4-Patch Stacked Posie

[Ruthieq]

I put this top together almost a year ago and figured since I've had my machine for almost 2 months, it was time to quilt it.

I am happy with the blocks and sashing, but my borders needs work.

[Ruthieq]

And the back...

[sjdanley]

I have made several 4-patch posies and just love that pattern. You did a very nice job quilting it--gave me an new idea for sashing. Thanks and good job!

[Charlene]

Hi Ruthie,

You did a great job. I like the back of the quilt. You like the idea of quilting a posy in each block.

Char

[ramona-quilter]

Ruthie,

Very nice. That flower with the trellis-loop sashing is the perfect pattern for this quilt. Thanks for posting the photo of the back (my favorite part of all quilts). But wait....where are those border photos?

I am not the best piecer. Those of you who have received my birthday blocks can attest to that. So I too, have problems with my borders. I am meticulous about measuring (side, center, other side and averge the 3), cut and sew. But sometimes, they still seem wavy.

I went to our local adult school quilt class last night and heard something new (it's the reason I keep going...always something new to learn). The instructor, an expert piecer and quilter (DSM) told us that when she can (and it is not always possible), she cuts the borders from length of fabric.

Hmmm, I know that might not work for some prints. She says that there is less stretchy when the borders are cut that way. I have always cut width of fabric (selvage to selvage) and pieced my borders. Depending on the width of your borders, that might mean lots of left over fabric.

I did that very thing, length of fabric (80") for 10" borders. But that was because the border print was BIG flowers and I did not want to piece them together. I'll have to see if that cutting direction really makes a difference on that big-flower quilt.

Hey, how about some of you expert piecers ringing in on this?

[Ruthieq]

Here's a pict of the border. One of the better areas. I am at work and don't have a picture of the bad areas, but they are just not very consistent. I thought I could just mark the center line, but alas, I'm not that good yet and just stubborn enough to keep on going when I know I should stop and mark.

[Quilting Heidi]

Ruthie,

You did a great job! I'm learning to mark more as I'm happier with the more consistant results. I'll save the non-marking for a busy fabric .

Heidi

[QUILTERCAC]

Ok, this is my first post, so bear with me. (I know, I shouldn't lurk.)

When I do borders, I always measure the quilt in 3 places. Center and top and bottom (not too close to the end of the quilt). Then I take the average of those 3 measurements to cut the border. After that, pin at center and 1/4 and 3/4 on both border and quilt top. Line up the pins and work any fullness in between them.

I know it seems like alot of steps, but it really works with no waving. As they used to say on TV "try it, you'll like it!"

[Ruthieq]

I guess I should clarify about my borders. It's not that they were waving, I measure across the center and cut my borders, and pin them carefully to equalize any easing. It's the quilting that I'm not so happy with.

[Patch]

GREAT job, Ruthie! And I LOVE how you quilted this. I made one of these, and still haven't got it quilted, though it is my UFO goal for this month. Thanks for inspiring me!

[Jeannette]

Hi Ruthie,

I must love your quilting. I am not there (yet). Friday is my part time day off and I will start drawing lines and boxes with my rules and PPP.

[QUILTERCAC]

See, I misunderstood. That's why I have been lurking. Oh well, at least I know what you meant now. I am the same way. Borders are the challenge!! Not much help, but lots of sympathy!!

Cathy

[victoriasews]

Ruthie,

You are really coming along. I hope you are having a ball doing it. To me, enjoying trying all the new techniques is the most fun. I can hardly wait to try whatever is new. Hang in there, soon you will be happy with doing borders.

[Ruthieq]

Cathy - Don't worry about misunderstanding. Although that's the way I do my borders, I'll bet that someone on here learned something today.

Hey Vicki - I am having a ball. I go for my training on the 21st and 22nd and am very excited about learning more. Of course, I could just pop out to your house and get so much better training, I'm sure.

[janeta]

Great job Ruthie! I know what you mean about being stubborn and keeping on with the quilting. I have done the same thing and learned that sometimes drawing it out is better, or getting a panto that you can use on the borders! Happy quilting. :D Janet

[ramona-quilter]

Hey QUILTERCAC - questions and answers is what we are all about here. It's good that you stopped lurking and jumped in. Now your border method, how can we get you to teach some of my customers who sew the border on then cut. It makes the bOrDeR sO wAvY.

Ruthie, I love what you did with the border, it really flows.

[ladydi]

What is the quilt pattern? 4 patch stacked posie....... Is that like stack and wack? I haven't seen this yet in our area. I would be more than happy with that quilting on my quilt.

[Ruthieq]

It is much like a stack n whack only easier. You just stack 4 repeats of your fabric, cut strips and cut the strips into squares.

Here's a link to the pattern.

http://www.hddesigns.net/default.aspx?sectionid=1756&pageid=3671

[Patch]

I'm glad I took the class. If I'd tried to do it on my own, never having done any stack-n-whack, I'd have been in a maze of strips. Everybody at the class said they could NOT figure out those instructions on their own, and the teacher never referred to them at all, just told us how to do it. You guys are so much more experienced than I am though, you could probably decipher what the writer meant. It's a great design. Still haven't quilted it, almost did today, but decided to clean up my sewing room from making MIL's 86th b'day gift at the last minute first instead. Yeah... Well, and I have to tell you all what I found when I emptied out my old tomato and put my pins in the new one. But that's another story, LOL!