SharonTheriault

Help! I am starching the heck out of the fabric before the first stitch thinking that will help with the bias edges. It's helping some, but is there something else I can do to keep the edges straight?

RainyBC

As a new quilter and clumsy in my old age, I am not good with the bias edges. I just did it the old fashioned way using 7 1/2 inch blocks, sewing corner to corner and squaring up to a 13 1/2 inch block after sewing the hourglass. I cut the block at 4 1/2 inches and ended up with a 12 1/2 inch block after squaring up just a wee bit from the edges, being careful to keep the corners as even as possible so they would match up. It is working for me so if you don't like bias edges, there is an alternative which most of you I'm sure are already aware.

auntpiggylpn

It would be a little extra work but you could use your walking foot and sew a basting (stay) stitch on those bias edges. I'm getting ready to try some blocks this afternoon. My fabrics are in the washer right now!! I got a can of Niagra Spray starch to use on them. I am not normally a starch user, I prefer the discontinued Bounce Ironing Spray (I stocked up when I found out it wasn't going to be manufactured anymore!) or Mary Ellen's Best Press but I think the Starch is going to do a better job of stabilizing those dreaded bias edges. I plan on using a LOT of it!!! We will see on my practice blocks!! I know that some quilters will use enough starch to make the fabric feel almost like paper. . .

Onebyone

The only sure fire way to stop the bias stretching is to put lightweight fusible strips in an X on each block before cutting. I buy it by the 1/2" width roll for when I'm sewing anything with bias. It doesn't make the seams stiff, I can't tell it's there. It only takes a few seconds and makes a world of difference.

auntpiggylpn

What a FABULOUS idea!!!!!!

bearisgray

I was thinking about doing that - thank you for the dimensions.

The MSQC method might be great if one wanted to set the blocks on point. Then the grain lines would be parallel to the quilt edges when the quilt was completed.

oldtisme

I'm doing her Big Star quilt now & had to cut all my Layer Cakes to 9 1/2 also just due to none of the squares being 10 x10.

luvstoquilt301

I was getting not so great blocks and then decided to trim the HST to 6 inches. That really helped. The finished block was a little wonky and around 10 1/4. I trimmed them to 10 inches and they look great. I lost a little bit of the small corner triangles but now have nice even sized blocks.

Onebyone

I cut 6 1/2" hst with my Go die. So I didn't have to use 10" squares.

quiltmouse

quiltmom04, I love the flower block. Sew cute!

the first disappearing hourglass block I made, I made the cuts too far from the center. I ended up without the outer corner pinwheels. the inner part of the block made something similar to a double vase (diagonal in the block)

It's cute, but nothing like the planned block.

I recently bought a FMQ foot. Made a 36" square quilt, a carpenter's star, a practice quilt for my first FMQ. I did a lousy job on the FMQ, but am still proud of it.

I'm making D hourglass blocks for a second FMQ practice quilt. It's a very cute block, but seems a bit fussy. I guess I should compare it mentally to cutting & assembling such a complicated block.