Trying to get the quilt blocked by myself and it's not going to work. I washed it last night (hand wash setting and 2 heavy duty spin cycles) and it lost 2" in all directions. I got foam board insulation and following the directions from Karen McTavish's CD. I just can't do it alone and be able to keep the tape on one side while the other is stretched out to the correct size and pinned. My daughter is coming over this weekend so she will be roped into helping me.

My bedroom is the only room big enough to lay it out and that I can keep the cat out.

I use those heavy T pins that you use for upholstery and pin directly into the carpeting at a slight angle. Works like a charm. :-D

I wondered how much would be lost on the quilting of this quilt. I recently sold a quilt that had lost 2 in. on eash side after quilting. I got it back from the buyer and am having to add to it.

Will the quilt have to be blocked each time it is washed>

I am using the t-pins. I pinned a corner first using my 12 1/2" ruler to make sure it was square, figured that might be the best way to do it alone. I fussed with it last night until I was too frustrated trying to measure and pin myself and keep it straight and square.

That's what Karen said in her video, Quilting For Show, that the quilt would keep it's shape until the next time it was washed.

I have to admit I've never had to block a quilt after I've bound it! I just make sure that it is square before I bind it.

I learned this a few years back. So when I make a quilt for sale now I add at least 5 inches to it. Then I tell the buyer why I added the inches and what to expect when they wash it. I also tell the customer that contacts me for just a quilting job that this is going to happen and they may want to add to the quilt. So right now my customers seem to be happy.

Could this be avoided by pre-washing the fabric?

No, it's just the nature of a quilt. Batting itself shrinks about 5%.

My aunt the super quilter has foam core boards she has marked with several sizes. The rectangles are drawn on to the foam core with some kind of permanent marking pin. Perfect straight sides and square corners. She can then lay her quilt on the lines and pin it in place. It seems to work for her.