30 January 2007

bonjour*

my fourth baby Jane block ("Rayelle's Fence")










*The hen talks to you. I don't know who made this excellent fabric or what it's called, but I got it months ago from the sale section at Cia's Palette. Cia has a wonderful folk art prints selection I'll be mining for more background fabric. And I DO care that the points don't meet up. During the quarter century it will take me to complete all the Dear Jane blocks, I expect my piecing skills will improve and that I'll develop the patience to re-do the wonky blocks.

Comments:
To get the seams to line up: nest the seam allowances opposite ways so they butt up against each other. Pin it. Stop the machine when you're almost to the intersection, then sew very slowly, removing the pin just before the needle comes down on it.

If a seam has a whole bunch of matching intersections, do the above but with a very long stitch. Check it -- if it's good, re-sew with a shorter stitch. If not, the long stitches are easy to remove for another go.
 
Thanks, Norma! I'm doing this all by hand (so far) which makes it all the more pathetic that I'm not more precise. I haven't been using pins, though.
 
Oh! By hand! I think that's the best way to piece. Very contemplative (although I've been there with the toddler situation . . .).

It helps to watch carefully just where the needle is going through on both pieces of fabric -- kind of push it through the top fabric in the right place, then peek over to the back and see where it's going through on the other side.

Good luck, and enjoy!
 
I'm looking forward to seeing the finished article.
 
Post a Comment



<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?