Syd, I love the color combination you are using for you BOM.

Hi Syd,

First of all - I love the colors that you have chosen for your quilt. It is going to be beautiful when it is finished.

Don't worry about the paper falling off the triangles, in fact since it is falling off if would probably be better if you took it all off, since it looks like you did the stay stitching, and then you won't have to worry about it!

The center circle should measure 16.5" when it is finished (i.e. the quilt top has been put together). When you add seam allowances, the center circle (made in month 1) should be 17" diameter, and the hole it is going into should measure 16". I'm not too worried that your hole is 16.25" as you will be able to ease this to fit. If your circle/center is 16 5/8" then I'm thinking that your seam allowances are a little too generous.

Try the 1/8" seam again - after having removed the paper from the triangles. Not sure what else to suggest other than appliqueing it, but if I get a flash of inspiration I will definitely let you know.

Sarah

Hi sarah , well its only got worse as the day has gone on, i tried tacking around the join again with 1/8 "seam , & it was looking like it would be a better fit, but the paper is falling apart quite fast now & my log cabing are starting to come apart & i have no accurate paper left to repair them, i think im going to have to applique it , which is dissapointing because i really didnt want to have to do that, but cant see any other way around it, look forward to hearing from u

syd

Hi sarah, I have given u top & bottom pics & one of the centre just lying on the top of the outer one & u can see that technically it looks like it should fit but i think i need another 1/4 of an inch from somewhere on my centre.

Measuring across the outer piece from stitch line to stitch line it is 16 1/4 "give or take a thread here & there & my centre is exactly 16 5/8 across.

The only other thing im considering is appliquing it , but i really dont want to do that.

also if were prerssing the log cabin triangles towards the appliqued diamonds, how are we suposed to attatch the circle, cos it seems like it would be better to stitch tose sections if the Triangle/diamond seams were pressed towards the triangles

hope the pics arnt too big

thanks

syd

3 of 5

Hi Syd,
What are the dimensions of your center circle? Can you send me a pic?
Sarah

Hi again sarah, i am in a hell of a mess with putting this centre in the centre of the diamonds, i have pinned & unpinned 5 times, hand tacked & stitched all the way round once & am about to unpick all of that again, my fabric is really starting to fray & all the foundation paper & tearaway is falling apart from all the handling so im losing my lines for placement guide. i have followed every line exactly all the way & up until now everything has fit nicely , but now my outside is way too big for the centre .

Really hope u have a magic wand

syd

Like Maree I too total missed the seam allowance on B and C and cut on the solid line thank heaven for this forum, and I had only done one. I can hear Alex PAY AAAATTENTION

Hi Syd60 & Maree,

Sounds like you are figuring this out! Holding the block up to a light source (the window, a light bulb) or using a light box is how I get the pieces lined up when paper piecing. The pieces should be big enough to cover the areas they are supposed to cover. One of the advantages of piecing onto stabilizer and leaving it in is that if there is a gap between the edge of the fabric and where it should cover, you can still use the foundation to determine the seam allowance for putting blocks together. Extending the line beyond the edge of the block is a great idea to give you a reference point - but don't stitch beyond the line specified!

Let me know if you have any more questions (or if I have missed a question that you have asked )
Sarah

maree7316 wrote:
Hi Maree, Thanks for the tip, I havent done any paper piecing at all until this. Seeings they were all fast asleep in the US & i really wanted to get on with it i did actually decide to draw/continue the sewing lines out beyond the pattern so that i could at least get a better guide of where they were, but i shall keep your idea in mind for the future, thanks again

Syd60 wrote:
The way I attached J and K was folding the paper template on the sewing line and trimming the background fabric to 1/8inch seam allowance, Lay this seam allowance on top of the J piece. Pin turn back to check that you have all cutting lines covered. Open the paper flat and sew on the solid line. Press and repeat for K. This is probably not the way Sarah does it, but it worked for me, as I paper piece this way also.

I have just finished my first block two. I also had trouble working out where to put the B and C pieces., The way I did it was using the paper from my fusible to mark the spot and then placing the material on top and carefully pull the paper out. On my first attempt I put the point of the material on my basting line and couldn't work out how to attach I and K. I didn't realise there was a seam allowance on the B and C pieces.
I also didn't have any room for error with the J and K pieces. I suggest pin and check before you sew, and make sure the dotted cutting line will be covered after you have sewn.
Hope this helps.

Hi Sarah, im stuck on placing J & K, i know u say stitch to the edge of the block but thats not enough of a guide for me without a picture guide
& im having trouble guessing where to line it up, apart from using a light box to see the exact line, Is there something im missing,

thank you for everything so far, your a great teacher

Are you referring to the blue line mentioned on page 7 in the second bullet point? If so, this blue line is shown in the diagram - it is not blue on the template, but a solid black line. Piece C hangs over the edge of the stitching line - so when you add piece H the edge of C will be in the seam allowance. Sorry if this wasn't made clear

I don't see a blue line for sewing H to template C so is there an overlap there and the stitching is beside the appliqué on template C? If so, I assume you he stitch all around piece F