Sunday, September 13, 2009

non-favourite things


Still going on the Peace quilt. It has required me to do some of my non-favourite sewing things - unpicking, pinning, and easing seams.

The unpicking may have been preventable (if I was a spatial genius) but I have done more unpicking, re-pressing and re-sewing on this quilt than I have ever done on any other. My usual approach to "errors" is to classify them as critical or non -critical. Non-critical errors just add to the character of the quilt. Unfortunately, with so many small pieces, every error I made was critical and needed to be fixed. I probably should have just re cut pieces and started again, but it's all done now.

And the pinning! Every seam, every join - PINNED! The suggested construction method was to make long diagonal rows and then join them. Little pieces (1 1/4 inch strips and squares), and lots of seams means lots of stretching. And despite my careful preparation, there was a lot of easing seams together and persuasive pressing to make it flat.

The whole top is on the bias, prone to stretching and if it hangs flat once it's quilted I'll be amazed. We'll see if all my careful pressing and handling helps. I'm glad I chose to do the foundation piecing on interfacing - it makes the crane blocks very stable and non stretchy.




I need to take a break from piecing, I think.

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