Directions Featheredf Star
I have started my feathered star, following very carefully the directions. The third bullet down says to sew the half square triangles together in pairs, which I did. Then I sewed on the triangle pieces as directed. But when I went to sew the strips onto the white corner squares, half the triangle pieces are facing the wrong direction. So, only 8 of the triangles get sewed in one direction, and the other 8 get sewed in the other direction. There is no illustration to show this, only the photo sewing the strips to the white corner squares. Hoping others haven’t made the same mistake – I hate ripping out! Please correct the directions, or let me know if I’m wrong.
I think you are correct. That’s exactly what I did.
I have the block nearly finished – I would rather make 100 Dear Jane blocks than this 15″ feathered star – it isn’t pretty, but it’s done. Ask me if I will ever make another one….the answer is…..
I found the same problem when I was working on this last night. About to go upstairs and do a little ripping out- looking forward to seeing how this one turns out! I have to say that I am enjoying the challenge of this block!
I had such a time with this feathered star block and did a lot of ripping. My little white triangles didn’t seem to be the right size. It also turned out 1/4 inch too big. I need to do it over but I dread it.
As I said my little triangles didn’t seem to fit the end of the little half square triangle
blocks but when I went back to Gays blog and looked at the pictures of hers some of hers fit and some didn’t. This seem crazy to me because that is where I had the most trouble sewing my block together.
Mine is too big also and I even made freezer paper templates for the kites and diamonds. I did trace all the embroidery last night, but after thinking about this all night, I think I’m going to find another 15″ block to make instead. Perhaps if this one could be paperpieced, it would have turned out okay. If anyone on this list can make it a paperpieced pattern, I would love it!
Forgot to say that while I was agonizing over this block last night (after I traced all the embroidery), I decided, rather than throw it away I will make a pillow cover out of it. I have e-mailed Gay and asked her if she could make this into a paperpieced block. I really don’t have enough of my red fabric to try it again, I have just enough to finish the year and I was unable to find any more of it, so I don’t want to do another trial and error. Paperpiecing might be the answer.
“Whoa, Nelly!” as we say in the South. Don’t make that block over and don’t throw it in the trash. Just take a moment and look over your work. You can spot-check for errors along the way. If it’s 1/4 inch too large, just increasing seam allowances in a few spots can take up that difference. Look at the half square triangles: are they one inch when you have them stitched into your squares and kites? Can you just add another row of stitching along your seam allowances to pull it in a little? Maybe you can try just hand basting a little along those seam allowances. If the basting pulls it in a bit, go back and stitch. How about your kites? Perhaps your kite slipped when you were stitching in the half-squares. The same thing could happen when stitching the setting triangles and/or squares. It only takes a little bit out of line from any one of these pieces to change the size of your block. It is much easier to make adjustments and corrections with the block you have than to start another block. Take your time. You can do this!
hugs,
brenda
Thanks for the hints, but truly I am not happy with this block and rather than be unhappy with the entire quilt, I will either do a different 15″ block or try to do this one over if someone converts it to paperpiecing.