Both are lovely quilts... what workmanship.... MY KIND OF NEEDLEPOINT!!!

I finished a bargello quilt last month. It had a lot of pieces and yes, it was important to watch the 1/4" seams for accuracy! It wasn't a hard pattern. Then I waited about a year because I couldn't figure out how to quilt it!

I haven't got a more reacent picture of this quilt. I'm halfway through quilting it. This was when I had just finished piecing the top. Della persuaded me (wasn't difficult) to join her in a bargello workshop.

Gosh.... I have just noticed that my hair has turned grey since that workshop in 2004.

Well I was able to diagnose the problem ( make that PROBLEMS) I like the pattern and the quilt but feel if it is not an accurate reproduction I need to find out where I went wrong so as not to do it in the future. I already know that I will make more of this patterns as it is easy ... has great design and PLAY oppurtunities... is quilt as you go and my niece has told me she want me to make her a quilt in her colors. SINCE SHE IS MY FAVORITE GRAND NIECE... I WILL !!! I have ONLY WORKED on this quilt 4 hours and it is half done...






1/ As I started this quilt 6-8 mo ago I forgot some of the details of construction. I had used jelly rolls cut on an ACCUCUT from my LQS ( they were experimenting) I do not think they were totally accurate. I also cut some of my own fabrics using a rotory cutter and am not sure if those were accurate either.

2/ I sewed the strips to make sets .... 80 inches long per directions. The longer the strip set... the less accurate they are. I should have sewn width of fabric ( or less ) to make the strip sets. I do well with short runs to make strip sets, but am not good on keep the long strip sets accurate. I was careful to not get any bowing.

3/ I had friends helps me sew the strip sets. ( long story) Upon examination of the strip sets I found some of the girls sewed with a true 1/4 inch and some sewed with a scant 1/4 inch. All discrepencies in the sewing compounded and the strips sets are miss aligned. I will use only jelly rolls when I make my nieces quilt. ...I found some neat BRIGHT BATIKS by TimeLess Treasures that will look great.

I just have to know the source of PROBLEMS /MISTAKES etc so I can take steps to avoid or correct them in the future. YES THEY LEED TO DESIGN OPPURTUNITIES.

LADY RAGS

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Anna, there is no 'mess'. Whatever you decide to do, the end result with have been a 'design decision'.

By the way, my only bargello quilt was made when I had only been quilting for about a year. It's all over the place, but I love it! I can understand you frustration though, seeing that this quilt is intended to raise funds rather than keeping you warm and making you smile.

I have to make a fast quilt for a fundraiser. I already had the strip set for a bargello quilt sewn together as a UFO so I selected that for my project. ( There was no bowing in the strips. I am using the book Bargello Quilts by Marge Edie. I am using a QUILT AS YOU GO / FLIP AND SEW TECHNIQUE. My problem is that the strip sets are not lining up even though I had used a jelly roll and I was very careful in sewing accurately. For this quilt since I am under a TIME CRUNCH I made the design decision to off set the strips at intervals by 1/4, 1/2 or 3/4 inches to make it looked like a planned pattern.

For those quilters who have made this pattern before can you tell me any tips at making a more accurate placement in the future.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW I GET MYSELF INTO THESE MESSES !!




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