Once again, after making this block, I am amazed at how much the software and the book for this quilt really need to be revised. If I didn't have my local support group, the Laurel Janes of my guild, and if I didn't have access to all the great bloggers who have been so willing to share their experiences with making the blocks in this quilt, I probably would have stopped a long time ago.The book really has no instructions at all; the software is somewhat slightly better, but I worry about would-be quilters who look at the gorgeous blocks and say "I think I'll learn to quilt by making this quilt" without ever having made even a half-square triangle!
This is "M-1 Dogwood Days", labeled by the software as an intermediate-level block. I paper pieced the center 9-patch and the 4 triangles around it and then rotary cut the two outer borders.
The software printed out a foundation pattern that required quite a few Y seams (otherwise known as inset seams). For the life of me, I can't figure out why. I revised it so that the Y seams were eliminated. Yes, my 4 little triangles are not all perfectly matched up at the seams, but the Y seams would have been worse. It would have taken me longer and I'd be a lot more frustrated.
There are quite a number of other flaws that I've discovered in the software, so again I have to say that I am thankful for my fellow DJaniacs, both local and in cyberspace. And if anybody out there involved in making the book/software is listening....please, please, please, revise them!
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4 comments:
Anya I do not have the software but whenever I need to I just redesign each block as needed. I am hand piecing all of mine. I print my patterns out on freezer paper and that method works for me. I have heard a lot of people like the software but I couldn't see the sense in spending the extra money when I was hand piecing it anyway.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/
I have not, nor will I ever attempt this quilt, but here is my opinion.
1. Working with such small blocks, and lots of pieces, there is bound to be some flaws.
2. If you get this done, who is really going to look at it with judgmental eyes? Seriously, I admire anyone attempting to make this quilt.
And, BTW, I think your blocks are wonderful. Thanks for sharing pics...great work.
I couldn't agree more. I bought the software..not the book. I bought the software so that I could print out the paper pieced ones, but like you end up rotary cutting many of them since the PP patterns are sometimes ackward to say the least. I saw no reason to buy the book since it doesn't offer patterns. Others online offer ways of completing these blocks that are far superior to Brenda's methods.
Great block.
I'm having fun because I figured out early on that the quilt police were never going to bother coming after me.
I change things willy-nilly however I feel like it.
Ah, the joys of being old enough to do whatever the heck I want. LOL.
You know how much I love your blocks.
Darilyn
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