Yep, I'm a squarer upper also.

Zyngawf - I've just finished a Milky Way-type top (which is similar to a Snail Trail) and was very careful to measure and square up each unit before I put them together into blocks. It sure does help, as others have said, to spend the time as you go along!
Shayla - I, too, found myself cutting 4" squares for 3" HSTs, then trimming. However, I did cut some at 3 7/8" and didn't have to trim. Sometimes I think it depended on my mood :-). Whatever works, eh?!

Happy quilting, Everyone!

Anne P - Seattle

I've really only had this problem with this snails trail one and I think its a triangle thing and you have to be a lot more careful even it you measure accurately. The triangles aren't as friendly as the squares. But, like I said before I'm new and it's my first ever triaglish experience. I can't toss out all the imperfects because it would be half of my quilt top.

I do not square my blocks unless it is part of some shortcut process. Squaring often results in ruined points, where fudging would have kept them perfect. If my block is more than 1/4 inch out of size, I remake the block or make another and use the odd sized block in an orphan block quilt. For my orphan block quilt, I add extra sashing, and then square it. People don't notice that the sashing is slightly different sizes when all the blocks are different anyway.

I do not square my blocks unless it is part of some shortcut process. Squaring often results in ruined points, where fudging would have kept them perfect. If my block is more than 1/4 inch out of size, I remake the block or make another and use the odd sized block in an orphan block quilt. For my orphan block quilt, I add extra sashing, and then square it. People don't notice that the sashing is slightly different sizes when all the blocks are different anyway.

If you are reasonably accurate in the first place, there is no need to square up blocks.

I usually square mine for the most part!!!

Sure do and I square my quilts. I'm going to all that trouble to have wavy designs. If I sqare my blocks then they all match up and look better and I have less squaring to do with my quilt.