Friday, May 13, 2011

WHO IS CRAZY NOW????

So I have been doing this!!! (pulling my hair out) ...yea baby...don't I look good!

Because of this.......(took out for a third time)

I figured and figured... Brought my one son, David, in the kitchen and had him go over the figures with me.


I re figured....and then it hit me. I remember reading a blog and this person said that sometimes the jelly rolls are off in their cutting. So......I did this... see how much it is off?

So you are thinking I am totally off my rocker. Well...you have to have a rocker to be off of it.




You are thinking I am totally nutzzz to go and re cut theses strips. AM I??? WHAT!!!! Can't hear you!!!

Here is another one.


So....I took all nine strips and cut them to an exact 2 1/2 inch strip....and with the shaving I put them together and got this..... every overage adds up.

What a difference this makes. This explains the problem I was having when I went to sew my rows on, they were either a half inch to an inch tooo long. I would get my trusty ruler out and my strips were too wide. How could that be?


Now I am not on a witch hunt? I am not so mad that I am out to get someone or blame someone but maybe just maybe the next jelly roll I get or your get....just to do a little measuring before cutting..... I am just saying.......


So.....after done shaving off all the 2 1/2 inch strips....this is what I ended up with.


Who is crazy now????? It makes a difference, just like a 1/4 inch seams makes a difference.



I am making these....and to be precise I have to have a 2 1/2 inch strip!!!!

Problem solved.....
sons are happy that I am no longer in the kitchen mumbling to myself and pulling my hair out...
I have my pfaff set up on the kitchen table.







AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

38 comments:

Mary Grace McNamara said...

Wow, Barb! Thanks for the heads up! I'd be curious to know what brand this is and if it happens more with some than with others. So far I have only opened and used one jelly roll and it was Moda and measured right on the money.

Whatever you are making is going to be just lovely!

MGM

Gene Black said...

I have pretty much quit buying jellyrolls for that reason. I got one that several of the strips were crooked. I am glad I have my 2 1/2" strip cutter die to go with my GO!

GerryART said...

Interesting, isn't it.
I bought one jelly roll and found that many were bowed in the middle of the strip.
They had been cut - not straight of grain - but rather at just a slight bias.
I paid money for these miserable strips.
I'm just sayin' . . . .
hugs,
Gerry

JustCindy said...

So glad you figured out the problem. Did the boys take over your sewing room? lol

Three Birds Inspired said...

I have that same jelly roll (bought on clearance at Joann's - maybe that is why it was a clearance item!) but I have not opened mine yet. Tomorrow I am going to lay out the strips and check out the strip widths.

Lynette said...

Wow - I never knew that about the jellies. I would have been going nuts, too!

Mistea said...

I admire your patience.

Does this mean that pre cuts may not always save time??

Wacky Woman said...

I've heard this before, even with the GO. I've glad you have it solved now.

Elizabeth said...

What pretty fabrics.

Pre-cuts are supposed to make life easier, not make you crazy. Sorry! Can't wait to see the finished product.

xo -E

Patty said...

I had a problem with the jelly roll strips being less than 2 1/2 inches. That really upset me. And I hate the zig zag edges cos I don't know for sure where they measure....at the inside of the cut or the outside! Argggggg!

Yvette said...

I have never bought a jelly roll but it is good to know that if I do that I had better check the strips.

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

Never, ever did I think you were crazy. So measure twice and then re-cut if we have to!!

Lynn said...

I've been there. I was gifted a Walmart jelly roll. The strips varied from 2 1/2" to a little over 2 3/4" wide. It pays to measure a few at random before sewing with them.

Deanna said...

It really does make a difference! I was talking to my father, a woodworker who understands a bit about tolerance, and mentioned that on a particular quilt involving a lot of pieces, if I were off 1/32" each piece, it would be a little more than 3" over the width of the quilt. UGLY! It made him respect quilters even more.

Mary said...

You are so right, what a difference a cut makes.Good luck, now in putting it together.

Terry said...

I've had the same problem with charm squares and layer cakes. Takes the fun right out of using precuts when you have to trim them all!

Denise in PA said...

I realized the same thing, but mine were under-size Nothing you can do about that - except grumble! Now, I will say they weren't "brand name" rolls, so I won't be counting on no-name rolls in the future, that's for sure!!

West Michigan Quilter said...

You are so right! I thought it was me the last time I did a Jelly roll quilt. I'm glad you pointed this out!

Robin (RsIslandCrafts) said...

I was using charm packs a bit ago and had the same problem. I thought it was me that couldn't sew a 1/4" seam but it was the uneven charm squares.

Betsy said...

Thanks for the heads up Barb. I never imagined they would not measure what they are supposed to measure. I can't wait to see what you are making.

Stephanie Hughes said...

Barb, that is crazy! You would thim
Nk they would be accurate but NOT! You are like me, it has to be perfect.

hetty said...

No wonder you were pulling your hair out! That would have driven me crazy too.

Rachel said...

Oh dear. Don't rip out your hair! I know what you mean, though. I noticed that too when I was making my postage stamp quilt.

Crispy said...

Better too large that too small IMHO but then I don't have to worry about the dreaded 1/4 inch thing LOL. I'm glad you got it all worked out :0)

Crispy

Unknown said...

OMGosh, I would be so ticked! Glad you figured out the problem...who would believe they did it!!! Sorry for your frustration. Glad you are back on the road to recovery!

Joanna said...

This is an interesting post. It's not much of a time saver if you have to measure each strip first.

Needled Mom said...

That is a LOT off!!!! Amazing!

sewfunquilts said...

I've seen the same jelly rolls at Joann's! How horrible for you and no wonder you were tearing your hair out..(not counting the seam ripping!) Sure glad I've got my GO cutter to cut all of the ones I use and sell...total accuracy!

Kristen said...

Oh my goodness! I am so sorry that happened. I will keep it in mind! Thanks for a heads up!

scraphappy said...

Kind of makes me think twice about spending the extra money to buy time saving pre-cuts. Glad you figured out the problem though. I guess all is well that ends well.

Jean said...

I have never used a jelly roll. Were these mfg. precuts or had the store done it?

Cyndi said...

Wow, Barb....that is a BIG discrepancy! No wonder the quilt wasn't coming out right. I think that just might be what the problem was with the quilt I was making for my sister...I bought another jelly roll, so I am definitely going to measure those strips before I start.

And stop pulling our your hair... the Sinead O'Conner look is out now! :o)

XOXO,

Cyndi

Karen S said...

My LQS had to return a bunch of jelly roll packs to the manufacturer because the cutting was off.

And they seemed like such a good idea...

Susan In Texas said...

Wow, and here I thought the manufacturers were always so perfect, with their mechanically pre-cut strips. I guess someone miscalibrated something somewhere.

Happy stitching,
Susan in Texas

Diane H said...

I have a jelly roll in my stash and I've never used one before so thanks for this, my hair is bad enough. Glad you solved your problem and helped the rest of us.

Allie said...

I've never had a pre-cut that was accurate - I like them but I don't love them, and I measure each one!

Anonymous said...

Hello Barb, thanks for the thumbs up...I have a jelly roll lurking in my stash....certainly will be doing some measuring before I start...Hugs Lyn

Margarita said...

Gosh Barb, I knew there was a good reason I did not buy Jelly Rolls. And here I was thinking it was because 2 1/2 inch strips are not big enough to fondle. LOL