Wednesday, December 31, 2014

# blocks & Happy New Year!


Pretty little block. Not so complicated so why do I have a problem to make it 5.5"? I don't have a inch ruler so I usually recalculate and work with centimetres. Crazy, I know.


My first attempt ended pretty close though. Anyway I talked with my friend and I borrowed her ruler.


I was feeling optimistic. I use 1/4 inch foot with guide.


But the end result is even worse. I can hardly make the blocks 5 1/4" and I wasn't even drinking yet! So please tell me. Am I the only one? * If you are not familiar with # blocks check this post.



Let's finish this year with some music. I'm not making any year in review kind of post but I had pretty good year. Lots of rainbow projects. The upcoming one is going to be even better! Yeah, let's sing along my friends:


Nothing can hold me back

Cause I'm not made for that
I'm always good but I've been better lately



Happy New Year!

*update: I managed to make them using scant seams, yipee!

20 comments:

  1. I tend to sew with a scant 1/4" seam for blocks like this to make sure I can do a final trim down to 5.5", Vera. If I tried for a "true" 1/4" seam I'll probably end up at 5-1/4" blocks, too.

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  2. Haha I had the same problem, never thought such a simple block could be so difficult... first blocks were 5 1/4" then I made some adjustments & ended up with 5 3/4" blocks. Either would be fine if they were going into a quilt that I was making, but they have to match up to all the other 1,000 blocks that have been sent. Final adjustment, change the ruler I used to cut the strips (this one had a fine line for markings), the first strip sets I stitched just shy of my guide and then cut into the the 3 pieces (I found quite interesting that the 6" long pieces did not yield 4 1 1/2" strip sets, lost at least 1/4" there too) then the 2 full strips I cut down to 5/12" to make sure I lined everything up & those were stitched right up against my guide. I did do a lot of double checking as I went... Happy to say 19 blocks made the cut and are on the way to Josh. The others, well, they are going to end up in a charity quilt here... Excellent exercise in making smaller blocks.

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  3. I ended up with a different size too; for the first time it didn't bother me LOL

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  4. Scant seams! I have struggled so much with those! Hopefully you will work it out! Happy new year to you too!

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  5. YOU ARE NOT ALONE~I've thrown a bunch out...all 5-1/4 inch! I got ONE done...will send it, so I'm not totally defeated in this. Was thinking...start with bigger strips and trim them before sewing them together?? Might give us a fighting chance. Keep trying~worthy project. Damn that Molli...

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  6. I make my blocks big and then trim them down to size - it doesn't work with everything (when block sections need to match from block to block, instead of just matching the entire SIZE of the block) but it works for lots! I specialize in wonky :D

    Happy New Year, Vera - here's to a great and sewy 2015!!

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  7. Love the fabrics for the hashtag blocks. Happy 2015! May it be happy and healthy and full of sewing :)

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  8. My 1/4 inch foot was not a quart inch foot. I had to adjust the position of the needle to sew a real 1/4 seam with the foot. Hope it is as easy for you too.
    Happy New Year.

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  9. OMG, Vera! "and I wasn't even drinking yet" . . . my computer screen would have been sprayed with coffee had I been drinking it when I read it :D Your blocks look great - I don't think there is a chance they won't get used! AND if everyone is having the same issue - there will likely be enough blocks to make an entire quilt :)

    Happy New Year to you and your family! Cannot wait to see what you get up to in 2015 :)

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  10. I used a scant seam allowance but my block came out a little big. When I trimmed them down one side ended up slightly wider than the other (the distance between the edge and the coloured strip).

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  11. Rosemary B here:
    I have taped the measure on my machine beds (all of them, lol) with SCANT 1/4 inch.
    It appears to be the only way it works, especially when you are working with a block like this where you cannot just make everything bigger and it works. It is all of those inner seams that contribute to the end result. I would persevere.... make that 1/4 inch seam marking and sew outside of it.
    I am a perfectionist and stuff like this makes me scream.

    by the way, your other points are perfect and look marvelous

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  12. I think your blocks look great, Vera. I love your fabric choice. I hadn't thought about the cm - inch issue. That would certainly be challenging. Happy New Year!

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  13. I couldn't get mine to 5.5" either, so I cut each strip an extra 1/8 inch too big and then I could trim a minuscule amount off to make them 5.5".

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  14. I only started getting the accurate sizes by: using the quarter inch foot AND the scant quarter inch setting on my sewing machine.... WITH Aurifil 50 wt thread. Plus no steam to press. I swear it makes the difference!
    ( And, I like a block to be bit bigger, and then you can trim it down a little if needed.)

    Happy New Year , Vera!
    Susie

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  15. I had the same problem. I almost didn't send mine and then saw an update from Josh that he would make what he received work. Made me feel better.

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    1. Oh I read his note too but I for reason unknow I wanted to be precise, lol.

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  16. "I wasn't even drinking yet" LOL I can't even tell you how many times I've made a mistake and had that same thought! Love that fabric you chose for the blocks.

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  17. I find measuring easy. Sorry!
    I like the song lyrics 'Things can only get better'. You get to choose the Howard Jones or D:ream versions of songs with that name - whichever you prefer!

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  18. I really like these blocks! And yes, you might be a tad crazy for converting to centimeters every time

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  19. Do you also sew with half cm seam allowances? ;)

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