Tips required for Double Wedding Ring Please

I am making my first (?) DWR quilt - it is a wall hanging, 9in rings,
3X4 rows using the John Flynn method.
Just a little help required. I have machine pieced it all and I am
thrilled with the look even if a couple of little intersections are a
tiny tweensy bit out.
It is quite hard to press all the seams really flat before sandwiching
the layers. The back looks a bit like a "dog's breakfast" (is that a
phrase used in the good ol' US of A?). Messy? Should I trim the seams
carefully and then gently steam flat the top?
I havent decided whether I will machine quilt or hand quilt. Either way
I am going to use a really thin batting.
I will enlist the help of the more experienced quilters in my guild to
help do the binding 'cos that looks really tricky. I need to get this
completed for an Easter wedding gift. I'll post pix when it is done.
I did a search here on tips, and they mostly addressed the early
construction phase.
Cheers,
Bronwyn
Qld Oz

Hullo Bronnie
Not for this pattern specifically, but I wonder whether the top will
look its best until the seams are right. You have done some wonderful
work, and you know how much difference a 'good back' makes! Even if you
can't find a single direction that will help all the seams, and you have
to do the differently, I would try to get them flat before making the
sandwich.
If they are now all higgledy piggledy, perhaps hovering the steamy iron
over the back might 'raise' the pressed seams somewhat, so that you can
start pressing again? See if you can get a feeling for the direction
which causes the least stress to the pieces? and press that way for
each. As I say, they might be different. The football-shaped pieces,
within the rings, for example will probably sit better with the centre
pressed towards the rings, so that the centre piece lies flat. The
seams between the ring pieces might sit best pressed flat ....
Have another look at it after a good sleep!
..
In article .com,
Bronnie writes
I am making my first (?) DWR quilt - it is a wall hanging, 9in rings,
3X4 rows using the John Flynn method.
Just a little help required. I have machine pieced it all and I am
thrilled with the look even if a couple of little intersections are a
tiny tweensy bit out.
It is quite hard to press all the seams really flat before sandwiching
the layers. The back looks a bit like a "dog's breakfast" (is that a
phrase used in the good ol' US of A?). Messy? Should I trim the seams
carefully and then gently steam flat the top?
I havent decided whether I will machine quilt or hand quilt. Either way
I am going to use a really thin batting.
I will enlist the help of the more experienced quilters in my guild to
help do the binding 'cos that looks really tricky. I need to get this
completed for an Easter wedding gift. I'll post pix when it is done.
I did a search here on tips, and they mostly addressed the early
construction phase.
Cheers,
Bronwyn
Qld Oz


--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Don't let the binding overwhelm you -- just be sure to cut on the bias...
use single thickness of fabric -- not the double -- (which actually gives
you 4 layers -- instead of two) and you'll do fine! I did my first about 5
months ago -- also a wall hanging that was given as a wedding gift.

Kate in MI



"Bronnie" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am making my first (?) DWR quilt - it is a wall hanging, 9in rings,
3X4 rows using the John Flynn method.
Just a little help required. I have machine pieced it all and I am
thrilled with the look even if a couple of little intersections are a
tiny tweensy bit out.
It is quite hard to press all the seams really flat before sandwiching
the layers. The back looks a bit like a "dog's breakfast" (is that a
phrase used in the good ol' US of A?). Messy? Should I trim the seams
carefully and then gently steam flat the top?
I havent decided whether I will machine quilt or hand quilt. Either way
I am going to use a really thin batting.
I will enlist the help of the more experienced quilters in my guild to
help do the binding 'cos that looks really tricky. I need to get this
completed for an Easter wedding gift. I'll post pix when it is done.
I did a search here on tips, and they mostly addressed the early
construction phase.
Cheers,
Bronwyn
Qld Oz

Howdy!
As a veteran quilter of many DWRs,
I'd suggest pressing the top firmly,
then letting the seams lie where they will.
No steam, which will stretch the curves more than
it will flatten the seams, in my experience.
Once it's layered w/ batt and backing, basted well
(I use lots of pins), the quilting will take care of the quilt.
Of course I always handquilt, inside the pieced arcs,
inside those little melon shapes, and something neat, fun,
purty, inside the big center of the ring. Echo quilting around
the seams will also keep them in place, keep some of those
seam threads from traveling.
My first DWR was made w/ some early J.Flynn templates;
there was a brief instruction sheet included in the packet,
so I looked at the somewhat thicker book for further directions,
still too brief, with NOTHING about Finishing the quilt,
and not even a whiff of idea about Finishing those scalloped edges.
I just kept experimenting w/ the binding until I figured it out.
The old-fashioned single fold (edges folded-to-the-middle
http://www.hutchal.clara.net/curtains/binding.htm )
bias binding works much better than the double fold binding.
Bias binding :
http://www.ritasquilts.com/tubebind.htm
http://pir8.freeservers.com/quilting/CBT/
http://www.quilterscache.com/StartQu...ltingfive.html
The inverted miter on the inside of the arcs is really not difficult to
handle.
DWRs are a wonderful traditional quilt pattern.
I hope to not quilt another for a long time. G
(So many people have an old DWR top in the closet/dresser/attic
that an aunt/grandmother/sister/mother-in-law made 60+ years ago,
these are the most common patterns that are brought to me for
handquilting. g )
Good luck! Enjoy.

