help with answer about block measurement
 

We are having a discussion in our little quilting group about making blocks and having a block exchange. We seem to disagree on the measurement to use and I figured that if anyone could help, it would be you ladies (and guys) here. When we talk about "finished " block size, do we mean the size that the block will measure when included within the quilt? And when we are talking about our plain, raw edge squares, would that be our finished measurement plus the 1/2" for seam allowances? We are probably going to do 12" squares and so we have some ladies who believe that the squares should measure that when they are exchanged and some that think it means 12" when in the finished quilt. Thanks so much in advance for your great advice.

And as long as we are asking questions, how do you get your title to be in bold print when it shows up on the main page? This "new" site is still getting the best of me.

When you're talking "finished size" --- in this case 12" -- that means when the quilt is all done, the quilt block will be 12" -- in order to get to that size --- the block before it is stitched to the sashing is 12 1/2" on all sides.

You could define it either way you want - it's your block exchange - but you will have a tough time finding any directions for a 12" unfinished block, which would be 11.5" finished. You could draft one, but the patch sizes would probably be strange. For example, if you wanted a simple 9 patch to wind up as 11.5" finished, your patches would each measure 4.3333333 inches. That's just not as easy as making 4.5" patches!

Definitely define it both ways. Unfinished and finished. I have been in groups where both measurements were given and explained and still some don't 'get it' and submit blocks the wrong size.

Unfinished = the actual individual block size before it is put int the quilt and includes the 1/4" seam allowances all around it.

Finished = the size of the block once it is sewn into the quilt - where the seam allowances don't show - and where you want any points to end so as not to be in the seam allowances.

ali

Ditto to what everyone has already said. Try to explain it to the ladies using the 3 replies above.

ask the Hostess or Host of the block swap. what ever he or she says goes. finished size is without seam allowance but it pays to check.