I'm working on a quilt top that will grow into a 22 1/2" block. How do you square a block that big? There is a middle block of 12 1/2" which I can square and then smaller blocks around that one which have all been squared up but once I get all those together and it grows to the 22 1/2" size, I have no clue what to do. This is my first big quilt and, of course, I picked a very involved one. Thanks in advance for any help you might offer.

Can you butt two rulers up against each other?

If you have squared all the smaller blocks that make up the bigger block, just make sure to use an accurate seam allowance and it should be square. Like Raggiemom said, you can butt two rulers together, or just check with one ruler that it is the right width. Don't stress too much!

ditto :-)

Thank you. I was hoping that was the case. I've squared up all the small blocks and the 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" so hopefully it will all work out. I'm doing all the piecing by hand and I've learned a lot.......never again. Next I will hand quilt it so hope that goes well. Future quilts will be machine pieced and hand quilted.

You can also pick a seam and square up from it, turn 180 degrees and square the other side.

If there is a 12" block in the center, you can use the seam lines attached to it to square from.

Another way to square large blocks is to press them into quarters. This doesn't work very well if there are a lot of seams but will do fine for most other blocks.

You shouldn't have a problem with it being square since you already squares all the individual pieces. Just butt up your seams as you sew everything together, and make sure all the edges, corners and seams are straight. When it's all together, fold in half and match up the corners exactly. Pick it up and it should just fall right in half smoothly. If not, use a large square ruler to square up the 4 corners individually. Then it will be square!! :-)

Thank you all so much. I knew I could find help here.