Limbania & Rita - Your blocks are beautiful! I haven't started my star blocks yet, but will have them done by the end of the weekend. I'll post when they're done.

Nancy

Got mine done tonight. Had to redo one flying goose as I managed to cut off the 1/4" allowance at the top. I will definitely be sewing these to the sashing with a very scant 1/4" . Marianne, these are not as easy as Laura makes them look. There is a lot to look out for but especially not cutting off your points and remembering that you need that 1/4" seam allowance at the tips. Good luck.

Marianne...try following Annis' step-up on pg. 35 of this thread...it's great ! Be sure to square up every joining.
it gets easier !

I have tried my hand at the Sawtooth Star block today. The Flying Geese units are not too bad but when I start to put the whole block together I find it gets distorted. I think I am too much of a novie yet to cope with the 2" squares in the corners No room for any mistakes and despite my best efforts and starched fabric I have 2 wonky blocks. They are almost the right size which is a step forward from the Yankee Puzzle blocks last week. I will continue to make Flying Geese units and try all the different ways to make them I have found so far but I think I will just put those units together to form blocks instead of making the stars
I am also really struggling with the thick seam I get when pressing the seam allowances towards the triangles - there is a lot less bulk if I press one towards the Goose which I did by mistake on one unit. Is there a particular reason why they should both be pressed towards the triangles?
Perhaps I should try to make a 12" star block to see if I am more successful doing that. Something to think about over night

Off to dream of stars
Marianne

crocus999 wrote:
Terrie, have you tried ending your seam i.e. the end of the point from one patch on a small piece of paper about 1" x 1 1/2" and then start the point of the next patch on the same piece of paper? It needs to be the thin paper like old fashioned typing copy paper so it tears really easily without distorting the points. If you are into paper piecing then you can use scraps from that for this purpose.

Marianne

Beautiful blocks Marilyn!

I've been piecing my blocks using my Necchi Nora from the 50's. It doesn't have a needle down position but I got used to putting the needle down when I stop sewing. Doesn't have a knee lift although the knee "thingy" can be used to operate the machine instead of the foot pedal. I have used a startie-stopie but recently I started using Bonnie Hunter's Leaders and Enders system which allows to work on 2 or more projects at a time. She just issued a new challenge, check it herehttp://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/08/spoolin-around-leaderender-challenge.html . Since I decided to use my reel blocks to make houses instead, I'm doing the 3" spools to make a border. The roofs of the houses will have the maker name and state(if from USA) or country (if from overseas). I'm planning on calling my quilt : TQS Neighborhood, the threads that connect us.

I use a good ald bamboo skewer as stiletto to hold fabric points and also as seam "undoer" (ripper). I don't like to cut the threads when un-sewing, I prefer to pull the stitches, that way I avoid the chance of ripping the fabric along with the stitch. The point in the skewer is sharp enough to pull the thread but blunt enough to not leave any marks on the fabric.

Last but not least. Still behind but here are my first 9 patch blocks. Besides working on the sampler, I'm using the leaders & enders to sew blocks (already cut) from another project that had been waiting since last year and some lil' spools. Ha!!! one sneaked in the photo

Thanks for all your instructional comments. I don't have a machine that automatically does 'needle down', I do that myself (like the olden days!) And as far as a knee thing, my mom's old old machine had that to make the machine stop and go instead of the foot pedals we use today. I inherited that machne, but don't generaly use it. Although a bit basic, I love my machine which my four sons chipped in together to buy for my 50th BD.!! It was a very big surprise!


I have found that the startie-stoppie works better with straight-on stitching than with going in on those angles like the 45 degrees on the edges of the triangles. I found an old dowel the size of a pencil, and I sharpened it in the pencil sharpener, and I use that to hold down my points when coming to the end of the pointed angle. Seems to work.

Thanks for all your help.

Love those blocks Marilyn. I have spent the evening doing a label (3 times) for a baby quilt. 3rd time lucky. I hope to do my saw-tooth stars tomorrow.

Terrie, I use a 'starty-stoppy' too and yes it does work better if you don't cut the threads between. Do you use needle-down as well? I find that helps too. You have probably watched the way Sally Collins does it, I found that really helped too.

Hi Marilyn - Beautiful blocks and fabrics! Are those more Civil War reproductions? Sorry Big Bernie's not feeling well! I hope she gets better soon and starts humming away again on those UFOs!

Nancy

idaho wrote:
So sad! Glad you have other machines too. Hope you don't fall back on finishing the UFO's! Good luck!

Very nice blocks, Marilyn. I like the scrappy background.

The startie-stoppy doesn't work as good when sewing on bias edges. If you cut the dog ears off first that helps but takes time. I don't use a knee lift (I think I have one but just haven't gotten in the habit yet) and also have to lift the presser foot between blocks.

Like your blocks Marilyn, very tasteful