OK...
I'm probably a day late and a dollar (material) short.
I am making a D9P quilt, lap size for a Xmas gift. One tutorial I found online said that I should "square up" the blocks before I cut them into the 4 pieces. I looked online and on YouTube for more information on how to do the "square up" thing but didnt find anything, so I just started cutting. Do you think I'll have problems now?? I guess the part that confused me was that if you put the block (bottom left) on a square and trim the top and right side, then all nine blocks wont be the same size as you will be cutting the top three and the right three? Does that make sense?? How else would you "square" a block like this?? Should I continue with the blocks as they are?
Thanks guys..you are the best!!

Melinda

I think they are telling you to just make sure that each unit measures the same so that the block will work out correctly.

I have a large square ruler. These are great for squaring blocks.

Here is how I square my blocks:

Example: block to be 9inch finished block should be 9.5 square

Find center of block Around the 4 3/4 mark

Find 4 3/4 point on ruler, place that over 4 3/4 on block You will have two side exposed, cut those to ruler

Turn block 1/2 around and repeat.

If I am being super precise I do put a little mark on the block for center. I fold in half lengthwise then crosswise.

Hope this makes sense, if not let me know and I'll explain it more in detail.

If you square your blocks as you construct the quilt, your border will go on much easier and the quilt will lay much nicer in the end.

Ahhhh....
Should I go ahead and sew 4 of them back together, (in the 'new' pattern)
and then square those before I sew the rest of the blocks together then??
So, what you are saying the more "SQUARE" ruler blocks you have, the better off you are? I think I've seen them at in sets of several different sizes.
Thanks for the quick reply!!

Melinda

There is a lesson on this on quiltuniversity.com.

anytime you square up, put the 45 degree line on your ruler across your block, corner to corner. or on the 45 degree seam line like in hst's.

Sounds like they want you to square up the block before you cut it into 4 pieces.

I've many of the DNP quilts. I square up the blocks before I sew the nine patch and then I don't square up the cut blocks but sew them together and then square up the big block. It's a very forgiving pattern. I usually use 6 1/2 blocks and then gives me about an 18" finished block. I had a piece of pexi glass cut that is 17" 1/2 square. I square all the finished blocks using that so I end up with 17" blocks finished. Whatever size unfinished block I want I have that size ruler cut and then make sure all the blocks fit that ruler. It's so much easier then measuring. Having a pexi glass ruler cut is cheap. The 17 1/2" one cost me about $8.