Saturday, January 9, 2010

Houston!!! We had a problem

But I think it's fixed now. I hope.
I had to make some of my own foundations, no big deal right? So I thought. I traced the template onto the muslin with ease. (see picture below)

When I got 5 of these done, SOMETHING didn't look right. I rotated, flipped upside down, and even redrew my lines TWICE! Then it hit me. After re-reading Raymond's blog post on foundation piecing, I needed 9 inch squares not the 6 inch that I cut.

Now I'm working with pieces like this...




This size SHOULD help in constructing the blocks. I hope to start that Monday. As for now, I have enough muslin that this little "learning experiment" won't affect my supply! I just hope my pen holds out.

FYI the pen I use is a Bic Mark It ultra fine point permanent marker.

9 comments:

  1. I'm glad you got your problem solved. I try to remember the saying read twice cut once.

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  2. so thats where my pen went. LOL

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  3. Yes, the foundation squares have a large seam allowance all around . . . since the foundation muslins I sent you have a finished size of 5-11/16" (a result of the stamp-making process), once the fabric has been sewn to the foundation, I sew through both layers about 1/8" outside the seam line . . . then, I use the seam line to measure (and cut) my seam allowance, trimming the excess fabric all around (I cut a 1/2" seam allowance, personally)

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  4. Oh....I thought these were going to be pieced the usual way. Muslin Foundation will make it easier to not stretch the bias.

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  5. Good luck with this....and I admire you for sticking with it. I might have given up in frustration. LOL

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  6. Greg, here's two more thoughts . . .

    The lines you're tracing will become the stitching lines, on the REVERSE side of the square. Your finished square will be a mirror-image . . . so, either cut your fabric in reverse, or turn the muslin square over and use the other side.

    Speaking of "other side," does the pen you're using bleed through the muslin?? Can you see the lines, in case you have to use the back??

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  7. Glad you got it figured out. Anxious to see a few of them finished.

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  8. Good luck, Greg!!
    I can't sew to save my life! I admire you two for being able to create such wonderful pieces!
    Keep warm!
    I'm off to take on a fabric store with Brooke!!!!
    LOLOLOL
    Christina

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  9. Yah, that whole mirror image thing is sometimes hard to keep straight! I use paper foundations myself, and it took me a couple of tries to get the right size and the right image printed.

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