Squirrel's Batik Sibling - First top is done -

Ta Dah!! - ;))

The sashing does a pretty good job of separating all of the busy-ness -

And even makes the super-busy "ugly" one look pretty - ;))

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Now I should probably clarify some things that I said yesterday -

Since I got a couple of comments about my 1/4" setting -

First - Frog Quilter - said -

What kind of machine do you have? I have never heard of a machine that the needle wasn't in the middle position as a default. Love the hint for excess fabric and sewing the sashing on. I usually place a finger nail line where it should be... Happy sewing.

I replied -

I have 5 machines - but the ones I use for piecing are a Brother SQ9185 and a Brother SQ9050 - both are about $200 each at Walmart.

The middle position default is factory set at 3.5 - and IS in the middle of the "regular" foot.
The problem is that the factory set 1/4" is NOT a SCANT 1/4" - it's right ON the line.
I need it to be one click to the right of the sewing line for a SCANT 1/4".

The 1/4" foot IS the SCANT 1/4" - IF the needle is centered in it at 4.0.
I like the 1/4" foot because it's got the little groove in the middle so I can see where I'm going and whether or not I'm going to hit any "cross seams" like the tip of a Flying Geese unit.

If I'm sewing crumb blocks or paper piecing - I may use the "regular" foot and not worry about it - but if I'm piecing something that needs 1/4" then I'll use the 1/4" foot. My ruler is really accurate IF I use the scant 1/4" seam - so that's why I changed it. My HST and Flying Geese weren't coming out as good as they should and I knew it wasn't the cutting - it had to be the seam allowance - and it was - ;))

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Second - Gene - said -

Hmmm.... My needle is not in the center of my 1/4" foot either, but it goes in the hole so I just leave it alone so my seams are consistent.

I replied saying pretty much the same thing - but not exactly -

Yeah - I know - but - I was using my ruler - and my ruler is really accurate IF I use the scant 1/4" seam - so that's why I changed it. My HST and Flying Geese weren't coming out as good as they should and I knew it wasn't the cutting - it had to be the seam allowance - and it was - ;))

If I'm sewing crumb blocks or paper piecing - I may use the "regular" foot and not worry about it - but if I'm piecing something that needs 1/4" then I'll use the 1/4" foot. I like the 1/4" foot because it's got the little groove in the middle so I can see where I'm going and whether or not I'm going to hit any "cross seams" like the tip of a Flying Geese unit. But even at that - it won't hit the mark unless the needle is centered in it at 4.0. Sometimes it matters - sometimes it doesn't - ;))

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And in this case - it mattered -

Mostly because I was using my Left-Eze Rule -

And having the SCANT 1/4" exactly right saved me a TON of time -

In NOT having to trim all of my HST and Flying Geese units -

All I had to do was clip off the dog ears as I went along -

And anyone who has made this particular block knows just how much time one of these puppies takes to complete - with 81 pieces - and most of them becoming HST and Flying Geese units -

So saving all of that "trim" time was nice - ;))



Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -