I spent a large portion of the day yesterday going through all of the hand dyed fabrics and choosing the next ones to cut. Those 2 stacks are each about 3" high. I sewed triangles into squares for 4 more blocks but ran out of steam before I could sew the blocks together. Here is a preview of them next to the stacks.
I also went through the box of triangles and chose 6 more pairs of fabrics for the other quilt.
I put my single hole needle plate on my machine to make the triangle sewing easier; no triangle corners pushed down through the throat plate. I also put in a new size 70 needle. You can't be hesitant when you are starting the seam of 2 triangles. You need to take off with a little speed. Going too slow punches the fabric down through the throat plate.
If your 2 triangles sewn together aren't square after sewing it might be because the corners (that I am pointing at) aren't lined up. I line up that corner first and then line up the ends of the seam that I am going to sew.
16 comments:
I see a couple of great tips there. Straight stitch plate AND lining up those outside corners. I will remember those.
Yep, great tips to remember indeed! Your blocks are looking great!
Wanda, the blocks are yummy! Let me know if you need any hand dyes. I have quite a stash that I dyed years ago and are just sitting.
A good tip - thank you! I haven't actually made anything with triangles yet although I have been taught several ways to make HSTs.
Good tip! I am working with triangles at the moment and I hadn't thought about changing the throat plate.
You are so right about the problem of triangles not being square after they are sewn. The hand dyed is going to be so pretty.
Love those zig-zaggy blocks!
Great tip. The speed does matter. Those corners otherwise want to just sink in.
Love the black/red block in there.
Now I remember why I bought the single hole throat plate .For those triangles , which have been giving me a headache . Thanks for the aha moment.
Louise
Now I know why that single hole plate came with my sewing machine!
Wanda: Thanks for explaining how to avoid pushing those corners down and making a mess of them. I've also been inspired by Sujata's quilts and blog postings, so I hope to start my own zig zag soon. Your help comes to me at a good time; thanks for sharing your experience with us.
Your zig zags are fun, great fabrics, love that gold/orange with blue. Thanks for all the tips, I'm going to change my needle plate when I start my ZZ. Have a pile of fabric, but have not started cutting.
thank you for the fabulous pointers about sewing triangles. I have struggled with the edges of fabric going below the plate and never even thought of changing the plate. As I type this I can't believe I never thought of this. I have never seen anyone address this on line before. I love your blog btw and check it every day. Your colour work is fabulous.
I love your red and black zig-zag!!!
I'm hopefully going to remember those tips nw that I'm using the sewing machine a bit more -- thank you!
It's going to be such fun watching those quilts being made.
That triangle tip is fantastic... Am hoping to start my own zig zag quilt soon. Yours (LeeAnn's and Sujata's too) are so inspiring!
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