Last Sunday I pulled out this top that has been languishing in the pile of UFO’s for some time. If you want to see how this started click on the link below.
http://susannasquilts.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/friendship-medallion-quilt.html
I am embarrassed to see the date on this!
I laid it out on the floor and realised straight away, why it had been put to one side. It wasn’t laying flat, which means my seams were out somewhat, and in a medallion quilt this just doesn’t work.
At first I thought …ah it’ll quilt out, but it really bugged me to the point that I had to undo and resew!
Unfortunately I could see the problem was at least 3 borders back!!
This wasn’t the worst of it, but it was the only photo I took. So, I undid it back to the black border!
So, undo it I did!
After 5 days of unpicking, and remeasuring and resewing I am up to here….which is where I was before I started.
In doing this exercise I realised what the problem was…..2 different sewing machines, plus me doing a scant 1/4”seam instead of a regular 1/4”seam. Most of my seams were about 1/16th of an inch too small, and on a border like the zigzag border that had 19 seams per row, that made a difference of over 1”.
On any quilt this wouldn’t have been a problem with me sewing the whole quilt, but a Medallion quilt each border has to fit!!
Now to measure and fit the last 2 borders.
All done, but I could only manage to photograph 1/4 of the quilt as its quite large, and after laying it on the floor ( we had to shift a blanket box to get enough room) to measure and remeasure every seam and ending up with threads for Africa all over the carpet, I wasn’t going through all that again!
DH was very good and didn’t comment once about all the threads that were on the floor for about 5 days, but once I’d vacumned ( my most DISliked job) I decided 1/4 of the quilt was enough to show! Haha!
She's now off to my long arm quilter to be basted, so I can practise my domestic machine quilting on this quilt. Wish me luck. :-)
Thanks for dropping by
http://susannasquilts.blogspot.co.nz/2012/02/friendship-medallion-quilt.html
I am embarrassed to see the date on this!
I laid it out on the floor and realised straight away, why it had been put to one side. It wasn’t laying flat, which means my seams were out somewhat, and in a medallion quilt this just doesn’t work.
At first I thought …ah it’ll quilt out, but it really bugged me to the point that I had to undo and resew!
Unfortunately I could see the problem was at least 3 borders back!!
This wasn’t the worst of it, but it was the only photo I took. So, I undid it back to the black border!
So, undo it I did!
After 5 days of unpicking, and remeasuring and resewing I am up to here….which is where I was before I started.
In doing this exercise I realised what the problem was…..2 different sewing machines, plus me doing a scant 1/4”seam instead of a regular 1/4”seam. Most of my seams were about 1/16th of an inch too small, and on a border like the zigzag border that had 19 seams per row, that made a difference of over 1”.
On any quilt this wouldn’t have been a problem with me sewing the whole quilt, but a Medallion quilt each border has to fit!!
Now to measure and fit the last 2 borders.
All done, but I could only manage to photograph 1/4 of the quilt as its quite large, and after laying it on the floor ( we had to shift a blanket box to get enough room) to measure and remeasure every seam and ending up with threads for Africa all over the carpet, I wasn’t going through all that again!
DH was very good and didn’t comment once about all the threads that were on the floor for about 5 days, but once I’d vacumned ( my most DISliked job) I decided 1/4 of the quilt was enough to show! Haha!
She's now off to my long arm quilter to be basted, so I can practise my domestic machine quilting on this quilt. Wish me luck. :-)
Thanks for dropping by
11 comments:
Good on you for being brave enough to unpick and resew it. I hate vacuuming up my mess too, which is why my sewing room is a tip at present. You must be very pleased to now it is nearly a completed WIP.
After ALL that unpicking you must have a new love for it? It sure is pretty!
Well done. A hard job, but if you hadn't all the work you had done would have been wasted.
You are my hero, I am faced with a similar problem with a quilt I began last year.. Its a half an inch out with four borders to go, and I am trying to persuade myself I can fudge it at this next solid border. I hope I am brave enough to chase perfection as you have. I now know if I don't fix it now it will be cast aside in the naughty corner. I remember you doing this one and wanted to join in in the quilt along. You did a great job and well worth finishing and put to use...may even get more ribbons xxxx
It's absolutely beautiful! What a job to tackle, but well worth the effort! Looking forward to seeing it once you have it quilted.
The instructions for the centre square of this Medallion are still in my "Want to Make" file, I didn't get very far at all :(
Well done on finishing the top, I've had the same problem with 1/4" seams and different sewing machines, it is really annoying. The quilt top looks great and I'm sure once the quilting is done it will look fabulous.
Good for you taking the time to unsew and make your quilt right. Now it won't be a UFO tucked away in a closet. It's a beautiful design and wonderful colors. Hope the quilt has gone up on your like meter.
I guess we all hesitate where unpicking is concerned, but it's beautiful and well worth that extra effort!
This is so pretty. What a marathon unpicking session. I trust you are in love with it.
Oh, but this just makes me smile, Sue! I mean, the quilt top has such memories, doesn't it? Four years worth! :-) Though I sure understand how you struggles to get it properly straightened out - what quilter hasn't gone through that?! - you've done such a lovely job with the colors. It's really pretty! Great idea to have the longarm quilter baste it for you. That should make home quilting much easier. You know, this same quilt is on our guest room bed. Now when I look at mine, I will think of you. How wonderful that we'll have the same quilts across the world from one another!
It was well worth all the effort Sue, as you will have a quilt you are proud of now... it looks great..hope you are loving it now :-)
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