Thursday, May 31, 2012

Measure or Just Cut???

***  Yikes!  This post turned out a LOT longer than I intended,
but please hang in there with me!  I'd love to have your feedback
on some questions and ideas I have!!!   ***

Hey all my Quilty Friends!  I have a question (or two or three . . .) for you.  When you're making a log cabin block, do you measure and cut each strip the length it should be for the side of the block you're working on and then sew it to the block OR do you just cut a long strip (like the width of the fabric) and sew it onto the block then cut where it needs to end?  Does that make sense???



I'm working on my "Liberty Logs" wall hanging (which is a BIG step for me in expanding my quilting skills . . . yeah, yeah, you can stop laughing now!) and was just wondering if there is a right way to do it???  I'm not measuring and cutting - I'm just sewing the long strip onto the block then cutting it (that's what the pattern tells me to do).  It seems to be working for me!  So much faster than cutting lots of pieces to lots of different lengths and then sewing them like I've seen in some tutorials online!

Now before you answer the question above think about this . . . I've also heard when you're putting borders on a quilt, you're supposed to measure your quilt and cut borders to that size then sew them on, instead of just sewing on a long piece of fabric and cutting it off (I do it this way).  Why would you need to measure first?  I've also seen both ways taught online (that's where I do most of my learning!).

If your answers are different for piecing a block vs. putting a border on a quilt, why are they?

Now onto something else (but don't forget your answers to my questions!) . . .

I'm thinking of starting a post on Wednesdays called "Wondering Why Wednesday."  Tell me what you think of this idea . . . What if I have people (especially beginner quilters like me!) e-mail me quilting/sewing questions (how, what, where, why, when . . . ) and I have different guest bloggers (NOT me!!!) answer one question a week and post it on my blog on Wednesday???  Then I could leave the question and answer on my blog for a future reference for newbies!  Hmmmm . . . what do you think of that???  I have so many silly questions come up when I sew . . . I wish I could have someone sitting beside me to just quickly ask or that could point out an easier or better way of doing things (not watching me sew, though)!  I know I need to take classes and learn through experience, but I'm talking about simple questions that could be answered easily and help my quilting be better, faster, easier.  Tips and tricks, stuff like that.  Like, did you know you can chain stitch blocks together and it makes things go faster?  I just recently learned this simple technique and I can't believe how much faster it makes things go!    Do you think there's a need for that online?  Is there already something like this online that I'm missing out on?  I'm gonna think about this a little more, but let me know what you think . . .

Good Grief!!!  Sorry this is so long!!!  :/  I do appreciate your help though!!!  :o)

Hugs!