Originally Posted by Veronica
When I need a 12 inch finished block it comes out 12" not
12 1/2" as required..
That's the way it's supposed to work.
You mean the unfinished block is 12" not 12.5"?
Unless you want to work on improving your 1/4" seam - and the problem is not necessarily the sewing, it could be the cutting and pressing as well that are contributing to the block being off - then I'd suggest applique - needleturn, fusing, freezer paper. :wink: :wink:
The seam allowance issue doesn't come into play so much with those methods.
Really, I don't mean to be flip, but at some point you're just going to have to figure out a way to slowly master it.
Sally Collin's book - The Art of Machine Piecing - is a sort of a classic bible. I learned a ton from that book. I wasn't interested in making 3.5" blocks like she does, but her methods and techniques are incredibly helpful. Basically, they help you understand why you're off - and how to check at every step to make sure you stay on track. It is a bit anal, but it's great stuff to know.
People can suggest PostIts and all kinds of notions, but you really have to understand your equipment - the machine, the rulers and how the thickness of the lines affects your cutting, and your iron.
So the issue isn't the block pattern, it's really improving your technique. And I'm not talking about the quilt police. If you want to make traditional blocks, and NOT lose every point and be off every seam, then at some point you have to work to master the basics. :wink: