Macybaby

BattleAxe, I think you are focusing too much on the seams and now what is left. If you really want to keep teh seam exactly how you have it, then try cutting your pieces just hair larger.

I think a lot of people sew just a tad bigger seam than they should, so to compensate you need to cut a bit larger. That is why Bonnie suggests getting the line up on the fabric.

one thing I've noticed, if I am using my stripology ruler, I do have to make sure my seams are extra scant. That cuts exactly so there is no "getting the line up on the fabric". I think if a person is using die cutters, tehy will deal with the same thing and then may need to pay more attention to getting an even scanter seam than what they think.

Lots of people have said, cut five blocks, sew them together and measure the results. If they are bigger or smaller than you need, then you need to adjust your seam. I have no idea what mine measures out to, and I normally sew a few peices together and check, and then adjust to maybe making a slightly smaller or larger seam. I don't worry at all about getting all my seams exact, I worry about getting all my pieces exact.

I also find having the grid on my sewing surface helps a lot, I can make sure to keep things square and straight, and it's way easier to tell if I misscut and which is correct - like when you are sewing two strips together and you realize they are not cut the exact same width.

I've found that I don't have a good feel for finger pressing. I seem to always get a bit of a stretch when I do that. Once in a while I'll want to finger press instead of getting up to my iron, and I find I don't get a full turn of the fabric. Make matchin seams harder, but it also means I end up with slightly smaller end results, as I've got a thread or two more in the foldover part.

I also don't use steam. For two reasons, one, I find if I'm not very careful I"ll stretch. In order not to stretch I need to use my figures closer to the iron, and that leads to the second reason - I steam burn my fingers way too often!

So I don't use steam, but I sort of finger press very lightly as I"m regular pressing, and I never do the "lift up and set down". I use a light pressure (which means I sort of very lightly support the iron, no pressure down at all) on the iron and use it to help tightly fold over as I press, so I get a very crisp crease. Then I let the iron sit a bit and then move on. Often I'll have the iron on 2-3 units at a time, so each piece may be under the iron for 5-6 seconds as I"m working down the line.