This weekend I was down in London teaching, which meant I had a few hours on the train to do some hand stitching.
You've seen the grandmother's flower garden blocks I've been slowly working on using the 1" and the 1.25" hexagon dies, haven't you?
I've been stitching the sashing hexagons on as I've been going - the black ones - to make things easier when I finish all the blocks and sew them together into a quilt top.
I was so pleased that I got this one finished.
Until I realised I'd sewn black hexagons all the way around and not left the other sides free to sew them all together. (This is the moment when my face was hit by my palm and I might have muttered some not so fragrant words).
This weekend I was down in London teaching, which meant I had a few hours on the train to do some hand stitching.
You've seen the grandmother's flower garden blocks I've been slowly working on using the 1" and the 1.25" hexagon dies, haven't you?
I've been stitching the sashing hexagons on as I've been going - the black ones - to make things easier when I finish all the blocks and sew them together into a quilt top.
I was so pleased that I got this one finished.
Until I realised I'd sewn black hexagons all the way around and not left the other sides free to sew them all together. (This is the moment when my face was hit by my palm and I might have muttered some not so fragrant words).
They still all fit together, but now I'll have to plan where this one goes a little better when I sew the top together. It'll have to sit on the edge, or be the starting block. Or I could unpick those extra hexagons, of course...but unpicking is never fun, is it?
Sewing things in the wrong order, or the wrong bits together is always my downfall and most common mistake. What is your most common mistake? Make me feel less of a fool and share your hiccups with me!
I'm not sure I have a common mistake - I make lots of different ones! I have become good at fudging and turning disaster into something different!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest frustrations come with paper piecing - almost but not quite covering the area with my fabric! But it does make getting the paper off very easy!
I have a problem keeping a visual/mental image of a block and end up stitching things upside down or stitching the wrong components together. My other regular mistake is forgetting to leave a turning gap when making a bag or similar so I now use two red pins to mark where I need to stop sewing. I also have a habit of forgetting to leave the zip half open when attaching the cushion back to the front and then have to try to open it through several layers of fabric...sewing while tired gets me every time! (Which is pretty much all of the time...)
ReplyDeleteI have finally learned to use stickies or pin labels on rows/columns when pulling things off the design wall. And to take a picture before sewing the tops together. I always had a piece, row or a block which got turned around in the transfer to the machine...and of course I never notice until its sewn.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on a EPP and did the very same thing as you ~ really messed up the placement of things. I did not unpick and it's working out okay.
ReplyDeleteLoving how your flowers are going together!
I always make mistakes when the baby wakes up from his nap, I always think I'll just finish this little bit then stop to go get him up, and in my rush just do it totally wrong! I was making a shift dress a few months ago and manged to sew the shoulder seams together to the wrong pieces 3 times! There was no getting your head in that dress til it was unpicked!
ReplyDeleteSewing scrappy binding I always seem to get at least one piece with the seam the wrong way. I love scrappy binding too much, though, to give up on it.
ReplyDeleteI sew things in the wrong order: constantly. If I could have any superpower, it would be to dissolve stitches with my mind. That might sound lame, but I can't tell you the time it would save.
ReplyDeleteI have forgotten to open the zip when sewing a pouch together so many times! You would think I would have learned by now, but apparently not :)
ReplyDeletenot my quote but one I have found to be very true 'correct your mistakes because you will always know they are there'. And yes I detest unpicking too!Anona
ReplyDeleteFoundation paper piecing, or even just the cutting takes a long time once I flip things over, all logic vanishes!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is looking gorgeous, can you tell me what fabrics you are using, I am not familiar with them. Also I am having great difficult in combining fabric colours and patterns for the best effect, do you have any hints. My EPP quilt project requires 7/8" finished hexagons, it doesn't appear that the Big Shot caters for this size can you advise. merlaine@adam.com.au
ReplyDeleteSorry, I can't figure out what is wrong. It looks fine to me. Do you plan to applique to another fabric? Do you mean you now have two rows of black sashing instead of one? It will probably come to me later what you mean, just not getting it at the moment.
ReplyDelete