melanieruth Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Each time I sew strips together such as from a jelly roll I get a big curve on the piece. I measure and am sure I am sewing exactly 1/4 inch seams but it just keeps growing on the ends. What am I doing wrong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 My first thought without watching you is that you have a death grip on the fabric and its stretching....relax a bit and let it slide through your fingers....that might help a bit. If the two pieces are slipping away from each other.. stop...wet your finger tips and readjust and go again...and repeat. Do you have a flat guide on your 1/4 inch foot...if so let it rest against that gentlly and not fight it...and if not build up a guide with tape and see if that doesn't help a bit....relax you aren't welding a bridge...just sewing a staight line... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 I think you may be pulling on the strips as you sew causing it to curve. Perhaps raise your presser foot up one notch and see if that helps, too. Consider putting a couple of pins in place along the way to help stabilze as you sew the strips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 For reasons I don't understand, the bottom fabric will always "gather" a tiny bit while the top doesn't, so if you sew two identical lengths of fabrics together, you will end up with the top strip a little bit left over. To prevent this, make sure that you start out with two strips exactly the same lengths of fabric, pin every six inches or so, and then pull slightly as you are stitching. Using that principle, if you have two pieces of fabric to sew together that are not exactly the same size, put the larger piece on the bottom, and it will gather ever so slightly to maybe equal the top piece. Once upon a time I read that you shouldn't always sew the strips in the same direction - sew one north to south and the next south to north. But that was before I started strictly measuring my strips and pinning. The only thing that works for me is to start with two strips of the exact same length, pin, and pull while stitching. I'm repeating myself. Hope this helps. You might also be having a tension problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Primitive1 Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Another suggestion would be to alternate the direction that you are sewing. Sew up one side and then the opposite direction with the next strip, that keeps the stretching down to a minimum. See if that helps... Vicki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ffq-lar Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Walking foot/ Even-feed foot--whatever you may call it--give that a try. Yes, the bottom fabric will creep because there are toothed surfaces in the needle plate that push the bottom fabric forward. The bottom of the foot has no grippers so the top piece only has the bottom fabric to grip onto. An even-feed foot has the gripper on the bottom of the foot and evenly compresses the two fabrics so they feed together under the needle. Ann is entirely correct--if you want to ease two different lengths of fabric together, always put the longer one on the bottom and slightly pull on the top one as you stitch. Never tell your customers this--they will stitch on friendly borders every time!!:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 How are you pressing your strips ? I've found it's very easy to distort them if not ironed correctly. I press the seam before I open them. Then put the dark side down and gently push iron to other strip. Hmmm, it's easier done than explained. Glenda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smockingRN Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Hi Melanie, I feel your pain! Ive been sewing alot of bargello and other strip quilts lately and I hate that curve shape that can happen. Prewashing all fabrics before cutting will help alot, and also pressing well with spray starch before cutting. This will firm up fabrics and help them NOT to stretch as different rates. The best tip is not to stretch the strips while sewing...that means not pulling to make them all finish up the same length at the end of the seam. Maybe cut them an inch longer to start and then trim to desired finished length after the strips are assembled. This works really well for me, even when stitching 48 strips in a strata for bargello quilts. Good Luck! Karen in La. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtreusch Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Someone told me several years ago to alternate the top and bottom when sewing more that 2-3 strips together. It helps to eliminate the curve. I've tried it several times and it worked for me. Debbi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boni Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Those are GREAT tips. MY problem begins when I cut the width of fabric, on the fold, and the grain isn't straight. When I open the strip and lay it flat to press, there is an obvious curve to begin with. I gave up and changed my method of cutting strips. Now I buy extra fabric and cut the length of the fabric and I always get straight strips--and less piecing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabelle Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 Hi Bonnie To eliminate those dastardly curves, press your fabric flat (not in half) so there is no crease in the middle. Then holding the selvedge eldges between your fingers fold the fabric over and slide the edges together until you have no twists in the fabric. It is easier if you hold this up in front of you so you can see the centre fold. Then you can lay the folded fabric on your cutting mat and cut your strips. I hope I explained that ok, it is definitely easier to demonstrate Hi Melanieruth Spray starch your strips before you start sewing and then measure and make sure both strips are the same length, then pin well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dib Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 I always teach to alternate the "top" strip. The feed dogs seem to be a bit stronger than the walking foot, if you are using one. That will help to stretch the top fabric a bit by pushing the fabric next to the presser foot. By rotating which is your top fabric strip will ease your pain! