It makes it so much easier to square up the total project if you square each block as you go along.

I need help in squaring up this wall hanging that measures 25 X30. I am measuring 1/4 to 1/2 inch off. Seeing that I am making the same border as the sashing strips, can I oversize the border and then square it up so that it will look straight on the wall? The wall hanging is of 9 different sized pictures with sashing only. (3 across and 3 down). I thought it was going to be a simple project but quite the contrary. Any suggestions?

Is there any way you can figure out where in the mix the original overage/shortage occurred? Then you may only have to fix one section to make it come out even.

Most definitely. Nothing more frustrating than trying to nudge blocks to make them line up.

Oh yes.... I press and square up each step. It prevents unwanted surprises when I go to put the pieces together and the finished top is the size and shape it's supposed to be.

YES! It makes your life so much easier when you go to join them together.

As a new quilter, my second quilt was a bom with MANY pieces, I found out the hard way and almost at the end, that it makes a big difference when piecing like that to square up as you go!

Yep, I do. It makes the finished product so much nicer. I look it as just another step in the process. I also pin each seam and intersection when before I sew, and press each seam after. I love the crisp look, and when all my seams match up . My attitude is:" Why rush through it? Enjoy the process." Besides quilting isn't an inexpensive hobby, I want all my quilts to be the best I can make them.

What does losing any points mean? I would think if making a little larger, than trimming to correct unfinished size would/could jeopardize those "points" which are supposed to have 1/4"in front of them to allow for the next seam, if those are the points referred to.

Always square up my blocks. It makes the whole quilt turn out better.

I am ripping out this morning. The first row is 1/2 bigger than the second row, the second row is 1/4 inch bigger than the third row. I am going to rip, rip, rip and start all over again.

:D :D That's often my problem - I need to trim bigger. I always struggle with the 1/4 inch seam so, if there are lots of pieces in the block, I usually make the outer pieces a smidge larger and then I square up to the finished size. The first HST quilt I ever made I just snipped the ears off the blocks - I didn't know any better. Live and learn. :)

You are right, however it doesn't always work for me. So I square up and check each piece as two are sewn together. Usually just off a thread or two. So much easier than waiting until the end.

I always trim to right size as though I try very hard to do everything perfect. I have not achieved perfection yet. Even after over 100 quilts. Doubt I ever make it but, I still try.
Trimming as I go makes squaring up the finished quilt center unnecessary.

Yes, I square up all through the quilting process. When my quilts go to the quilter everything is squared up.

Geri: I am currently making the Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt. It has a zillion triangle within a square pieces. I put my ruler at the top where the point is, trimming enough to even the edge without cutting off the 1/4 inch. It really does depend on the shape you are piecing but if you start your squaring off at the point side you can always allow for that seam allowance.

Yes I usually do.

I do square up my blocks as I go, as they then sew together so much easier.

Always, it makes life so much easier when you go to put it all together.

After learning the hard way that the little bit of time involved squaring the blocks, I square everything as I go!! It makes a difference in the long run. Mariah

Yes, I do and if you do, your quilt will look so much better and go together really well. I can't imagine trying to fit a block that is 7 5/8" to a block that is 8".

I'm doing the Bonnie mystery quilt too. How do you keep the small side triangle ruler from slipping? I'm having a heck of a time keeping it still. Even put tape on back & I still get slipping. Aghhhhhhh!!! Cutting is NOT my thing. I just like to sew blocks. Unfortunately you have to do one without the other unless you buy precuts and that doesn't work on a 'mystery'. BTW I've never made a quilt using triangles before. I'm really out of my comfort zone. I did check my blocks and only had to square up 4 - rest were spot on. Now - how did that happen?

I have a 12 1/2" square ruler that works for most of my quilt blocks. As I make each portion of the block, I make sure it is square, then use the larger square ruler to make sure my block is true. It saves a lot of headaches down the road for a little extra effort, so I'm happy with the results.

I square each section to, it sames a lot of time at the end.

This thread has been interesting to me. I am self taught and sometimes come up with my own ways of doing things. All of my seams line up in my quilts even though I don't square me blocks. Does anyone know what I'm talking about here? However I do have a few where the points aren't perfect. That seems to get better with each quilt I do. If they aren't too bad I put them on the sides of the quilt so they aren't really displayed if the quilt is on a bed. I guess I look for the most perfect ways to make do with imperfect.

Since I started doing so, my quilts have much less wonky spots to hide...lol.

When you are doing a quilt you should square up as you go because if you wait until your done it is exhausting and feels like the end will never come.

Yes, I want the blocks the correct size so that the quilt goes together nicely. Unfortunately, I'm not very good at sewing triangle pieces (think 6" Birds In The Air Blocks) so I usually do paper piecing when I have lots of points to match.

When I made a Bonnie Hunter Crayon Box quilt I was able to keep all blocks the correct size and there were no seams to match up so I did not need to square those blocks up prior to joining to other blocks and the sashing. It was perfect as it came off the machine. Usually, I don't choose patterns with that large of a block (12") and where it doesn't require that seams match. It was kind of fun to not have to fuss over it for a change.

Most of the time I square them up.

Yes, I do, I have rulers for all the common sizes up to 16 inches.

when i was first learning, I didn't and made a whole top for my dgd, thinking that accurate measuring was enough.
I learned a very big lesson on that one. I can't measure enough now.

I always do. Works better if I do. I measure right from the first to make corrections to future blocks if needed. For example, if my first block is not correct, then I make adjustments to my seam line to correct the problem.

I square up each section of the block as I'm piecing...so that when the sections of the block are put together it *should not* need to be trimmed.

If it doesn't measure up, I figure out where the sewing error occurred in putting the block together and FIX IT! Yes, I take it apart :( and restitch :( and end up with a square block!:D

If a block is not kept square throughout the construction of each block, what do you do if there's a 1/4" seam that has to to be there (like in star blocks)? Do you cut off the star tips on star blocks? Do the star tips float away from the seam?

Now if it's a 'free form' type of block (i.e. crumbs, crazy patch), I'll square up at the end of the block.

Nan - IN

It depends. However I find that when i do I'm usually more pleased with the final result.

Misseva: I have four fussy dots on the back of my side triangle. It doesn't slip at all, though it sounds like your doing well even with the problem.

You bet....I would rather find a mistake right away rather than partway through my project.

I'm making a snails trail quilt and have had some of this happen. It is why I started this thread thinking I may need to rethink my not squaring blocks habit. Over all it looks pretty good and I'll finish it. I'm still going to use the excuse that I'm fairly new at this.

It depends on the pattern but for the most part I square up as I go along.

Absolutely!

I do. For many years I've been doing the HST by adding the 7/8" to the finished size, and then sewing that 'scant' 1/4" along both sides of the drawn diagonal line. But, the square always seemed to turn out sort of wonky, and then when set into the overall block, the blocks were always too small. So, now, I add a whole inch to the finished size of the square (so, for a 2" finished HST, I cut 3" squares) -- then I square up ALL 4 sides (I have this nifty little small square that's 2 1/2" - the size I make the most) and now my finished blocks are always Perfect! Which then, of course, makes the entire quilt perfect.