ree-nee

I am trying to make a scrap quilt. I sewed some 1 1/2 inch strips and then cut them four and 1/2 inches and made long pieces to the length I wanted. All the strips are the same length and I also made sashing to go between each piece. My problem is as I added each piece the pieced pieces all started getting one to 1/2 inch shorter all the way to the other side. I can't figure it out as all the pieces were cut from the same piece I used the scraps for.
Can someone help me figure out what I did to make them shorter or shorten?
I sewed with a 1/4 seam and sewed straight.

erstan947

A photo will help us help you. I'm thinking maybe you are sewing each strip to the next from the same side. I try to alternate sewing the strips together so the top strip is sewn right to left and the next sewn from left to right. Hope this helps....maybe?

ree-nee

yes ma'am that is exactly what I did.
Thank you so much!
And it makes so much sense, DUH.
This quilt top looks sorta like yours only mine is not even.

BKrenning

oops

mrspete

Oh I understand that. I did it too on a few blocks before I realized when they say 4 or 6 inch blocks they just automatically think you know to allow 1/4" on all sides for seam allowances. So as you placed your strips, the outside strips needed to be 1/4" wider, EACH, so when you sew them you would have the correct size.
So when you are shooting for 1.5" strips you need to make them 2" to start with because as you sew them together they shrink to 1.5". Does that make sense?

NEXT.....

Blessings, Ruth