adjustiung size of quilt
 

I am making doll quilts for a local charity and they want them to be 24" square. I am making them 3 -8" x3-8" blocks. I am cutting blocks 8 1/2" so when I am finished joing block the top measures 24 1/2" and after adding binding the tops still measure 24 1/2" since I am really not getting rid the 1/4" extra on each side of the top. Should I square the top to measure 24".? When making other quilts this is not a issue since 1/2" does not seem to make much difference.

I think the only way to answer that question is to ask the charity. I can't see why 1/2" would matter to them, but you never know. Also, the quilt may shrink a little after washing.

The problem with trimming that last quarter inch is that you may be cutting off points if your blocks extend to the edge. Often, there is a plain border at the edge, so this isn't an issue. I agree, i would contact the charity and see if they really have to be exactly 24"

this was my first thought as well

I think they would be happy to get them any size.

Dina

Unless someone is standing there with a tape measure and actually measuring the quilts, how would they ever know. The other thing is, depending on how densely you're quilting it, it might actually shrink up a bit.

I say don't worry about it.

Thanks for the advice! I did contact the gal in charge of the project and she said the 1/2" would not matter. Good thing cause I do not want to rip off binding! 1/2 does not seem like much but it may make difference in other projects.

Another interesting observation about these quilts. For quilting I am just top stitching corner to corner in each 8" block. I notiiced that after I put on the binding that the stitching is no longer corner to corner on the outside but is about 1/4" off to the centeroff the block away frpom the stitching. Guess that I never noticed this before so maybe I should have adjusted the stitching not to the corner but allowing 1/4" for binding. It does really not matter on this quilt since it is for a doll. Opinons?????

If you're consistent with your quarter inch seams and are taking a quarter inch off all four sides of each block, the diagonal seams should still be corner to corner - was your binding a little more than a quarter inch? that would account for the offset. But in any case, I'd not worry about it for a doll's quilt...or for any quilt for that matter. Most people just don't notice things that minute. Thanks for doing this volunteer work.