Do you "square" your bed size quilts?
 

Hi there,
I'm wondering how many of us are really squaring our bed size quilts (twin, queen or king). I find it quite hard to do and I'm not sure it's worth it, because once on a bed, who could tell there is a quarter inch more or less here and there? Am I the only lazy one here? ;)

No you are not the only one. I live in a small condo in the winter and don't have the space or flat top to really square a king size quilt. I try -- folding and measuring -- but I am sure that it isn't perfect. In the summer at the cottage I have huge decks where I can spread things out. Ouch for my knees when I baste

Mim

I just measure down the middle, then ease/stretch the binding to match the middle measurement. It squares it up easily every time.

I have to use my bed to square up. Not enough floor space.

I square all my quilts, even the big ones. (As best I can, anyway.)

Watson

I square as I go ..... each piece is cut as straight/square as possible.
As each section and/or block is done, more squaring ....
...... making sure if it is to be 9" or 9-1/2" or 9-1/4", that it is.
If it is not.... what needs to be done for to fix it? and the subsequent blocks?

Then more of the same, before the borders are added, and with each border.
Then sandwich and quilt.

And yes, you guessed it .... a final squaring!

It really is not that much more work to do as I go along ... just part of the process, IMHO.
To me ... The final rewards of the finished quilt is more than worth that little extra effort!

I sort of square. I square up as I go, so it's usually pretty close. I have the big 20 1/5" square up ruler. I do the corners, then use my 6' ruler to join the corners. The 6' ruler is one of my best investments. $12 at Lowe's.

My quilts are usually a 1/2" or less off. I go by the galloping horse rule.

I am lucky enough to have a big dining room table that I put my great big cutting mat on and square up one corner at a time and then connect the squared corners. This work well enough for me. I should add that I only do this after they are quilted and before I put the binding on, so I am squaring up the three layers. Most of them square up pretty well and as for the others, well, that is their choice!!!

Mine are usually pretty close.

I square up my quilts after quilting, before binding. Often the quilting process causes a little wonkiness so I fix that before stitching on the binding. I square as I go during construction keeping everything as straight as possible so it loads evenly for quilting too.

A quilter after my own heart! ...

I do my best to keep them square while on the LA frame - and so far it's worked well for me.

I usually square up blocks as I ago, maybe not always, depends on the blocks. I always square up the quilt after I quilt it and before applying the binding. Much like stitchenripper said.

I too square up each block as I make it and find that my tops end up pretty square when done, I square them up before and after quilting regardless of size, but I don't stress over 1/4 of an in or less.

I square each unit as I go because I know that misalignment just increases the problems the farther you go. When I get to the edge I am especially careful to square the corners and work toward the centers from there. I rarely have a problem at that stage of things.

Yes, I do. I try to keep everything trimmed to size as I go along, so the final square up isn't too difficult.

I square up as I go as well. Honestly don't know that I've ever squared an entire quilt - either before or after quilting. When I fold them for gifting, they seem pretty square to me.

Didn't know there WAS a different way. LOL Yep that how I do it.

I'd bet our great grandmothers never squared an entire quilt either. Just be precise in your work, and there's no real need.

I square the corners, but that's all. I figure it's square enough (I'm pretty careful with my piecing), and if it's a bit out nobody will notice. If I was entering a show I might be a bit more particular, but it will work as a quilt even if the sides aren't perfectly parallel and equal.

Squaring assures crisp corners and non-wavy sides. It is worth the extra effort.

My DH taught me how to square up a quilt as you sandwich it. Just because the sides are of equal length does not mean that the top is laid out 'square on the batting and backing. Once you have the top laid out and smoothed to your satisfaction, take a tape measure and measure DIAGONALLY. If those two measurements are the same or at least VERY close, your quilt top is square.

DH uses this method in woodworking. I am constantly surprised at the similarities of techniques in working with wood and fabric.

I square up each block before sewing them together. I used to try to square up the whole thing but, like you, found it hard to do, and I decided it wasn't worth it. I trim off the extra backing and batting as straight as I can, and then sew on the binding.

I've also noticed on smaller things, like on some cat pads I've made that get washed often, that they shrink unevenly. I prewash the fabric, but still after many washings they'll frequently end up looking uneven. I'll walk by them and think to myself, "Good thing I spent all that time getting the edges straight and the corners square!" I don't wash my quilts very often and haven't seen them get off, but seeing the pads warp has made me worry about it less, because I figure over time they're going to become off a bit anyway.

I square everything. In my mind, the journey from start to finish of making a quilt is a long one. Why would I settle for imperfection at the end? Of course, here's a helpful tip: Square each block as you're making them. When you've sewn them all together, there's a pretty good chance your quilt will reflect all that painstaking care you've given it in the process. Time, money, effort? Try to finish strong!

No, I don't. I've learned that when I square a quilt, it is smaller when I'm done and still not square. However, i do check to make sure I don't have a lot of fluting in a large quilt, because that is Heck to quilt.

This is exactly what I saw happened many time: a perfectly squared quilt ending up not that square after a few washing. So I'm less motivated to spend hours to have a queen size quilt perfectly square... For now, I align it on a wall of the kids playroom, square the corners and just eyeball the rest. Of course, there is no quilt police, but I was wondering if I was the only one to work like this ;)

I 'sorta' do as Stichnripper.... I quilt for fun, friends, and Quilt for Kids, and not show quilts. Always square up corners and then connect the squared corners. Works for me.

I've learned the hard way that I really have to square up the units and then blocks as I go along, which really helps once the whole quilt is together. then I measure and if within 1/4" i'm good to go--once I quilt it and trim I will check to make sure not weird, but usually it's in almost perfect square. I will block wallhangings and any quilt for shows, otherwise if it's a bed quilt it won't matter!

I agree! My quilts are for family & friends. Yes I do sell some a Christmas craft shows but they are all lap or sofa throws & kid quilts. If they are off, so be it. I want them used not saved.