This is my very first attempt at curved piecing. Can you see the tucks and pleats?
This is one of four Grandmother's fan units that will form a block (I hope). It is part of a Block of the Month quilt I started about 4 years ago with the intention of gifting it, and I very much want to finish it and send it along to the person I started it for.
My problem is that I really don't know how to correct my mistakes, so this has been sitting in my sewing room since November, waiting for some attention.
Can anyone share some advice on avoiding puckers?
Thank you :)
Happy Quilting!
7 comments:
Hi Allison,
The only thing I can suggest is pinning alot before you sew. I usually put the smaller piece on top of the bigger piece and center it with a pin there. Then I pin each of the ends and work my way back to the center with lots of pins. I think the more you practice, the easier it gets. Good luck!
I think curved piecing is so hard! I did some this summer and had problems too. First I pinned the ends together on each side. Then I marked the center of the convex piece and pinned that together with the center of the concave piece. Then I marked and pinned halfway between the center and the edges. Oh, wait. I just read Lisa's suggestion. Pretty much the same as hers. :)
Pinning is most definitley helpful, but don't give up, I think curved piecing is wonderfully satisfying when you get it.
Some of the other things I have found work really well are template that have critical matching points marked so you pin or match in these locations and any required stretching is done a little at a time. If yours don't have that you can always mark them my measureing on your template the seam line (not the edge of the fabric, these won't be the same) and marking at the beginning, midddle and ends as well as even spots in between for bigger pieces and pinning in these locations.
You might find this turtorial/decription helpful too
http://www.ladyharvatine.com/2010/12/have-no-fear.html
Good luck!
I have only done one block using curves and I did what Lisa suggested! pin, pin pin!
Curves really just take a bit of practice. My first suggestion is to check that your measurements and templates are correct - I often find I've made a mistake at this point and don't realise until I try to put things together. Second, as everyone suggests -pin,pin,pin! Another tip I was given is to sew with the corner, curved piece on the top as the underneath piece will naturally stretch as you sew. Hope this helps.
Could it be that your fan is too large for the pie piece? What about using a larger pie piece?
I was going to say exactly what Annie said.
Also, don't be afraid to trim down afterwards to square things up, even if it changes the sizes from the pattern. As long as they are the same.
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