What's on the Design Wall

What’s on the Design Wall: Strings Attached

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

A quick update to the post What’s on the Design Wall & “Agriculture Report” on the string pieced wallhanging I am making called “Strings Attached” from August 2021 issue of AmericanQuilter Magazine, pattern by Lori DeJarnatt.

I finished string piecing the 8 sections of the center star:

And then tried my hand a the first “Y-seam” (when 3 or more seams come together and they DON’T make a right angle per the geekybobbin.com) to join the first two star sections:

You can see in the photo above I got so excited joining one section that I started laying out the first border (instead of just piecing the whole center star first).

In the comments in the first post on this quilt, one of my blogging buddies asked me to share any tips I had on doing “Y-seams”. My first tip would be: “No, avoid them” but since I really wanted to make this piece I could not get around it.

Luckily the pattern designer had dots on her template for the center star sections that were a 1/4 inch away from the edge of the points; and she instructed the reader to make the same dots 1/4 inch from the points of the four squares and four inset triangles (the blue fabric) and match them with the dots on the star sections.

Sounds scary (and it looked scary) but it worked. I just got to do this 3 more times and then I can assemble the center star. I wonder if I can then get some sort of Certificate of Completion (I would frame it!) for those Y-seams – ha!

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Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

40 thoughts on “What’s on the Design Wall: Strings Attached”

  3. Oh my gosh – that looks crazy complicated! You are an amazing sewist and quilter! I love the colors you chose for your quilt, and it is coming together so beautifully 🙂 I could never do that!

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  10. “I got so excited joining one section that I started laying out the first border (instead of just piecing the whole center star first).” HaHa that would be me, too!
    For the record, I will heed your ‘tip’ for sure. I like that you **mindfully** decided to chose the pattern knowing full well of those impending Y-seams. And now, look at you!
    🙂

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  13. That will be a fun quilt! I don’t really mind doing y-seams, they just take a bit more time. I suppose if someone really wanted to make this design without y-seams it would be possible if you added an extra seam in each of the blue background pieces.

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      1. Will we ever be able to convince you to embrace FPP? 😉 just kidding. I must admit I like the results that you can achieve with FPP more than the actual sewing (and paper removal…).

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  16. Once you’ve finished this quilt, Y seams will no longer hold any fears for you. On the other hand, you may wish never to look another one in the face again! I made a quilt a year or so back that required Y seams *which then were covered up by appliqué*, which annoyed me to no end. There were 30 of the dratted things. I’ll do them now, but I won’t enjoy it.

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