Turkey Tracks: Clue 4 is Done

Turkey Tracks:  December 18, 2016

Clue 4 is DONE!

But not without a learning lesson…

…44 learning lessons to be exact about it.

So, NOTE TO SELF:  when you are tired and it is time for dinner, STOP.  No matter how close you are to finishing something.

These Tri-Rec units do have some key things to which one should pay attention.

When putting the first purple piece, yes, match up the bottom and sew to the top/wide side.  When pressing, use a dry iron and just pat the seam down as the OTHER SIDE is on the bias and very stretchy.

When sewing the next strip, DO NOT just rip through the pile without checking how things are coming out every so often.

I did 44 of these without checking things:

DO pay as much attention when laying down the other purple side.  Yes, the bottom needs to line up, BUT those two little triangles at the top do as well.  I got fixated on the bottom and ignored how the top was so NOT matching up.

Why didn’t I see this problem?  Because I was too busy pushing pieces through the machine.

Here’s how the bottom should look:

Here’s how the top should line up==the triangles at the top should MATCH.  The edge of the neutral piece may be a bit stretchy, but it will fall in when you sew.  You could pin it to be sure.  And, again, don’t be ironing the first side down with steam or lots of pushing/pulling without thinking about the opposite, raw, bias edge.

Then you will get a unit that has a nice straight top that only needs the protruding triangles trimmed.

If your top is NOT straight, take out the seam and start over.

I hope I have saved some of you from ripping out 44 purple pieces and resewing!!!

 

(This unit is from Bonnie Hunter’s 2016 Mystery Quilt “En Provence.”  All instructions and “clues” are on her blog, quiltville.com.  Look for the tab on the top of her blog header–along with a lot of other wonderful tabs filled with free quilt patterns, tips and tricks, how-to videos, etc.)