All phases of the construction process are important when sewing the units of the block and it is important to know the kinds of places you have a tendency to deviate from true size seams-like at the end of a seam. Most blocks call for pressing to one side and nesting. You still need pins to get perfect seams. You spoke of stitching rows together. It is especially important to be sure that every junction matches before you sew. If they don't fit 'comfortably' it is best to go back and fix the problem. If you force it to fit it will show on the front and you can't always quilt it away. Starch and washable glue are great tools but they can't substitute for accurate sewing. I do think open seams are more of a challenge and hand basting small areas works well. It takes more time but saves lots of frustration and unsewing.

Get a walking foot for your machine. It will change your life if you have trouble with shifting fabrics.

If one side seems to have a little excess fabric (as in too small a seam), then feed that side thru the machine next to the feed dogs. It will ease in the excess.....same as for bias edges, and it will keep you from stretching the shorter edge to match the longer one. Clear as mud?

I think my first quilt teacher said something like press seams in opposite directions. Nest the seams. Place 1st pin lining up the center of the nest. Place 2nd and 3rd pin on either side. Remove 1st pin. I also use a walking foot.

..this is it, along with pinning to anchor...but, make sure your pins are thin shafted or they will misalign that seam match. As you get more proficient, you won't need to pin those seam intersections, but at the start it helps...then your fingers will become very sensitive to those seams. Don't pull on your fabrics as they are being stitched by the machine, let the machine do the pulling.....and the most important......make sure your seams are consistently the same....carelessness in piecing can make joining those seams more difficult than it should be. Having said that...they will look perfect as you ride by three feet away on a galloping horse!

In Addition to all the great hints here, I chain my blocks. Sew Row 1 block 1 to row 1 block 2. Then chain row 2 block 1 to row 2 block 2 ,,,all the way to the end. Then I chain all the block 3's to the 2 blocks, then all the block 4's, etc. you end up with a chained top it is now easy to see which way to press the rows. Plus you can check that all is in order! I will try to find some pictures.

No one has mentioned using fork pins. I have always pressed to one side and nested the seams, but had problems with the slipping and not matching. I came across fork pins at a LQS and have been very pleased with the results. Fork pins are very fine and are like having two pins in one. Nest the seams and place one side of the pin on one side of the seam and the other side of the pin on the other side of the seam. You only have to pin once and no more slippage. These are one of my "can't do without" notions.

Hi Dunster! I like your style! LOL

I use the glue stick, also, and have never, ever had such perfectly aligned seams. I run a line of glue stick, line them up..then I flip back one piece at where the 1/4" would be(approximately)..if it's good, I pinch them together to set it. If not, the glue is damp and easy to slide the seams around. I never bother to pin anymore.

I do it like PaperPrincess. I just finished piecing this - no pins, but the squares are only 2 1/2" each. My seam ripper and I are BFF and that helps. :)
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