How do u make a quilt squar? Mine always turn out like a triangle. If any one can help please send me a message. Please help!!!

Are you putting your squares on point? Then you make 2 triangles and sew together to make your rectangle.

no Iv only made a few quilts that are squares and they didn't look good. but i will try that thanks. and what is a point? is it the point of the square or is it something compleatly different?

Do you mean an entire quilt? Or a quilt block? Is there a specific pattern you are trying to make?

the entire quilt is not square and I don't know what Im doing wrong. can u hlp?

Hi Madequilter, I am in our NW Las Vegas home now, don't know where you are located. If you are near I'm certainly happy to meet and help you in any way I can. Hope to hear from you. Kathy

My squares are pretty good but I can't cut a strait line to save my sole.

Sorry Kathy Im up North about 2 hours from Reno wish i was closer it would take me all night to get there thank you though any thing u can sugest on line?

and I can't spell very well eather.

Like the experts on this board always say : accuracy is everything in quilting. It starts with accurate cutting : measure twice, cut once. Then accurate 1/4 inch seams: practice and measure after you practice. Press your seams pretty much as you go. Measure each block as you finish it, and square it up if you need to.

Tedious? Yes, but if you take your time and practice these things with your first few quilts, it'll become second nature to you.

And, remember, have FUN!

can you show a picture of your quilt? Then maybe it would be easier to know how to help.

thank I will practice and I always have fun. I am trying to teach my daughter to quilt and if I can't do a square then how will she.

one side is always straight and the other is alway off by a few inches. my camra is not working and my computer is slow. I will try it may take a while.

this is as good as it gets.

Your quilt is very pretty, maybe you just need to practice cutting and sewing squares with scrap pieces. Don't give up! I am mostly self-taught and the first book I bought was Singer's 'The Quilter's Bible". It had everything I needed to know in there to get started and was easy to follow. Maybe you could get a beginner quilt book to use as a guide. Just a thought. Carol

I think cutting accurately may be the place that you might want to begin practicing. What are you using to cut your squares?

Accurate cutting is step #1 & cutting on the straight of grain for square blocks. Then you have to be able to sew a straight line & make all your seams the same 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", whatever--as long as it's the same on every block. Pressing seams so they alternate helps lock your patches, blocks, & rows together and that locking helps keep everything square.

Starch &/or good quality fabric will help keep things square also but if you cut off grain to begin with, the edges will become unstable and distort. If you use good quality fabric & cut it straight, you still have to be able to sew a straight seam.

Don't feel bad. I threw more blocks in the trash than I kept when I first started. I even tried to fussy cut diamonds for a Tumbling Blocks quilt and it looked like I had sewn B cup bra's together. I even knew about bias from sewing for clothing to drape & give like I want but for some reason I didn't think bias applied to quilt blocks.

I picked up something here that i read that was one of those "Ah~ha moments"

I have a habit of not pinning my borders to the main quilt - afterall, I'm just sewing a straight line!!

But, when i put this last piece on, I'll be making sure that my 2 side pieces are the same length and i'll be pinning the 2 pieces together. Hopefully, the one side won't "grow" when i sew it...

I just use my sisers and my patern peace. I know that I could use a roterey cutter but they just don't work for me they turn out wors then with a patern peace.

I know what u mean I don't pin mine eather and I think that is my problem. But with this one I did and still it grew on one side and shrank on the other I don't know any more but I think I will keep trying and any help is a great thing.

If you're having trouble using your rotary cutter and cutting mat, I strongly urge you to go to your LQS asap and ask them to give you a few tips. That rotary cutter could be your best friend!

ttfn have to cook dinner.

ok what is lqs and where do i find it. only have a walmart in town and that is it.

perhaps your stitch length is too small. too tight for the fabric so it keeps shifting under your foot. do you have a walking/quilting foot or are you using a regular one?
lqs is Local Quilt Store.
anyone give classes near you? if not, try your library for quilting books.

Madequilter-I'm about 4 hours north of Reno, maybe we could pick a spot in the middle and I could help you. If you'd like, send me a PM and maybe all you need is a phone call to explain it. I have unlimited minutes so it wouldn't cost me anything.

