You might want to take a look at this.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/links-r...g-t243146.html

When I have seams that need to match up I use a little dab of Elmer's Glue on the seam. This alleviates the pins and my seams match up.

I found "fork pins". They are pricey, but, I can sew right up to them & pull them out. Perfect every time. They are by Clover & I got them on Amazon. Well worth the price!

I've used Elmer's Washable glue when matching seams and it works very well. But it means (for me at least) standing at the ironing board, applying the dot of glue, ironing it dry, and moving on to the next seam. If I can match them by pinning I don't bother with the glue. But you seem to be having problems with the pinning so you might try the glue. Just make sure the seams really match, though, because pulling the glued seam apart is not fun, either.

I am a Virgo and therefore a perfectionist by nature, so I understand where you are coming from. That said, I quilt because I love it, and I have learned over the years that nobody is perfect, so I give myself some slack on being "perfect". Pressing seams to one side on one row and the opposite in the next row usually gives me good results. I haven't tried it, but I saw a quilting tutorial where a pin was placed straight up, making sure it went 1/4" on both sides, then pins placed on either side to stabilize the piecing and that seemed to work. The Amish deliberately leave a mistake in their quilts, as only God is perfect. Fortunately for me, I never have to deliberately leave a mistake. LOL. Just be patient with yourself, perhaps basting just the place where pieces come together, then checking and if all is well, sew with a regular stitch.

NJ Quilter that is exactly the same way I do it, I never seemed to be able to nest my seams when pressing to one side,open seams are great when you have points of a star coming together.

This is how do it.

I am neither expert nor perfectionist but here goes. I have a lot of trouble matching seams on my rag quilt. They're so bulky. I saw on SWN a tip she Gave. In addition to pinning on either side of the seam and nesting try a u shaped pin (tidy pin) for both sides of the seam with the same pin. They're inexpensive from WM or JF. Pinning either side worked pretty well on the last rag quilt I made but I'm going to try the tidy pins next time.

I am going to side with the "try not to be a perfectionist" group here. If you keep that up, you take the fun out of what your doing, and when you do that, you just keep more mistakes, and then pretty soon, you have put what ever your working on over in the UFO pile. Making quilts is supposed to be relaxing, fun, enjoyment, etc... try the suggestions above and they are sure to work, but don't fret if one is not perfect : )

Double check your blocks to insure they are all the correct size. This will definitely help when lining up blocks and rows.

have you tried sticking a straight pin thru the top seam into the bottom seam, checking to be certain they line up, sew, remove the pin at the last second and continue sewing? the pin goes directly thru the seams. this has done wonders for me. I learned it here on the board and it was a fantastic tip!

I was having a lot of trouble with this, and got a good answer from someone here, so here goes: Line the seams up, then make a big 'x' with basting thread to hold it until sewn. Works for me! Good luck.
Mariah

totally agree!!

I use Elmer's washable glue stick just like this but I do not pin. I tried just the washable liquid glue but didn't have the same results. I didn't want to wait for it to dry...too impatient. No waiting with the glue stick.

Have fun with your quilting is my motto.

I get so much satisfaction when seams meld perfectly that I'm going to try for that every time!

One thing not mentioned so far is to try a different foot. I was getting mismatched seams every time with my original foot so I got a walking foot, but that made it harder to keep an even seam allowance. Then I tried a different 1/4" foot, and that has helped the most, both for even allowances and matched seams; it doesn't push the top fabric more than the bottom, which my first foot did, so pinned junctions now match way more often than not, whether pressed open or to one side.

I nest the seams and if that fails I put a tiny dot of Elmer's Washable School Glue at the seam. Set iron on place where I put the glue .....open fabric to see if seams match. If not, pull apart and try again. If it does match, stitch it. Glue will wash out.

Some people starch the fabric before cutting and then they don't distort as easily. I press to one side or the other, I think it supports the fabric better.

Dunster said it all.

Bingo, Dunster!. I had to give up perfect seam matches if I meant to keep making quilt tops and since none of them are going to win any prizes, as long as the seams are in the neighborhood, I don't worry about it. froggyintexas

I took quilt classes 30 years ago and the instructor said to press the seams open. To align the seams when connecting blocks was to stick a pin in the first square right at the quarter inch from the edge then into the 2nd block. (Do not pin it in just stick it through the 2 blocks) Keep the pin straight up an down. With a 2nd pin, pin the 2 blocks together, but place the pin just in front of the 1st pin, You will use a 3rd pin which is used to pin a short distance after the 1st pin. As you sew, sew right up to the first pin, stop, take out the 1st pin, sew up to the 2nd pin and so on. This system has never failed me. I still use it today. Good Luck

Go to Craftsy.com, click on the 2012 block of the month free class. This is where I learned to line up my seams. Works every time to get the perfect line. It is all in the ironing of the seams to one side and the opposite pressed to the other side. Then you nest them together and pen. I have found that you tube can be helpful in learning something new. I watch you tube all the time for quilting, crochet and knitting.

The day I discovered fork pins was a very good day for me! I swear by them! Like Deb said, nest the seams together and one fork pin will pin each side of the seam, keeping them from moving.

I, too like for those seams to line up perfectly. I do not press my seams open but if I did, I would line up the seams and stick a pin through the seam with pin going down the seam. I would sew just to the pin before removing it. I think you would have less slippage that way.