Help! Block is smaller than should be and have no more fabric!
 

Hi All,

I'm new to quilting and have cut a square that is 1/4" smaller than it should be. I haven't got any more fabric, and am wondering if there is any way I can save it!! Is there any way I can use a smaller seam allowance or something like that?

Any advice on how I can still use this square on my quilt will be greatly appreciated!

A photo would be very helpful. It really depends on the pattern. Sometimes you can slightly reduce the size of the other blocks as well. If you can't supply a photo, could you give us the name of the pattern you are using and identify which block is undersized, please.

Have you starched it and pressed it out really well? That would be the first thing I would try. If that doesn't get you where you need to be what about a small border around the block in a contrasting color and then cut to size.

Thanks so much for your help!
I am using the pattern by Passionately Sewn called "My Little Bird Baby Quilt". I have added a photo of the part of the pattern that I am up to. You will see I have seen the 5 strips together, which should then be cut lengthways into 2 1/2" squares. They strips are meant to be 21", but are about 1/4" too short! Eek.
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Do The directions tell you how many 2 1/2" strips you should get from that large piece. By my calculations, you will get 8 with a very slight bit of fabric left. Sometimes pattern have you make the strata just a shade larger just to be sure that you end up with the correct number and size of new strips.

The strips were cut too short, so what you can do is cut 4 strips about a sixteenth inch smaller to distribute the shortage. Mark the seam lines on these strips so you know where to sew to end up with a 2" finish. Hopefully you can pair the narrower strip with a full size one. Use a shorter stitch length to add a bit of extra security.

Hmm. After I posted I realized that 21 doesn't divide evenly by 2.5. You have an oversized strip for cutting slips. should be OK.

Relax dear, you will be fine. Just be very careful when you are making your 2 1/2 inch cuts. The only other advice I would give you, is to PRESS not IRON. That is place your iron on the seam for a few seconds and lift to move--do not move it around on the fabric, which can distort the shape.

I have never made a strip set and used every smidge of it to get the cuts needed.

Did the pattern say to use fat quarters? If so, the 21 inch dimension may have been to make sure you cut the fabric width of fabric.

If you are cutting 2.5 inch slices from your pieced strips - you should be fine - You should get 8 "slices" with a teeny bit left over.

(I know that when I cut a 2-1/2 inch strip - it is actually about 1/64 of an inch larger than that due to the space between my ruler edge and where the rotary cutter makes its cut and how I place my ruler.)

I went on their site. Cute quilt. In inches, quilt will finish at approximately 51 x 68" and the little blocks will be 2.5", finishing at 2" square. to me it would not matter if the quilt was 49" x 68 so I would cut the strip set at the 2.5" and not worry about it.