Quilt4Me

I am having difficulty with squared off finished block. Everything measures well until I attach the border to all 4 sides. Because I am a new quilter I expect that when I an stitching the pieces together they are not the same seam width. I have put a taped line to the seam width on my machine so I thought this would do the trick.

erstan947

Don't give up. I had the same problem in the beginning. I now sew one or 2 threads less than a 1/4 inch. Practice helps hang in there!

Welcome from Louisiana!

Janie Q

I've been making quilts for years and sometimes I still struggle with my seams! Did you square up each block before sewing together? If I do that it helps.

M.E.H.

This happens to me all the time. I just keep working on me seams. Glad you are here.

amma

Try sewing a bit slower, and concentrate more on how the fabric is feeding into the front of the presser foot, not up closer to the needle, until you get to the end of it :wink: :D:D:D

Murphy

Welcome from Iowa.

deema

Take it slow and easy, with your eye on the front of the foot where the fabric is feeding through, not where the needle is. I put a strip of bright blue painter's tape on mine, coming right down the front of my machine, I can focus on the fabric lining up more that way than close to the foot or needle. It has helped immensely.

grammyp

Hello and welcome from central Alabama. The tape should help. The secret is practice, practice, practice. There is also a 1/4 inch foot that may help you, but I found the tape on the machine bed was good.

Magdalena

Hello and welcome from California! I noticed placing extra lighting by my foot helps a lot. Don't give up, even when I think I have it done right...I don't.

fleurdelisquilts.com

The tape tip helped me quite a bit. Until I got it, though, I did things a little differently. I cut my border fabric just a bit larger (about 1/4 inch) than needed. After sewing the border on, I squared up the block using my rotary cutter and mat.

Let's say you need a finished 2 inch border. You'd cut it 2 1/2 inches. I cut it 2 3/4 inch before sewing. Make the seam and press.

Measure carefully from the seam to the edge of the border and cut so that you have a straight edge. Using the 2 inch example, you will cut so that the block will be 2 1/4 inch. (Remember you need that 1/4 for the next seam.) Anything over 2 1/4 gets cut off. Turn the block and place the new edge on a mat line close to your body (it's easier to see so you can line everything up). Again measure from the seam, making sure the ruler is straight with the mat and the seam. Anything over 2 1/4 inches gets trimmed. Turn the block again, measure, cut. One more time to get the final edge and you're done. Now the block should be perfectly square with neat straight edges, and your border is exactly what you need to continue on your way.