Help squaring up a bordered block.
 

I have been trying with no success to cut down my 7 inch blocks to 6 ½ inches. I must be using my ruler incorrectly. The borders are not even but the block is a perfect 6 ½ inches! The borders were even at first. Center block is five inches.Can someone please give me step by step instructions so that all borders are the same width... THANK YOU. I have googled it but I am doing something wrong and cannot put my finger on it.... (I don't want to cut ½ inch off each side because they need to be squared up. some are not quite exactly square...)
MA




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You are sure the center block is 5 inches square. So the borders are off - you need to make them match each side, so I would measure each side, find the smallest, then cut down the other sides to match the smallest side. (However, this will not guarantee you a 6 1/2 inch square.) My guess is your seams are not equal. So you could always take then off and try again before cutting anything.

When you go to square up the block, place your square ruler (a 6.5" sq works nicely without getting in your way) so that the 45 degree angle line is running from top R to bottom L--centered through your blue name fabric. it should be placed so that you have 5" block in center with the extra 3/4" showing top, bottom, both sides. That should give you the 6.5" squared up block.

Looks like you didn't use the 45 degree angle through the center and instead measured the 6.5"?

I'm guessing you don't have a 6.5" ruler.

If your block is 7" square, you need to cut 1/2" off in each direction. To do this evenly, since your borders are already even, just cut 1/4" off all 4 sides.

If your block is not already square, but your center is 5" square, then you need to make each border strip 3/4" wide. (5+3/4+3/4=6 1/2"). Lay your ruler so that the 3/4" mark is against the inner side of the border and cut along the edge of the ruler. Do this on all 4 sides.

If your center is not perfectly square, then you have to decide whether it would look okay with the borders uneven, since that is the only way to square up the block without taking off one or all of the borders.

When squaring blocks, I start with a middle seam and measure out equally on all 4 sides. Particularly with HST's. I would think that this process would work with your blocks as well. I would place the 45 degree line on my ruler to line up with the 2 points of your blue strip in the middle and measure from there. You'll need to rotate your blocks but then they should be even on all sides. Make sure your press everything well before starting.

If your center is not perfectly square, then you have to decide whether it would look okay with the borders uneven, since that is the only way to square up the block without taking off one or all of the borders.[/QUOTE]

The reason I added the borders was due to the fact that my five inch squares were not all five inches. Many were off but not that much. So I decided to add the 1 ½ inch borders with the intent to cut the blocks down so they would all be exactly the same size. I realize that some of the borders will not be even but it shouldn't be by very much. It is more forgiving to add these borders. I am still practicing on my scraps before tackling the quilt.I know this will work out but for some reason i have a "sewing concept block". I am not doing it correctly. I will go to my sewing room in the morning to try again.. LOL.

I think you might make life easier for yourself if you trimmed all your "centers" to all the same size.

Then if you decided to add borders to each center to make the units bigger, you could use the same size strips for all the units (assuming your seams are consistent) to get uniform sized blocks.

[QUOTE=marand;7575333]I have been trying with no success to cut down my 7 inch blocks to 6 ½ inches. I must be using my ruler incorrectly. The borders are not even but the block is a perfect 6 ½ inches! The borders were even at first. Center block is five inches.Can someone please give me step by step instructions so that all borders are the same width... THANK YOU. I have googled it but I am doing something wrong and cannot put my finger on it.... (I don't want to cut ½ inch off each side because they need to be squared up. some are not quite exactly square...)
MA


Hi there, I just googled " how to square up uneven quilt blocks". and found a few you tube videos that might help you. Sorry I'm out camping and not sure how to post a link on this, but you should be able to find a few. Sometimes watching it will give you the answer, it is hard to explain in words.