Originally Posted by foxxigrani
I try to use scant and the blocks never come out the right size, they don't come out the right size when I use a bigger size seam either. Question, how would I who is sewing challenged make a block that is the size its suppose to be? Do I cut it a scant bigger and sew it from there, do I cut all the pieces bigger and then cut it down to size what works. I am really tired of trying to make this work and it doesn't. I have been struggling with this very problem for yrs. I sew, measure again and its never the right size, what am I doing wrong?Thanks for any help you can give a very challenged person here. I do sew very carefully and when I get done its never never the size it says its suppose to be. HELP....
First, check to make sure you are cutting as accurately as possible. Then sew using a scant 1/4". The next part is probably where the problem is: press very carefully! Make sure you "set" your seam by pressing a moment on the side you sewed on. Then open up and press on the right side. Make extra sure that there are no tiny little pleats. I use the edge of the iron to nudge the seam a bit without distorting. (I also don't use steam at this point because I tend to distort with steam.)
I teach Learn to Quilt classes and in July we were making a red, white and blue striped table runner. There were 12 narrow strips total. One of my students was quite upset because her project came out over an inch too narrow. There was actually nothing wrong with her project...she just hadn't "teased open" all those seams, and she lost more than a full inch! Once properly pressed, her table runner was exactly right! Good luck...accuracy takes time to develop. Hope this helps. (Sorry to be so long-winded!)