Sunday, June 24, 2012

Hum. Is this fix-able?

I wanted to make a pieced back for my Granny Mania quilt.  I like to make pieced backs as it gives me a little room to play with a new idea before committing to a full project.  Today I wanted to try to replicate this border that I liked in the Collaborative Quilting book, but changing the sizes from 4 inch four patch squares to 11.5 inch pin wheels.


I worked out all of the math for cutting and was feeling confident.  I made four pin wheel blocks and was feeling pleased with myself as the points were matching nicely.  Maybe a bit too pleased as quilt karma came back and bit me.  


I wanted to make two strips like this and stitch them directly to one another.  That would give me the four pin wheels in a block with a diamond shape in the middle.  The edge would then be filled in with Kona Coal.  Pretty basic.  A nice little medallion in the center of the back.

But then I started looking at the blocks a little closer.  And I realize the points on the edge of each pin wheel block will be lost when the two strips of pin wheels are put together.


Or worse, that the Coal, when folded back and pressed, did not come to the edge of the block so I am nearly 1/4 inch short in fabric.  


Of course, when I look back at the original image in the book, their points are incredibly close to the edge of the block as well.  I don't know how the authors didn't loose the points when piecing the border onto the quilt.

I have one half of the back to piece yet, and I can already see that the blocks are on track to having a point directly in line with the edge of the Coal.



So, here is the question.  What can I do to fix this?  Do I just rip them apart and pull on the Coal on a bit to extend over the pin wheel point and give me a 1/4 inch buffer along the edge?  The Coal is cut on the biased edge, so there is a little give.  Is there a better idea?  I'm happy to rip it all apart and start over instead of loosing those points, but I don't want to waste the Coal as it's a large amount of fabric to just toss aside.  Any ideas, guys?  Help!

15 comments:

Susan said...

Go see what Leanne from She Can Quilt did here on her blog:
http://shecanquilt.blogspot.com/2012/06/repairing-block.html

Think this might help you. :)

BijouxBaby said...

Could you trim the pinwheels down a bit on all four sides? Then the coal will be big enough that you don't loose your points. If you don't fancy unpicking all those blocks, you could just resew your seams an eighth over and you'll get all your points back. Since it is for the back and you are going with a lot of negative space, it won't matter if your pinwheel section is a bit smaller than planned.

memmens said...

You have my sympathy but I've no solution! I had the same issue on the Oh My Stars quilt probably due to my cutting, I did undo 2 blocks and sew them again, quite satisfying in the end! good luck

Canadian Abroad said...

I'm with trimming the pinwheels. A quarter inch off each side and you will have the kona coal hitting the right spots (I think). As they are for a nice random act of quilting on the quilt back it won't matter if they are slightly smaller, will it?

Mrs Flying Blind... said...

I'd unpick and trim the pinwheels (if I were you) - being me, I would probably lose the points and give the blocka a new, special name! xxx

LYNN said...

My first thought was to add a strip to the background fabric. But cutting down the pinwheel would work also.

I tried sewing earlier and nothing was going right - so I've given up for the day.

Katy Cameron said...

Oh crap! I'd trim the pinwheels a bit too, then reattach the coal

mammafairy said...

I think you will use those coal triangles for another project, so I would unpick, and redo the coal triangle rather larger, instaed of trimming the pinwheels. If you are sure you will not use the coal triangles elsewhere, then trim those pinwheels! Sorry.

Caillean said...

I wanted to suggest trimming down as well, but it seems I'm not the first... I hope you are not to frustrated. I like the fabric choice.

Leanne said...

I think the best fix is to trim the pinwheels making them smaller to fit the coal pieces. The other fix is to make the coal pieces bigger by adding a strip but I don't see an easy way to do that without it showing a lot so you would need to make it a feature somehow. Trim the pinwheels - it is far easier. By the way, this is going to look great.

Dolores said...

You know this is so something that I would do, I totally sympathise. I would either swallow the lost points or trim the blocks. Let us know what you decide.

Anonymous said...

haha I am clearly not a perfectionist because I would totally choose the lazy option and lose the points. Would be the first or the last time I'd had made that call. If it makes you feel any better ;)

Nicky said...

Here is an opportunity - I'd add a contrast strip to the coal triangles and create a new block - it's what you meant to do all along - right?

Lynne said...

Oh dear! I wish I could help but I have nothing to offer.

Archie The Wonder Dog said...

I have no new thoughts to offer but I wanted to let you know I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you can fix it!

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