I have no regrets--but I've been doing my "own thing" right from the start! I've always wanted to make a medallion quilt and a feathered star quilt, too, so this is the project for me. I HATE, HATE, HATE paper piecing! My feathered star was made using the Bias Square method. I made my first border and border strips using Sue's instructions and I've learned alot for future use. Instead of the pinwheels I made Twin Sister blocks and instead of the 6" stars, I'm making Maple Leaf blocks. I'm having a ball just "winging" it. I am making the Sawtooth Stars using the flying geese method, too. Many of us have our own preferred methods and we just need to use the methods we like best--this is supposed to be FUN!!! Judy in Torrance

PattiSure wrote:
Patti, some starch, or even misting with plain water (Ricky's choice) should help them to lie flat. I don't think that stitching too tightly should make a difference. If you are paper piecing, the stitches need to be tight, then adjusted back to a regular stitch length to assemble the HSTs. Just be sure that you are not tugging on the fabric, either in front or behind the needle, as it's stitching. Using the ruler to keep it flat until it's cool is another good tip! Also, be sure when you are pressing that you aren't stretching the bias. That's easy to do on these little pieces, but it helps to gently finger press the seam allowance in the direction that you want it to go before you hit it with the iron.
Hope that helps.

Here's a trick I learned from a Sally Collins workshop: As you iron your pieces, have one of your rulers or something else flat that you can lay on top of the block until it has cooled. This will keep it laying flat. So, as I iron each block I lift my ruler and put it under it, until I am done ironing all the blocks. I do the same for the completed finished block after I iron it, and it lays pretty gosh darn flat! I also like to give my completed block a shot of starch which makes it look nice and finished.
Jeannette in St. Louis

I'm doing a combo of pressing the long rows flat and the tiny 1 inchers to the side. I was just thinking a moment ago when I pressed them flat that I would try starch . They go flat with the heat but curl up when they cool off.

I heavily starched my sawtooth stars to make them lie flat. Did you press the seams open? That also seemed to help.

I might be regretting not doing the flying geese on the sawtooths. I have 40 done and many keep curling up. I can't keep them flat. Just finished Aprils 6 1/2 inch blocks and can't get those flat either. Am I stitching too tightly?

I don't have any regrets starting it. I am learning so much and yes, I have been very frustrated a few times. (Thank you Margo for listening to me whine). I had actually decided not to do the 6 1/2" sq. border stars because they were taking so long and looked for some substitutes. I found a few blocks I liked, but, they just were not as pretty as Sues. So, I cut May's and guess what....it went faster and easier this month. Even if I don't keep up I will finish it, it is a beautiful quilt design. I've even decided I might..maybe...well sorta, that I will do the flying geese border. That is a lot of flying geese!!!! Guess I am still a bit wishy washy about that border. :shock: Sandi in FL

I definitely have NO regrets working on the 2009 BOM, I love every bit of it, I've just been following the instructions every month. I have about 1 1/2 hours to devote to it every evening, so usually before the middle of the month I'm done with it, and can work on other projects. I also bought the fabric kit for it at the IQF last year because I felt I'd be overwhelmed in learning to make a feathered star "AND" having to pull fabric for all of it from my stash, so to be sure that I would not get too distraught I took the easy way and bought the fabric kit for that reason, but mostly because I loved the colors of it all. So far it's been a wonderful learning experience for me. I do, however, still have yet to finish the '08 BOM, I'm still working on the inside borders for it. Little by little, it'll all get done. Heidi

While I don't regret having started the 2009 BOM, I find it frustrating that for me it seems to be very time consuming. I am using Sue's paper pieced method and that is working. I am learning as I go, so that is good. Will this be finished on time, NO. I just finished April, still need to trim, May is ready to start the stitching, removing paper, etc. But when I when I look at my feathered star, I push on. Just wish I had more time to devote to it but I pleased with my progress.

None of those are cheaters they are "wish I had thought of that ideas".

I fell in love with the quilt in Houston and had to have it as is. I too have "cheated" and used some fabric in my stash that I love so a bit of me is here and there in the quilt.

We all march to the tune of a different drum but our parade will be spectacular!

denise

As I've been fighting with my saw tooth stars, I regret starting! But then I look at the lovely feathered star, the border stars and all those saw tooth stars and I'm very happy that I started this project. I'm hoping that the servicing and "tweaking" of my sewing machine will make the remainder of the stars easier to work on.

Margo wrote:
I have to agree. I read the Show & Tell and celebrate other's progress. Certainly some of the individual changes have "given me permission" to do the adjustments I wrote about earlier. But even then I had the feeling that I was cutting corners or as Keith said, "cheating". It's not cheating at all...it's our own way. I am just not used to doing it.

It's just good to know that I am not the only one.

Back to the sewing room.

Keith I hope that you and everyone else continue to march to your own drummers!! All of the individualized quilts from last year were wonderful, and I'm sure that yours will be too! I'm looking forward to pictures when you are ready to share.
There are no quilt police here so do what makes your heart sing!

kmouse,
I gave myself permission to not be done on time. I have the feathered star done and the setting triangles sewn on. I have the four patch borders done but haven't done the math for the floater strips yet. My pinwheels are done but not sewn together yet. The April blocks are still FG and HSTs. May's blocks haven't even been started yet. And I'm going to be in California until some time in June. Then I have some other quilts that I have to get done before starting the BOM again. Maybe I'll get caught up in July. "Life is what happens when you're busy making plans"
Frances who just spent 3 days driving from Austin to Sacramento (I'll see my mom, MargaritaW on Friday)