Can someone tell me what I did wrong??? I can not get it to go flat. This is the 3rd one i have tried.. about to give up on this. Lol

Anita has it right bias is the trick & yes Sue has the design available so send her a pm & she will send it to you too. hugs Loralye

Maybe if you used an iron on stabilizer on the ribbons before you sewed them together it would prevent them from stretching...it's a great idea and pretty too.
Muffy :)

I'll try and add a few things I did while making these. First make sure the sides of the center octagon are all the same length. When trimming the first (left side) line up the 45 degree angel on the ruler with the edge of the center shape, and have the top of the ruler even with the strip edge. On the second trim (right side) find the " measurement that the seam is at (can't remember-should be 1/4" less than the original strip size) and have that be even.. My first placemat was a bit wonky, and I pressed it into submission, it was on the subsequent ones I started doing extra things (above steps) The other 3 I did were nice and flat. It's easy to go off kilter, you'll get the hang of it. I do like your colors.
Jo

If you are worried about cutting your strips, why not tear them? It is a great way of making sure the sides are parallel!

Hope you come right...

When I make a block with multi strips, I always make sure each row is even before I put on the next row. Even then it is next to impossible to get them perfect.

2 comments

by darlingwife 01 Jan 2014

I thought I was.. I guess not... lol

by icana 01 Jan 2014

I forgot to add I always press everything too. Also if you did press the ribbon it could have warped it.. You could try to build it on a paper background. Good Luck

I agree with Anita (capoodle) -also you may have had the fabric on the bias too. If you have two bias pieces of fabric together it will become too stretchy and will not sit flat. Love Chris

1 comment

by darlingwife 01 Jan 2014

Thanks Chris, I have so much to learn. I guess I will try it again..
Linda

the grain of the ribbons!!!

1 comment

by darlingwife 01 Jan 2014

gonna try with out the ribbons... lol

Die Farben sehn ganz toll aus end immer wieder bügeln vielleicht wird sie dan platt

This is so pretty and I agree with capoodle.

1 comment

by darlingwife 01 Jan 2014

Thanks!

Did you piece this ITH or on the flat. That red looks like grosgrain ribbon and that could be the problem. If it is grosgrain ribbon it probably needs to be shrunk either by hand washing and dryer/hair dryer or use a steam iron held above to help it shrink. If this was done on the flat the iron is your friend and a good press between each section helps. It is very pretty and a good steam press and then weight it down with a big book should help.to flatten it out.

2 comments

by darlingwife 31 Dec 2013

I did use ribbon only because I didn't have a cutter. Is there an ITH pattern for these? I would love to have it, maybe then I could keep one... lol

by rugejack 01 Jan 2014

I wonder if the pieces of ribbon were not trimed to the correct angle, on the ends, before the next ribbon piece was sewn on. Keep in mind, I don't know how to do that pretty block, either...lol
Ruth