How do I square a quilt top?
 

I sewed all my rows together on this quilt that I've had forever and the sides are all wonky. How do I square this thing up? Please used the simplest terms known to man (or woman): I'm old, I'm tired, I'm blonde and I'm left-handed. Everything seems a little harder for me than for others!

At least your sense of humor is still intact!

You might find the answers in this QB thread helpful. I don't square up until it is quilted.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...p-t223696.html

I've had quilts that refused to cooperate and be straight. I fold them in half top to bottom and then in half again making sure my center is straight and then I use my longest ruler and trim it off. Be aware that if you have blocks with points and such you're likely to cut them off. I never really worry too much about that sort of thing.

go ahead and sandwich it and quilt it- then square up the whole thing- since the quilting process draws the fabric up some and distorts the quilt top too it will save you a step if you just go ahead & quilt it first- then lay it out- I sometimes will use a ruler & pencil or chalk- line up your ruler starting at one corner- draw a straight line- in both directions- line up & draw straight lines all the way around the quilt- getting everything nice & straight- then you can use either scissors or a rotory cutter and cut along your straight lines to square up the whole quilt before binding.

I would iron the top making sure the seams lay flat then and to get any wrinkles out. you can measure the center width, then the top and the bottom. They may not be as wonky as you think.

Look on Youtube for videos. Type in Squaring a Quilt. There is a video by Crafty Gemini that finally made sense of it for me. She is young but she is a good teacher.

Good advise!! be sure to quilt first before you cut.

Does the quilt have borders? I'm wondering if your borders are too long and that's what's making the quilt wonky. If so, you may have success by simply fixing the borders.

On one of the quilt shows on tv a long time ago, I heard a quilter say she was going to enter a quilt into competition and it would be judged for being square. she said to make hers work she laid it on the floor (undoubtedly waterproof) and spritzed water on it and shaped it. Said it was nearly sopping wet by the time she was satisfied. I wouldn't recommend this but......
Other quilters have used their husbands carpenter squares to assure the corners are straight.
My method is in construction....measuring as I go...constantly. If the borders are the measurements required, alter the top either by re stitching or easing or tugging to fit. It is possible to ease or stretch some... but big differences would have to be accounted for and adjustments made to the sashes or borders, small variances are not as noticeable in some instances there as in an outer edge. Then, pin, pin, pin, pin the premeasured sashes and/or borders to the quilt top and sew.
Hope this helps.
Now, if this is a competition quilt, I don't know what to do as I haven't any experience there.