Any suggestions for a tool to accurately square up quilt blocks?
I'd like to know how others do this.

I will definitely check the watch this topic box because I would like to know this too. Especially when none of the corners are square to start with. I seem to get a lot of paralelograms and trapazoids. Or do I mean rhombuses?? LOL

Omnigrid square up rulers...what else is there?

Accurate measuring, cutting and sewing to begin with. Some things just can't be rushed! When the pieces are all together, I have a 12.5 square ruler that I use. For some of the smaller blocks, I have a 9.5, a 6.5, a 4 and a 3...all depends on what I am making.

They make square up rulers. I think mine is 12 or 12 1/2 square. They are fantastic to use. Mine has a 45 degree line on it so I can use it to square HST's evenly. I have bought smaller ones for smaller blocks, but always end up using the large one. Check them out at your LQS or JoAnn's, HL wherever you shop. Mine is old; there may be more on the market.

Yes, I definitely use my large square template rulers..they work great for anysize square you are making. Great for guaging all for sides at once.

I used a 50% off coupon at Joanns and bought a package of square rulers 12.5, 9.5, 6.5, 4.5" works good for me

I have these too and you can't go wrong using them! :thumbup: :thumbup:

I wish someone that really knows how to use it right would do a tut on squaring up. Never was taught how to use all the lines and degrees

I use my SHAPE CUT more than any other tool to square my blocks

I bought plexiglass from the hardware store and had them cut it into different sized squares.
Or - are you talking about once the quilt top is together?
At that point, it might be too late ;)

love my 12 1/2 " square up ruler

So do you put the corner of the square ruler on the corner of your block? What if you see your block is not square? Won't whacking off the block to make it square cause your block to end up too small? I too think I need a tutorial on this subject.

I second that! Would love to see a tut

DITTO

ditto ditto

That's a really good question and the answer - as so often: It depends.

I usually measure my blocks to see what size range I am dealing with. Then I see if I can block the smaller ones to be the correct size. There is a little play allowed (if you listen to Eleanor Burns, I think she allows 1/8" which can be adjusted).

To block, I spray the block lightly with starch and/or steam press it into shape. I pin it to the ironing board and let it dry. That has never let me down, BUT I never try to "fix" large discrepancies.

When the block is too large, I see if any points will be lost if I cut it down. If I have no HSTs along the edge, I may just cut it to fit. Some blocks are easier to trim than others and a lot depends on how they would look next to the neighbor block.

So does the spray starch or sizing make the fabric in the block stretchier so you can pull it slightly into a more square shape? So if you have what looks like a slight parallogram you spray and then pull it straight and then pin it to the ironing board and let it dry into it's new (hopefully square) shape?

If it's just a matter of the block being too big you trim it off into a square, unless you have HSTs on the edge. What is an HST? If you have one of those I suppose you chuck the whole thing and just make a new block taking more care to get this one straight to start with. I sure hope I have extra fabric in the right prints if that happens.

I appreciate your help to understand this. Can I use the square up ruler to make sure my blocks are square when I cut them? I am using a 3x18" clear ruler, a cutting mat that is slightly larger, and a rotary cutter.

Check Youtube. They have lots of videos on squaring up quilt blocks.

well walmart ahs june tailor square rulers for 26 its a set of four; a 12, a 9, a 6, and a 4 inch. they do have a blue edge that adds a fourth inch to each side. so you dont have to measure for seem allowence.

So glad you asked this. I didn't want to seem like a dummy that couldn't even use a ruler but I can't figure out the correct way to use the rulers with all the grid marks. How do you mark the fabric when the lines/degrees are on TOP of the ruler. Now did I just sound even dumber?