cut short enough to handle.

[KPH]

Re: Frustrated

I think you've gotten great advice above. The thing I thought about was bias on triangles, it's easier to get those stretched out a bit more.

I can't find my stiletto since we moved. It has to be around here somewhere. It's such a handy tool.

[Vonnie]

Re: Frustrated

Do you have this foot?

https://www.sewingmachinesplus.com/janome-snap-on-quarter-inch-foot.php?gclid=CjwKCAjwuvjNBRBPEiwApYq0zm8wZqL3BMoiH_95Gl9VhO8VHv-IlrUnd47b5-CrpIP3CKpbeF8l9BoC_QEQAvD_BwE

I found that my piecing is much better when I bought a foot specifically for my Babylock. Other 1/4" feet did not give me an accurate 1/4". Something to do with the feed dogs. Generic feet just did not cover the feed dogs and they were making my seams off.

[shirleyknot]

Re: Frustrated

Another reason I like pins. It stops most of that shift.

[Astatoo]

Re: Frustrated

It sounds like maybe the feed dogs are moving one piece along faster than the top piece. I would not do regular piecing on cotton fabrics with a walking foot.

Is there a reason you would not want to do this? I often use my walking foot when piecing, especially when sewing long pieces like when making strip sets, I seem to have better success when I use it. Maybe I should rethink this practice.

[Iris Girl]

Re: Frustrated

This is the reason I love my Pfaff. IDT is a built in walking foot system. It works beautifully. It works with almost every foot .

[Julie A]

Re: Frustrated

I find this happens when some of the stitched edges are length of fabric edges (so no stretch) and other pieces are width of fabric edge (some stretch) or diagonal/angle cut edges (oodles of stretch). I found that starching (just old fashioned cheap spray starch, not Best Press or sizing) fabrics before cutting and sewing made a huge difference - they just don't stretch during the stitching. And I have pre-washed, so any distortion the manufacturer created in winding the bolt is gone, so I get reliable cuts that don't change size with the first steam (as fabrics reverts to normal shapes).

Since you have already cut the blocks, as much as I hate pinning, I recommend pinning the start and stop of the stitching line, And whichever side is longer, place on the bottom. Hold the fabric and start the stitching, and very slightly resist the feed. This eases in the mismatched long edge to the shorter edge. If you can, it also helps to reduce the pressure on your foot a bit (not all machines can tho'). I've done this a lot, and it works beautifully, assuming your shorter length is going to work for your finished quilt.

If the lines to be stitched are long (more than say 3-4 inches I will fold the two pieces to get the center points of both, and pin centers as well, so I am just easing-in each section (reduces chance of pleating). I use this method to also ease in borders and sashing when my blocks are not quite the same or correct size. I just break up the distance between pins to 6" or less.

Hope this helps.

[Bunnycoolmom]

Re: Frustrated

Thank you for all your advice. I tried to explain the situation the best I could.
A couple of things, fabric isn't cut on the bias, pieces are cut exact, the pieces
Are the same length and meet up until they go theough the machine, and the
1/4 inch foot I use came with the machine.

I think I will do some testing and try adjusting the foot pressure to see if that
Makes a difference and if all else fails I believe I will pin. NOT my favorite thing
To do but I want a beautiful quilt product!!

Thanks again to everyone for commenting.

[quiltsRfun]

Re: Frustrated

I can't find my stiletto since we moved. It has to be around here somewhere. It's such a handy tool.

I have a couple of stilettos and a sharpened chop stick that works well but still find myself grabbing the seam ripper when they've all been misplaced. LOL

[Iris Girl]

Re: Frustrated

I have whats referred to as a cats claw stiletto. My husband made mine from a guitar pick (metal thumb pick) and a large needle. I use this primarily for adjusting gathers under the needle when garment sewing. But have been known to use it, a aharpened chopstick or a nail file to push down a wayward seam allowance.
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[LLLinda]

Re: Frustrated

I use my seam ripper as a stiletto.