While we were at the quilt fair last weekend, Jay and Rach were buying fabric to make a Sawtooth Star quilt, so I thought I'd give it a go too. It'll be quite fun to see how they look different to each other. I know Rach bought quite bright bright colours for hers, and Jay bought little twiggies (as she calls fabric with little flowers on) as her inspiration is Little House on the Prairie styley.
I've decided to make mine as a baby quilt for a friend. Since I don't know wether the babe's going to be a pink or blue one I thought I'd start with some strawberry fabrics that I bought last year and take my colours from that. So mine is going to be mainly red, blue, green and white. Once again, since it might be for a little boy I'm trying to limit the use of flowery patterns.
The last couple of nights I've been merrily cutting out piles of fabric and stitching them together, so you can imagine m horror when it came to taking shots of them this morning that I realised the iron had scorched some of the fabric!
It's the same iron that I'm using, at the same setting as I've always used. I feel gutted. Then I realised it must be something to do with the spray-on starch that I'm using. It's my first time using starch, and I was hoping it would make my finished quilts look better not worse! Has anyone else found this?
So I'm gonna have to start again. Which is good in one way as I feel the blocks I was making are too big (8" if anyone's interested), but bad in another way as I've used up a load of my fabrics making up these blocks. Hmmm…
On another note, I'm so relieved to say that my Candy Shop quilt has eventually arrived at it's destination! Yay for US customs!
Oh,no! Are you sure it's not something that'll wash out? It'd be a shame to redo so many squares, only to find it would be beautiful again with the first bath. I bet the starch bottle has an 800 number on it.
ReplyDeletePretty, pretty stars!
I think I'll wash a couple of blocks then, it's worth a punt. Thanks for the advice, I don't feel ready to give up on it just yet.
ReplyDeleteOh no! Is the iron plate clean? The only thing that has happened to me is that the starch burns onto the plate and marks the fabric, but the fabric itself is not burnt, it just marks. Ways round this are:
ReplyDelete1. Don't put too much on in one go. Sometimes I go through the motions twice rather than make it soggy by putting lots on first time.
2. Don't iron it straight away. Sometimes I leave it for 20 seconds before I iron it.
3. Turn it over. This is what I usually do. Spray one side, iron it on the reverse.
4. Get an iron cleaning cloth. When the plate starts to mark, remove the burnt bits immediately whilst they easy to get off.
5. Use a bit of greaseproof or baking paper as a top layer between the iron and the material.
Sorry I should have said something at the time but I totally forgot I did that!
fantastic tips Jay, I definitely did number 2. Possibly put too much on (as in 1). But like the sound of no. 3. I'll try that next.
ReplyDeleteAs for the iron plate I'm not sure if it's clean or not, but the ironing board cover looks worse for wear. I think I probably have been overdoing it with the ol' spray. Will let you know how I get on, cx