accuracy required

Piecing patches of fabric together to make quilt blocks requires a great deal more accuracy than piecing the larger pieces of fabric used in garment assembly. Even 1/8 inch can be crucial.

That's why string blocks and improvised piecing can be very relaxing: there is no matching of seams or points, just sewing.

But, while blocks made this way can be quick and effective, they can also become monotonous and not very challenging.

Remember yesterday I quoted Bonnie Hunter on striving for excellence not perfection?

This just doesn't make the grade. It certainly isn't perfect or excellent!

So, with the aid of the "quilter's favourite tool", I turned it into this:

which became this (it is straight; I just didn't notice that the fabric had curved before I took the photo):

Much better, don't you think?

Actually, the problem was inaccurate cutting of the square (3 1/2 inches x 3 3/4 inches) but I didn't realise that until I had ripped all three seams! However, I have had the same problem with inaccurate machine-piecing, like this one:

There are 48 of these "half-blocks" in my Hunter's Cabin quilt. Here they are on my design wall. The first four "half-blocks" (top left) have been sewn into full blocks.

It's quite a dark quilt so I spaced the eight cream-based patches evenly across the quilt.

Since that photo was taken yesterday I have turned four more of the "half-block" into blocks. I became discouraged after ripping the same seams three times so thought it was time to take a break from that project. 

I knew there was a reason for having more than one work in progress!