Donna D - Thanks for the kind words. I love making them! Can't wait to do a few more.

Gerda- My Mom (nawma) said I should ask you if you have looked at the Chinese Coin block (A-9: Chinese Coin). The measurements just will not work for me, but I am so new at this I am at a loss as to how to fix it. My husband (who is a math whiz) even sat down and tried to work it out, but he could not see how the finished three rows would work together. Any ideas? Shall I just give up? I am thinking of trying it in my EQ5 or getting some of the "to size" drafting graph paper....

Char - I love your blocks!

Hi, Jess! No, DON'T GIVE UP!!

I just printed it out and cut it out, ready to sew. (Good thing I haven't been able to make up my mind this afternoon re: what colour paint to buy for the porch - gives me a bit of time to work on this puzzle!!) . I will get back to you shortly. I'm thinking something has to be smaller - the closest pattern I could find in my books comes out to 61/4" finished. OK?? I'll sew it and then decide which should be smaller.

Gerda

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Hi, Jess, me again. I just finished sewing that block and it comes out right (6 1/2", which will give you a 6" finished block). The only thing that is too big, are the background squares (in the middle of the block) but just at the outside edges (1/8" maybe)and one corner triangle was too big, but that's my sewing (I rushed through it) I'm not sure why you're having a problem. I measured each triangle when I cut it, laying a ruler at the 1/4" line of the long side, then measuring one short side minus 1/4" for seam allowances - that gave me 2 5/8" plus 1 1/4" finished for the centre square plus 2 5/8" for the second HST unit = 6 1/2" unfinished. I did the math on paper, then sewed and measured. All my units fit together perfectly.

Are your seams a scant 1/4", and are you pressing as you go? Are you matching and pinning seams? and I'm sure you cut accurately.

You didn't say exactly what the problem was - I gathered that nothing was matching up? Give it another try, but use your largest/longest stitch so if you have to rip, it's quicker and easier. If each row ends up 6 1/2" (or slightly longer) you can resew at the usual smaller stitch length. There are only four seams to match.

Let me know if this helps or if you have another question. Oh, and another good thing to do is to measure your units as you go, after pressing. You can usually figure out what it should be by looking at the pattern and sizes of pieces.

Gerda 1block down, 139 to go!!

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Thank you Gerda! Yes, I found that the background sqaures in the middle of the block are too big as well. However, as a new quilter I had not figured a good way to adjust for this. I did try to adjust for it on the middle row of five sqaures, and indeed, made that row work, but the two squares in between the triangle sqaures on the top and bottom row seemed to need to be the width the pattern called for, for the top and bottom row to be 6.5 inches across. In a nut shell, my corners on my sqares in the middle (of the dark rose) do not line up, but my adjustments made the block the right size. My other option would be to not adjust the width of the center row sqaures and have the sqaures on the ends be smaller than those in the middle...

So, if I make the background sqares a tiny bit smaller, do I need to make the triangle squares a tiny bit bigger?

I am pressing as I go, and did measure these rows as I went (I took the block apart and did it over twice!). I also have been matching and pinning seams and have gotten much better at aligning them since I did my first block, though I do still take out and resew from time to time.

At any rate, I think I will try it again, hopefully tonight. I will let you know what I come up with. I do have some trouble making the scant 1/4" seam, but I have a 1/4" presser foot on the way. For now, I have sticky notes marking the line to sew on. I will double check to make sure they are in the correct spot.

Hi, Jess!! I don't know, all of my seams matched up, no problem, the background squares just stick out of the sides a wee bit. I can trim that off.

I don't think you need to make the triangle squares bigger. You need the points of the triangles (the inside ones) to be 1/4" away from the outside edges (as closely as possible). Try it.

As far as a scant 1/4" seam goes, I have never used a 1/4" foot. I used to use masking tape as a guide, then got a machine where the needle could be moved and a magnetic seam guide (which I can't use on my new machine, more's the pity!). I lined up a quilting ruler with the right side of my general presser foot, lowered the presser foot, and lined up the needle with the 1/4" line. Then I moved the needle just to the right side of the 1/4" line (towards the outside of the ruler). This gives a scant 1/4" seam. Lay your tape/sticky notes/whatever alongside the ruler to act as a guide. You know why a scant 1/4" is recommended even though most patterns will tell you a true 1/4"? Because the thread you sew with and the fabric folded over it in pressing take up at least 2 threads of your pieced piece. so going scant makes up for that.

And you know to press seams in opposite directions so they butt up against each other for matching, right? I always used two pins, one on each side of a matched seam, and only pull them back out of the way when the needle gets there, but saw someone on one of the shows on QNN who puts a pin in from the right of the seam diagonally to the left, so it's about a 45 degree angle. Works well.

Anyway, I know you will figure it out and look forward to hearing that. Gotta go make supper now

Gerda

Count your blessings, name them one by one.

Jess
Are you squaring up each of those little squares before attaching all of them? Be sure you are leaving the seam allowence in tack. This will help you to make an accurate 61/2" block.

Yeah, the reason my sqaures do not line up right is because (in reaction to the middle row being too wide, like you say Gerda) I went back and increased the seam allowance on the middle row so that the row was a total of 6.5" wide as well. Instead I think I will do it where I just have a little left over on each side like yours, Gerda, and then the blocks on the ends of that middle row will be a little narrower than the rest.

I do pin the seams and press them in opposite directions - Mom taught me that! I am sure I can get the blocks to line up, but I went and made each block on that middle row a little smaller so they would all fit right, however, I did not make the little blocks on top and bottom row smaller so they are different sizes now and cannot line up.

At any rate, going to try again. Cross the fingers!!

Gerda, thanks for all the great help you're providing here. I've been so busy with company that I haven't had a lot of time online. I also didn't have any trouble with this block but you are a far more experienced piecer than I and you write directions so well. I often have trouble explaining what I mean so I am very appreciative of the patience you show to anyone with questions. You're a real asset to this board!

Jess I hope with Gerda's help you've got this block conquered!

Isn't it wonderful that we can all work together to figure out the problems with a particular block. Gerda you are a problem solver for sure.

Connie

Okay! I have added 3 more blocks and FINALLY moved past the Chinese Coin! Thank you Gerda and MaryKS for your patience, encouragement, and assistance. I must say that I really do dislike that block now... but I guess you can call it my humility block, right Friday night Trivia players?!?! The middle blocks are a bit big and so I trimmed the middle row a bit when I finished it!!

I love the Churn Dash and it was a great one to do after the hard Chinese Coin. I am not sure about the background color - it has the same shades of red and rose I use in the other blocks, but from a distance is just looks pastel pink. Oh well, hubby loves it so it stays in!!

The Dutchman's Puzzle involved some new types of shapes for me and I learned quite a bit on how I would do it differently. However, I like the little flaws in it - they will show that this is definately my first project and it is not perfect (See Mom).

I am off to do a few more, I hope. Wish me luck!!