March FNSI – Update

Well… last night’s sewing session for this month’s Friday Night Sew In started out really well.   I was so pleased to find that I only had to trim just the tiniest of slivers off my blocks to square them up to 13.5”.    Giving myself a little imaginary pat on the back, I thought to myself, “Sue, I think you’ve finally got this 1/4” seam thing figured out.”

I got the horizontal sashing strips all cut out at 1.5”X13.5” and started sewing rows together.  They went together perfectly, without having to adjust or ease the sashing pieces to fit the blocks at all.

I got all the rows sewn together and pressed.   And I’m really impressed with how the black sashing is setting off the blocks and can’t wait to get the vertical sashing attached.   I gave myself another imaginary pat on the back.

I calculated how long I need to cut my strips for the vertical sashing.  There are six blocks in each row so that makes 4 times the finished block size of 13” plus 2 times 13 ¼” (the end blocks) plus 5 times 1” for the sashing.  52” + 26 ½” + 5” = 83 ½”.

Then I decided to measure my rows to make sure.  Sigh… I have two rows that measure 83 ¾” and two that measure between 83 7/8” and 84.”  Now what do I do?

I decided to sleep on it and try figure it out in the morning.  So this morning, I measure each row again but this time measuring each block and sashing strip.

And now I really can’t figure out where I went wrong.  Each sashing strip measures exactly 1”.  But when I measure the finished blocks, I’m just a smidge over 13” on each and every one and a smidge over 13 ¼” on the end blocks.  But that doesn’t make sense… if the sashing is coming out the correct size that means that I am sewing with an accurate ¼” seam.  How are those blocks not coming out to 13” and 13 1/4” respectively?

The perfectionist in me thinks I should go back and unpick and resew.  But instead, I’m just going to cut the vertical sashing at 83 ¾” and ease in the difference on the last two rows.

Here are the rows all laid out ready for me to attach the vertical sashing:

I’m going to spend the rest of the afternoon, piecing the vertical sashing strips and getting them sewn on.  If I get that done before I lose the sunlight, I’ll post a second update.  If not, then I’ll post one tomorrow.

And when I need to take breaks, I’ll be checking out how the other FNSI participants fared last night.

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