Okay, here are two strip set pairs the same. I have two dark diamonds
at the top of the set on the left. However, I can flip one
of the strip sets over and put the dard top left diamond at the bottom
(the one with the pink rose) to make the contrast better. So when you are
arranging strips, remember that you can flip them around.
You will sew the strip sets into long rows as on the right. Look at the quilt charts to see how many you need in the long row for your quilt size.
If you are making the "built-in border" you will need one diamond
added to the bottom of your sets to make them an odd number of diamonds
in the row. Just pick apart one of your sets and use one of the single
damonds.
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If you looked at the chart, you will need to sew the
diamonds into rows now. For the basic quilt on the WWW site, you
will sew a strip with 21 to 23 diamonds in a row down. (Depending
on how long you want the quilt to be. Remember: for
the built in border you have to have an ODD number of diamonds down and
you may need to add one diamond on or take one off because of sets
of four.
Sew as many rows across as your quilt calls for. You need even rows across. If you are adding the "built in border" you will sew one border set piece to the top of your strip and one border set piece to the bottom of your strip. If you are making the plain borders you can just use the 20 and equal sets and not have to add or take off. You don't have to go by the quilt in the WWW site. You can make yours shorter and wider or whatever. |
You have two angles to sew.
But what is really important, is that you have a 1/4" little triangle sticking out on both ends.
These diamonds are forgiving... they are on a bias and they are cotton... you can pull and push in a little to make them fit!
Strive for that... it really isn't hard to do!
If
you line them up so the edges are exactly even, you will get the mess on
the right. Your diamond strips won't line up evenly.
Bad... bad... bad...
Extensive pinning is not necessary when the seams alternate like this. Not to say I don't pin! If you do feel better pinning, it usually only takes one pin in each seam.
1)
Now here is what you need to with your seams.
You need the seams on one row going one way and the seams on the opposite row going another way. They won't all go as above though. (see below left)
If the seams are facing the wrong way, just push them where they need to go... it won't hurt!
That is so you can butt the seams together when you sew and they will just melt together... honest!
(And no, butt isn't a body part... it is really a quilting term!)
Now,
if the bottom seam is away from the needle, which it will be on every other
row it is a little harder to match. With the top seam away from needle,
seams can shift because the pressure foot pushes it away from the
bottom seam. You may need a pin on these seams.