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