Help! Need to shrink pieced top

[helenmn]

Hello everyone,

I am new to this site but have been quilting the past 6 years. I am in the process of making my first king size quilt and have run into a major problem. I always try new techniques and this time I tried a free-form art quilt where the pieces were cut using a freezer paper template and then sewn together. Needless to say, by the time I was half way through, my machine pieceing had turned into a semblance of applique in order to line up the pieces. The entire top is put together, but I find that some of the larger pieces need to be shrunk a bit in order to obtain a top without too many "puffy" areas.

Can anyone suggest how that might be done? Do I need to wet the whole top and stretch it on a board (I took my designing wall down and placed it over a table, so it is large enough to accommodate the entire thing. The wall is made up of insulation and flannel, so pins stick in it very easily.

TIA for any advice.

Regards,

Helen,

NY

[RitaR]

Hi Helen, welcome aboard the insane world of quilting....

The only thing I can think of right now is to use starch, sizing, or water and A moderately hot iron.. saturate just the area you need to shrink, then slowly get it hotter until you are able to set the iron down on it. I take it that you Do Know not to push and pull the iron around?? Just pick it up and move it a bit and set it right back down. Once I get that step dry, I go back and do it again, until it lays the way I want, or I get' a hammer and block of wood and beat it into submission....LOLOIL, don't believe that.. just joking. I only use the hammer for boobie seams.

Some of this will also quilt out if you go at a steady pace and help it sit down where you want it.

Someone else may pop in and explain it better than I can...

Good Luck, and remember, breathe and enjoy!

[Neher-in-law5]

Hi Helen,

Welcome. There will be good answers here.

I have used the starch and steam method on a batik quilt I made. The blocks were sliced into curves and resewn in both diagonal lines. Mine ended up with major cupping on each block because I had too tight of a curve cut. I sprayed each block with starch and pressed with a hot iron, repeating it once or twice and those blocks retracted to be a nice and flat as I needed, so I put them in rows and now need to quilt them.

If you know how to search on this forum, look for Bonnie's starch and steam method. In fact I think she has even put out a dvd of the process.

Good luck and be sure to come back often.

[Quilting Heidi]

I think the blocking method would work on this. I'd probably start with starching the areas you want shrunk in, pin to block it and then let it dry and see if that solves your problem.

[helenmn]

Dear Rita, Madelyn and Heidi,

thank you all for taking the time to respond. I am going to try starching and steaming and will let you know how it works. Could not find "Bonnie's Starch and steam" method. Where would it be on the forum?

Thanks again,

Helen