twiglet wrote:
Thank you, Wendy. I need the box the blocks are in and also need other storage so trying to kill 2 birds with one stone
Marianne

Love them Marianne such a nice use for the blocks. Mine is still waiting for attention.

Thank you for the suggestion to check out Jinny Beyer's show, Rosemary. Will go in search of that now so I can learn while ironing
Marianne

I think that it was on Jinny Beyer's show that she mentioned that if the seam wants to lay one way at one end and the other way at the opposite end, then she puts a small snip up to the stitching line so that it is possible to 'reverse' the lay of the allowance - if you are putting both of the layers in the same direction that is. I have done this on several different pieces and haven't had any problems and got a flatter finish.

Great baskets, by the way - always a pleasure to see finished items

PS sorry I don't remember the number of the show.

loise98 wrote: Hi Loise,
Yes I try to twirl all the seams I can think of in all directions - they are like can-can dancers
I don't use the BSR because I had huge problems with even stitches so decided to take the bit between my teeth and learn to FMQ without. I found that the foot pedal on the Bernina also gave me problems so I have ended up FMQ on a 30+ years old Bernina with neither needle down nor presser foot pressure adjustment feature but a very smooth foot pedal and a beautiful stitch quality. I have taken the machine apart and loosened the pressure as much as I dare but with the darning foot although it has a spring there is not a lot more I can do regarding the machine I think. The other Bernina (referred to as the new but is actually 8 years old now) usually ends up embroidering and doing buttonholes as well as decorative stitches. I have not found it useful for anything quilting related except basting the sandwich. Super for that.
Thank you for chiming in with suggestions - it is great to get input from different people.
Marianne

I would imagine you are twirling your seams wherever possible. My FMQ foot has a pressure adjustment on it which I find enormously useful. I use a Janome and you must be using a Bernina since you mentioned not using the BSR. The machine itself must have a pressure adjustment on the foot. It might make a difference. I take it you did not have the problem with the BSR.

Thank you Ritzy! I starch my fabrics now before I cut - it has helped me no end to cut accurately and I found that now I use a Sizzix cutter that cuts better too when the fabric is starched. I will try starching again when I have sub-sewn patches like the Flying Geese and again when I press the finished blocks. I press the first seam of Flying Geese open and the second to one side to reduce bulk.
Thanks again for getting in touch
Marianne

Wow! Your baskets are great. Marianne, have you tried laying each piece out in the order that it will be sewn into the nine patch and then doing the pressing? Sometimes if I have a bunch of different pieces that have to fit together--that is what I do, then I can see which way the seams have to go. Since I have started doing the BOM 1/2 size I have started pressing seams open and spraying with starch to flatten--this method might work for you. I am sure someone else will pop up with other things that might help--hang in there.

I know this thread has almost died out but I am still on a quest/journey/adventure regarding piecing so I thought I would share a couple of small baskets/containers I have done recently using the blocks I made during the class - as you can tell I really am a basket case now
Not only have I put together some blocks I have also continued my FMQ practise (without the BSR!) and have learnt a lot in that respect.
One of the things I have learnt is that my darning foot does not accommodate thick seam intersections when I FMQ blocks so I am trying to figure out how to avoid those.
Right now I have finished a series of blocks experimenting with colour placement as well as piecing as precisely as possible. It is basically a 9-patch block but each of the corner patches is a 4-patch; the centre patch is just a piece of fabric and the remaining 4 are two flying geese blocks sewn together so it is almost a Sawtooth Star but with an added round. I am having a hard time pressing so I don't get lumpy-bumpy intersections. I have resigned myself to sometimes sew to the right sometimes to the left of the 1/4" foot inorder for the top seam to face upwards and I am gradually getting better at that but even that trick does not always solve my problem. I have also tried clipping seams so that at one end it goes in one direction and the other end in the opposite direction. The biggest challenge I realised tonight is when it comes to putting the blocks together 2 9 patch blocks that needs to be pressed in opposite direction - what a headache
How do you people do this????????????? (OK I have figured out that I need to either design the next quilt with alternative blocks that can be pressed differently or add sashing but honestly HELP, please )
Marianne

Great to see you Limbania, and long may it continue.

Welcome back, Limbania! So good to see you having a blast on the Forum again!

Thanks Wendy and Lois, is sooooo good to see you too!

I like seeing your face here in the Forum too, Limbania.

You need to see it in person to appreciate fully the skill.

Nice to see you Limbania