Ragmop/Sandy -- spell check wanted to use "dares" for DWRs ;-D

"Bronnie" wrote in message
oups.com...
I am making my first (?) DWR quilt - it is a wall hanging, 9in rings,
3X4 rows using the John Flynn method.
Just a little help required. I have machine pieced it all and I am
thrilled with the look even if a couple of little intersections are a
tiny tweensy bit out.
It is quite hard to press all the seams really flat before sandwiching
the layers. The back looks a bit like a "dog's breakfast" (is that a
phrase used in the good ol' US of A?). Messy? Should I trim the seams
carefully and then gently steam flat the top?
I havent decided whether I will machine quilt or hand quilt. Either way
I am going to use a really thin batting.
I will enlist the help of the more experienced quilters in my guild to
help do the binding 'cos that looks really tricky. I need to get this
completed for an Easter wedding gift. I'll post pix when it is done.
I did a search here on tips, and they mostly addressed the early
construction phase.
Cheers,
Bronwyn
Qld Oz

I have a DWR in the closet! It makes me so sad. It was handed down to
me (I was the third recipient) and it was already WELL worn by the time
I got it. It is worn thread bare. The little squares that make up
each ring, many of them are just worn away and all that is left is a
ragged edge within the seam. Some of them are worn to the point that
there is just a hole in the middle of the square. The beautiful
scalloped edges of the quilt are "thready".

Every time I look in that closet for something, I want to take that
quilt out and put it back on our bed. I love that quilt. But it is
just so worn that I'm afraid any more use and it will disentigrate
sp. Of course, I keep asking myself, "What are you going to do with
it?" I don't know. What do you do with a quilt that is so worn it is
about to just disappear, but it is still warm and it is so darn soft
every time you look at it you just want to roll in it?

The one that is on the bed now is almost as bad! The binding is coming
loose all around, some of the pieces are coming loose, etc..........
another one bound for the closet?

Tina

The dwr I made when dh and I married is well worn. It is good
for picnics. I actually have it on a bed in between 2 other quilts.
Is there a section of your that is in good shape? I remember
seeing an old window with a pretty piece of a quilt mounted behind
and the whole thing hung on the wall. It is so hard to part with a
wonderful old quilt.
Taria

Tina wrote:
I have a DWR in the closet! It makes me so sad. It was handed down to
me (I was the third recipient) and it was already WELL worn by the time
I got it. It is worn thread bare. The little squares that make up
each ring, many of them are just worn away and all that is left is a
ragged edge within the seam. Some of them are worn to the point that
there is just a hole in the middle of the square. The beautiful
scalloped edges of the quilt are "thready".

Every time I look in that closet for something, I want to take that
quilt out and put it back on our bed. I love that quilt. But it is
just so worn that I'm afraid any more use and it will disentigrate
sp. Of course, I keep asking myself, "What are you going to do with
it?" I don't know. What do you do with a quilt that is so worn it is
about to just disappear, but it is still warm and it is so darn soft
every time you look at it you just want to roll in it?

The one that is on the bed now is almost as bad! The binding is coming
loose all around, some of the pieces are coming loose, etc..........
another one bound for the closet?

Tina

I have a beautiful old log cabin quilt that is too fragile to use. It
came from my husband's family; I think his maternal grandmother made it,
or maybe a great-grandmother. No one really knows for sure anymore. I
have it hanging on the wall in my living room.

Julia in MN
--
This message has been scanned for viruses by Norton Anti-Virus

http://webpages.charter.net/jaccola/

Thanks Ladies for your help and suggestions. I probably overstated the
back of the quilt - its not too bad - the seams press in towards the
arcs - its just they are fairly close being 9in rings. And the joining
4 squares at the intersections are hard to press. With your advice, I
shall tackle it. I agree that Flynn's book doesn;t go into finishing
the quilt! Definitely, single fold binding will be the way to go,
Will keep you posted. Off on vacation for 10 days on Fri to New
Zealand,
Cheers
Bronnie

Do you have a spare bed that you can "display" it on?

Maureen



Every time I look in that closet for something, I want to take that
quilt out and put it back on our bed. I love that quilt. But it is
just so worn that I'm afraid any more use and it will disentigrate
sp. Of course, I keep asking myself, "What are you going to do with
it?" I don't know. What do you do with a quilt that is so worn it is
about to just disappear, but it is still warm and it is so darn soft
every time you look at it you just want to roll in it?

The one that is on the bed now is almost as bad! The binding is coming
loose all around, some of the pieces are coming loose, etc..........
another one bound for the closet?

Tina

This is a wall hanging, not a bed size quilt! It is also a wedding
gift (providing it looks great when finished g).
Cheers
Bronnie