Thanks Margo - you were up early! I actually trawled the forum last night looking for your test and finally found it. Didn't you do a video version of this on TQS? Where has that gone to? Anyhoo I have sorted out my seams and am well on the way now. 20 done and 21 to go. Rita.

Reetzbobeetz wrote:
Rita, you might want to try my "TEST" http://good-times.webshots.com/album/569415726bHNKHF to see what's going on with your seam allowance!
Making just two of the strips wider and putting them on the outside of your "reel" so that it can be trimmed to size will make sure your final block is the correct size.

I would like to sign up for two sets but seeing as I can't seem to get my strips to the right size first time round I am not sure. I have tried adjusting my 1/4" seam guide three times and I still can't get them to come out right. I think that I am going to have to go for a wider strip on each end and just cut down to size. So, today is a new day and if I can get the rest of these strips right then I am definitely in for more if it is possible. Rita.

Thanks for explaining Michelle. I have another set of colors ready to go if we need them. These will be great quilts. Just like the hst's, they will have all this friendship sewn in.

ajclapp wrote:
Ahhhh, see! That is the secret! I am slow, very slow, so to work super precise just takes me forever. I do take care with how I cut and sew, I just don't obsess over it. But, then I am like you, sometimes it will just bother me, and there I am ripping it out!!

Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

Dawn, your blocks look perfect to me. I like the colors you chose. They were my first choice, but I didn't have 8 fabrics I liked together so I changed to another colorway. And the strips don't have to be equal in size since the seams won't be matched to anything. I was just trying not to have the end fabric too small and since I couldn't cut those fabric widths wider like Margo did using the technique I used I took time to trim the strip sets to size. It didn't really take that long since my sewing goes fast. I didn't go to that much work on the other blocks I made over the weekend so the top and bottom strips are a little narrower and the middle strips are a little wider. I'm trying not to let that bother me. LOL

One day, I might have a stash to "shop" from... in the meantime, I made my local quilt shop happy and bought five out of the eight colors (I had three) for our Wot RoTT exchange. Now, off to washing, starching and pressing! Thanks for all the great commentary below: every little bit helps!
Renata

same here, i would love to do two sets - but i want as many as possible to be able to participate - so i said to keep my second set on "hold" 'till the deadline - and if there's room yeah!!! if not - i'm happy to have more friends participating

I also told Rosemary that I'd be up to doing a second set so I have a set to trim for the smaller spools. I also told her to save me until the end as I didn't want to keep someone out who wants to join. I'm hoping to be able to do a second set. I plan to do my first set on Friday at my quilt bee. That means I'll need to select the fabric, wash and starch them before then. I see others are using best press, I have both best press and spray starch. Which one should I use?

Frances

Love your colors, Dawn!

OK Michelle, I'll send Rosemary another e-mail and sign on for another set. Headed to the quilt cave now to see what color the next set will be!

Dawn, I am in your camp too!!! My inner strips (which finish a tiny 1/2") might be a few threads off... but the outer dimensions are the 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" we need. Remember there are NO QUILT POLICE!! LOL

Great work Dawn! i know what you mean about making a career of things, so I, like you am trying to learn to be freer and go with the flow. I learne d that with the HST exchange.
Now, I've just started my yellow strips. I used Margo's recipe for starch and tripled it, then just soaked all the strips in it in a dish pan for about 10 minutes. Skip the spraying... They are drying on bath towels now and I will iron them when they are just still a wee bit damp! This is fun. I'll be sewing tonight!

Just for the record, my precision is not up to the standards of what Annis has done! My units measure a perfect 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" but if one strip sewed up less than 1/2" for some reason, then I would compensate with the next strip or two. But, in the end they measure 3 1/2" x 4 1/2." My husband accuses me of making a career out of everything I do, so I am really focusing on getting things DONE this year and not spending longer than necessary on any one item. If I had done each individual strip as accurately as Annis has, I would not get another thing done, and could even miss the dealine! Here is a picture so you know what my colors are. (Completely washed and bled until the water ran clear!)



I have learned so much from what Margo and Annis have taught us, and consider them both to be my mentors!


Dawn
In beautiful Northwest Montana

Cathy, Rosemary told me they will be made the same size as the first set, and we will trim them down so they are narrower ourselves after the exchange. So it'll be really easy to make a second set!! And we can trim them narrower or not!!

I really hope our Wot RoTT Sisters decide to make two sets!! It'll be twice the fun!! Come on Gals!!! Join in!!