If you are using a paper pattern to cut around, are you maybe slicing off a little edge of the paper when you cut? I Used sand paper when I drew my pieces out , or you can cut a piece of stiff cardboard. I would get a straigth edge to start, then I would put the cardbosrd down, draw around it with as ballpoint pen, then lift the cardboard, and line it up perfect with the line I just drew., I would do this all the way across the fabric, then go back to the beginning and start over. I drew them all out bfore I cut any of them. Another thing you can do, make a second square the same exact size, and after yi have them cut out, check your fabric square with this to make sure it is square. When you are sewing, don't pull on your fabric, just guide it toward the needle. You don't want to stretch it. You still made a pretty quilt, and your colors look nice, and your seams seem to be matching pretty good until you get closer to that short side, that's why I wonder about your cutting pattern, and a few of the squares look as if you stretched them to match your seam. I'd suggest you slow down a little, and just try to have everything square and the same size seams and I think you weill do fine. I've been sewing more thasn 55 years, and today I ripped out forty short seams that I didn't get sewn straigh edge to edge, so everyone has bad days, we just have to keep trying to correct them as we go along. If you start getting off, on one, then it just gets worse the more you add. I hope maybe this helps you a little.

I agree that a rotary cutter could be your best friend.

At Walmart they have rotary cutters, cutting mats, rulers, and the "Shape Cut" flexible mat. The Shape Cut has slots in it to guide the cutter. First you cut strips, then you cut the strips into squares.

Here is a link to a Youtube video demonstrating how to use the Shape Cut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pETsJf2nNQE

I'd also suggest trying a smaller quilt to get the feel for accuracy. If I tried a king-size with my limited experience, trying to cut and piece a project that big would've been too much. My first quilt was crib-size (lap throw) and my second one (still in progress) is between crib and twin-size. The bigger the project, the more room for error.

Don't forget the ruler when you use the rotary cutter. That might help.

make sure you cut them square
and your seam allowances need to be consistant, invest in a 1/4 inch foot, I like the one with the edge.

square off blocks before sewing together.
pin row together from center out to each end

measure borders to length of quilt and pin again from center and corners.

hope this helps.

Good point, and once the ruler is aligned, don't let it move as you cut. And use sharp rotary blades.

merrylouw gave you some good points. Each separate square must be as near as possible to the correct measurement. If you are out 1/8 inch over 8 squares your quilt will be out by 1 inch. While 1/8 inch doesn't seem much 1 inch certainly does.
I would encourage you to practice using your rotary cutter. Are you using a quilting ruler with your cutter? I would also suggest a 1/4 inch foot for your machine.
Measure after every line you sew and press. If your seams aren't pressed out properly this can effect your quilt.
You said you don't pin, another thing I would encourage you to do. I line up seams and place a pin on either side. Provided you have it lined up properly before you pin it won't move.
Try measuring your seam allowances. From your photo it seems you have some buckling.
This is a bit of a cliche but practice makes perfect.You said you have fun which is great. Just don't ever give up.

My DF who taught me to quilt taught me to measure down the middle of the quilt for borders as the edges tend to spread with a lot of seams. My quilts always seem to come out pretty square because of doing it this way.

I have ben going to thrift stores to find some new books. I have also got intutch with a friend that quilts to she has ben a big help but my quilt is stell a mistery the one that i posted on the main page.

Maybe you are trying to over "tech" things. My Mother-in-Law is an incredible quilter and many quilts were made by tracing around a cardboard template and cutting with a pair of scissors. Sometimes, we forget that rotary cutting isn't for everyone or every occasion.

You might be having a problem with your sewing machine feeding your fabric unevenly. Have you been starching the pieces before cutting and press after each seam? Squaring up blocks is very important as well. My really important tools are a good square and an iron. I can live without a rotory cutter (I'm sure someone just fell off their chair when they read that). A bamboo skewer, awl, stiletto (or something like that) can help a lot as you feed your fabric. You might not be sewing a consistent seam (1/4 inch is what most patterns call for).

I hope these ideas help.

I have made smaller quilts and they turn out ok but I got this old sewing machine from a thrift store and it works great. It is a little tempermental thogh sorry about the spelling. the sewing machine is a 1971 sears kenmore and it's the best sewing machine that I have ever had.

I do think your problem is coming from not having all your squares cut the same size and also make sure your seams are all 1/4" If both the cutting and sewing are not accurate this can make your quilt off quite a bit..... also when you sew your rows together remember sew one row from top to bottom and then sew the next row on starting from the bottom to the top..... if you don't do that your quilt can also become out of square and looking at your quilt I think that might be your problem........ good luck... keep us posted.

ScrapQuilter

My MIL had a Kenmore until a few months ago. I guess when you're a couple months shy of 90 and make 8-9 queen size quilts a year besides sewing for your 6 kids it might eventually wear out. Those old Kenmores were really solid machines.

I wish I still had my old Singer that I gave away to someone. That was the best little stitcher! Sorry to get off topic, not highjacking!