Tuesday 18 August 2009

Utter Disaster

I was on a bit of a quilting hiatus because of a week-long visitor, but as soon as said visitor was gone, I got going on a *new* project :)

I had this idea that this pattern would be really easy...


So I started cutting fabric - very exciting!


And then I started sewing, and things just didn't fit right... Those half-rectangle-triangles gave me a real headache...

I thought they'd be just like triangles, but to match the corners, the angle has to be slightly different than just drawing a diagonal across. I realized this after I had sewn the first few sets together. I sewed the rest anyway, it'll be another quilt...

This evening, I tried a different size rectangle to start with, but it still doesn't work, I guess I can't shortcut past the paper-pieced templates the pattern asked for, darn it!

Then I looked at my pieces a bit more, and realized I cut them all wrong. I looked at the finished size instead of the cut-size that includes the seam. Argh!

Now I have 90 four patches that are 3" square incl seam allowence, but they should be 3" final size.

I have center squares that are 6" square or 6.5"x6" (???) when they should have been 6.5" square.

And I have a huge stash of incorrect rectangles, BIG SIGH!


I'm going to leave the pieces for now. The rectangle-triangles will be a babyquilt or something, and I'll either do the paper piecing some day to finish this quilt with slightly smaller blocks, or I'll make something else out of the pieces.


My first really big quilting mishap :) Maybe I'll go back to the hiatus for a while???

6 comments:

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

sometimes when things get messed up it is best to just sit it aside and clear your head, it will look better tomorrow?
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

Crispy said...

We have all had "learning experiences" like this. Is there any way you can just downsize the blocks and then make more of them to get the size quilt you want?

Crispy

Unknown said...

Walk away from this for a bit...As Karen and Chris have suggested, taking a look at it differently might just do it.
Gosh though I do like the whole lot when you photographed it. It's like a puzzle, it should fit, but close is only in horseshoes!

Little Lady Patchwork said...

Just take a break and then come back to it. Who knows, maybe you will see things in a different light!

Enjoy your weekend!

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

It looks like a really great quilt. I think the hardest part is figuring out what you did wrong. ow that you have already done that, it should be smooth sailing from now on. You know what to do now.

Anonymous said...

I know it's disheartening but I say keep playing with it. Even if you just complete one block it still carries a remarkable sense of accomplishment when finished.