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Another tip, this one from Nancy Shrebo-Johnson [ sp?] Always re-square your fabric after cutting 3 strips. The fabric will move and you don't notice it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VictoriaG Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 A great point was made by Bonnie Russell. There is far more stretch in the width of fabric (selvage to selvage) than in the length of fabric. That is why your borders should always be a length cut of fabric, not a width cut. But when you start with jelly rolls, you don't have the option of having a length of fabric with less stretch. So starch it into a stiff board. To avoid the flakes and shine with a lot of starch, let it soak in well, then flip the fabric over to press in the starch. I have done 2 inch bias strips that were nearly stiff as heavy paper and they came out precise. Of course, washing will remove the starch. vg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yeoldeforest Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I just worked on a Jelly Roll quilt - I cut all of the strips in half before sewing the 1/4 inch strips together - so instead of piecing 42" strips, I was piecing 21" strips. Of course, you can't pre-wash Jelly Roll strips or you might have a real mess. I do have the 1/4 inch thick guide (mole skin) on my dsm machine that works like a charm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quilting Heidi Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Another trick not mentioned yet is to starch your fabric. You can even starch those jelly rolls. It feeds so much better and it is less likely to stretch as much. Of course if your presser foot is too tight it will feed more bottom fabric. another thing that you might check is are you holding the end until it sews to the end or letting go early? Sometimes I find students don't sew to the end and they get off which cause bow on the ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnHenry Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I have a regimen that I do with all my fabric the minute I get it home. First off, I check to see which selvedge side has been cut the most off the grain. I go down a couple of inches farther and then tear the strip off. That way the end is on straight of grain. I do this to both ends, and I clip a tiny triangle off the four selvedge corners and then I launder, including the two pieces I cut off. The clip prevents additional fraying in the machine (in addition to reminding me that the fabric has been pre-washed because I have always done so). Then I iron all, and from the two end pieces I cut 2 1/2" strips and/or 2" strips and/or 1 1/2" strips, depending on how much fabric I have. That way I always have a strip of every fabric I have ever bought, and three boxes of different width strips for a log cabin quilt. While "they" say never to tear fabric because tearing distorts the weave, the washing process restores it, more or less. I may cut off the end 1/2 inch, but it just makes lining up the fabric so much easier. I have even been known to pull threads to get my strips perfectly on the grain (crosswise). Boni, cutting strips lengthwise is always better than crosswise because there is not as much give to the fabric lengthwise as there is crosswise. If all our customers would cut their top and bottom borders on the lengthwise grain instead of crosswise, in addition to measuring correctly, their borders wouldn't be as friendly, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crawysong Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 do have the 1/4 inch thick guide (mole skin) on my dsm machine that works like a charm. I have a better trick for this .. i ordered an extra bobbin plate cover for all three of my machines.. the most expensive one was 8 bucks.. then i used a nice piece of clear acrylic about 3/8" thick and got out the level and got a perfect 1/4" mark on the extra bobbin plates from the center needle position... i did perm epoxy and glue my acrylic strip right to the extra bobbin plate for each machine so when i'm piecing i just switch the bobbin plate cover to the one with the guide .. if i need a "scant" 1/4 i can just move my needle position.. ill add a pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crawysong Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 oops dont know how to add two pics at a time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewlinzi Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I have a quarter inch foot for the featherweight that has an edge flange that keeps everything in place... (I love the word "flange" - it's so weird!) LINZI x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PamelaA Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 One trick for pressing strips after sewing is to press the strips with them perpendicular to the ironing board. If you press them lengthwise on the board you are more likely to bow them. Pamela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corey Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 I finished 2 quilts, used total of 3 Jelly rolls (I got sooooooo tired of sewing jelly rolls) I sew with quarter inch foot all the time when I am piecing) I have to pin the pairs of jelly roll fabrics before stitching carefully. (Yes, it does help when you starch and iron before sewing) Corey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted January 1, 2009 Report Share Posted January 1, 2009 Another tip I have heard and used when sewing many strips together is to sew them in pairs and then sew the pairs together. Keep building your finished project with the pairs and quads. It does help to keep from some of the curving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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