Friday, October 13, 2006

Prairie Point Questions

With final border on, the leaf quilt is 36 inches square (36½ unfinished). I've cut my scrappy squares from all my various leaf fabrics, at 3 inches square. I think I like the look of the points with the opening on the side, that are 'nested' into each other ... but I have some questions.



Does anyone have any hints on how many points look best per side? Should I really nest them deep into each other or only slightly, ½ inch or so? Do I have to pin a whole yard of these before I sew them? eww.

Will it look better if I stick to a pattern of colors for my points? I have 11 different fabrics... or will it look too regimented? But, if I do the color order randomly, some of the colors are brighter or darker, will they draw the eye and look funny if (example) the deep red points are only two points apart on the left side... and spaced by 8 on the bottom, and by 5 or so on the right?

Do people normally put these points on after you quilt the sandwich or before?

Have any of you ever put the quilt top and the backing right sides together, stitched the edges, then turned the whole thing inside out? That way my points would be caught in the seam... but where does the batting fit? I can just see it snagging on the pressor foot if I put it on top ... or getting mangled by the feed dogs, on the bottom.

Advice, plz?

9 comments:

quiltpixie said...

I often knife edge my quilted wall hangings, and have done a couple of quilts that way... create the sandwich by laying your batting down, laying your backing right side up on top of that, and then your quilt top face down on the very top. You can then be sure to sew your top an even 1/4 inch all around... If you're putting prairie points in they'd go between the bat and the quilt top, pointing into the main area of the quilt, so when inverted they'd point out... I often nest by look, about 1/4 the width of the point, just pinning them into the quilt and sewing -- not chain piecing them all together first....

Cynthia said...

i haven't made a quilt with prairie points before but it's a great idea to make them for your quilt. I can't wait to see it done.

I would use the colors randomly. Just check before sewing them to the quilt that you're happy with how you have postioned them. Then move some around if they are too close to each other.

Joyce said...

I have never sewn prairie points except on my chicken pincushion and I don't think that really counts. Lol. It should look great. I have sewn a bit with the batting on the bottom and it didn't seem to get caught in the feed dogs but it was a very small piece. Hopefully it would work as well on a large quilt.

His Office, My Studio said...

I have not use prairie points either. I love the way they look.

Quilts And Pieces said...

Wow! So many questions! But it is going to look good. I would do it the way quilt pixie suggested, but I haven't ever done it. Since you have so many colors but some are brighter and you are questioning it, I would go ahead and do a pattern of the colors/fabric. I often like the random look better, but I think with your colors a pattern will work great. What I would try and do though is if you have 11 colors don't put 11 or 22 or 33 on one side. Continue the pattern on the next side. That would give it a bit more random look.

Judy said...

I woul ddo random too. SInce I've never done them I am anxious to see how you get them done! I think it's something great to share so we all know!!

Cher said...

the way I would get around the feed dogs catching on the batting would be to use paper piecing paper/tissue paper/something along that line-so you have something that will move along with the feed dogs ok, and you can cut it off along the stitching or tear if you use paper...hope that makes sense!

Shelina said...

I've only done prairie points once. I quilted first. Then basted in the points. Yeah, individually pinning each point on. Then folding over and hand sewing it down on the back.
Can't remember all the directions. Of course, after I had already started, I learned that there is an easier way where you take one long strip of fabric, rather than cutting all those squares, you cut part of the strip so it is squares, then sew it on. You can layer two strips to make alternating colors.

kcdi said...

Hmmm... I'm not sure about the best way to go about making them, but as far as color placement goes I would definitely use a pattern of the colors... then again, I'm OCD so I wouldn't be able to help myself. ;c)

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