Now that faire season is over, I’ve been spending some time trying to actually make that glucometer quilt I designed a couple of months back. It’s a bit annoying: I measure out, for example, two 1.5" squares and a 2.5" x 1.5" rectangle… along the long dimensions, 5.5 inches. Allowing for two seams of 1/4" wide, I should end up with a 4.5" wide x 1.5" wide strip. I’m actually skimping on the seam allowance, sewing something more like 1/8" to 3/16", and pressing correctly. So… why is it only measuring 4.25" across? Please don’t tell me normal machine quilting thread is so thick that it takes up an eighth of an inch to seam!
The only solution I can think of is to start over and cut the middle section wider, more like 2.75" or so…
Then come the meter control buttons. These are standard 30-60-90 triangles, one of the meter color and one of the button color, sewn across the diagonal to make a rectangle. But for some reason, they keep skewing weirdly and what should turn out to be 2" x 1.5" turns out to be only 1.75" x 1". I’m still trying to wrap my mind around that one… probably need to cut my base pieces larger… and if I can find a way to “assembly-line” piece that, so much the better.
I haven’t given up on it. I will get it done… just not sure how long it will take. Besides, I have fabric in-hand for a second design – based on the UltraMini – which I still need to lay out…
You’re paper piecing this as I remember, right? The smallish seam allowances are good. My tips are: use “foundation” paper, don’t use quilting thread - it’s too thick. Use 50 weight cotton. Use a size 90 or 100 needle, and stitch length of 18-22/inch (about 1.8 if you have a European machine.) If you’re ever in the neighborhood, I’m almost always at Pieceful Choices Quilt Shop in Vernon NJ on Fridays until 2PM.
I’ll look at the pattern again. Maybe I’ll make one!
ok, I see it is not paper pieced, so ignore most of my suggestions, except for the 50 wt thread. . with such small pieces, you need to be extra careful, it’s easy to get the seam allowances off. also try a very hard ironing surface. I’ll play around with it.
I think I figured out the 30-60-90 triangles… if I cut strips along a 30-degree bias out of each fabric and strip-sew them into a roughly rectangular (well, rectangular after squaring-off) piece of diagonally-striped fabric (one in each direction for the mirrored buttons), I’m getting less skew in the sewing and it’s a lot less fussy. Then I can cut down into rectangles which are on the grain and which should be easier to sew. Not sure where Vernon is, though it sounds like you’re up somewhere near Sparta, which can be a haul from here.
FWIW: The way my grandma taught me (too many years ago to admit to), before all the new fangled plastic templates:
Draw the triangle on a piece of paper till the right finished size. Take the ruler and add 1/4 inch to each side. Cut some out of muslin to proof (use for bases or dolls later so not to waste) then make 2 cardboard templates–one to use and one to save a the pattern to cut other templates to use so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel–if no cardboard, use the muslin and ruler to draw the triangles on the fabric before cutting (real scissors back then but works well with rollers now)–and she always put the longest side of the triangle cross grain.
Graphic is for 40" wide fabric (selvages trimmed) x 1 yard long. For the 1-square-yard quilt, it should be sufficent to cut a 10.5 length of fabric, fold it selvage-to-selvage, remove selvages and center fold, and cut strips along the 30 degree (60 degree?) bias that are about 1.75" wide.
That’s a good way! I’d still like to try it paper pieced, but I couldn’t figure out your grid. What did you use to draw the pattern? (Our shop is very near the Mountain Creek Ski Area)
Corel Draw… unfortunately had to do it with triangles… but then at least the software gives me the exact dimensions. There’s a bit of wastage the way I described it, but at this point I’d rather deal with the wastage than not have enough… Right now I have all of one side’s buttons cut and need to work on the other side’s buttons
I use electric quilt–a little pricey, but so far for me worth it. Fortunately/Unfortuantely myhospitalization got me behind last year and I have3 quilts pieced and basgted together–but hand quilting only goes so fast. and mor than I’d liek to admit to cut and ready to piece–but xmas presentsand baby stuff has to come first…but first a slight rearrangement fo the sewing room to allow for the extrememsrger usages I am planning and the sizes of what I am serging together…hopefully that will get doen tomorrow–kinda depends…best laid plans ya know…
