The most basic of questions
 

Hello,

I have quilted, on and off, for about 30 years. You would think at this point I'd have certain basic things down, but no.

This weekend I started a quilt for my grandson who will be here in June. :) I picked a simple cornerstone and sashing pattern since it had been awhile since I've done any quilting. I bought a stack of 5" squares online, and proceeded to cut 5" by 1.5" strips, and 1.5" squares for the sashiing and cornerstones.

Here's the problem: No matter how I cut and sew the pieces, I can't get the pieces to come out the right size. The cornerstones, which should be exactly one inch after sewing 1/4 inch seam, always come out just shy of an inch, same thing with the sashings. I have tried my 1/4 inch foot, regular foot, and no matter what I do, I can't get the pieces to line up! It's very frustrating and I think I know now why I go so long without quilting. The squares are exactly 1.5", the seams are exactly 1/4", yet the squares are smaller than an inch!! The math should add up but yet it doesn't.

Short of hand piecing everything, which I don't have the time to do, any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks,

Karen

I don't know what to say because I'm experiencing the same problem. I'm working on a quilt with rather small pieces like yours. I am being so accurate and precise in everything I do. And seams just aren't matching up, points are disappearing.
I too have been sewing all my life and quilting about 13 years. You'd think by now I could handle the challenge. Mostly I sew quilts for kids. I have always tried to do my best on them. And for some unknown reason things match up on those.
It is terribly frustrating to the point I'm ready to put this project in the trash. I just keep asking myself "why are you doing this?"
So if anyone out there can help the both of us, please chime in.

SVAL

your seam can be exactly 1/4" but it can be smaller because of the size of the thread. if the thread is thick-ish and you fold over your fabric, space is taken up by the thread. make sense? you could try using a finer thread and/or sew a scant 1/4". practice with 3 1.5" strips sewn together. sew and press as usual. then measure the center strip... it should be exactly 1". some machines have the capability of moving the needle over a little. good luck for a successful finish. And welcome to the QB.

What weight thread would you recommend? I use the 50 weight from Connecting Threads. I have the needle moved over to the right enough to make a nice scant quarter inch. I am trying to be so precise and accurate, sewing slower, etc. So when it doesn't come out right, it ceases to be fun.
I have been wondering about which foot is best for accuracy. I have opted for one of the walking feet because it allows for the fabric edge to be on the feed dogs. And also a nice scant seam allowance. But is a big foot. As the quilt block progresses I find I like a walking foot when I'm joining over seams.
I've always heard practice makes perfect. But I've been practicing a really long time. And sometimes feel I can't sew a straight seam. UGH

Welcome to the board! I always feel that 1" or 1 1/2" squares take on a life of their own - so easily stretched! My avatar quilt has strips of 1 1/4" nine patches (3/4" finished). All I'm saying is that if I hadn't disciplined myself to do them first, the quilt would never have been made........ Don't look too close ;)

Okay, as a relatively newbie (only my 5th year of quilting), I had the same issue. And yes, the thread can make a significant difference as you make more blocks. So, I sew sample piece putting my fabric on the 1/4" line on my my machine using the fabric and the thread that I intend to use. I sew it and iron it (both kinds of seams to one side and open depending on the pattern I am going to use) and then I measure to see how much I am going to have to adjust the seam size. I have found when the thread is thicker and sometimes the thickness of the fabric, an adjustment needs to be made. So, I measure from the inside edge of the thread to the outside of my seam and if the seam is larger, I try again until, I get an exact 1/4" from the inside edge of the thread and the outside of the seam. Then I put a piece of painters tape, the seam allowance attachment with the screw tight (older machines), or any of the new seam allowance attachments that will keep my seam exactly at 1/4" and making sure that little seam doesn't get away from me at the very end when it tries to make a smaller seam. Steady as it goes. I am getting better at this quilting thingy as I learn from all these great people on the Quilting Board!!!!!!!

Welcome from NJ.

You could also try pressing your seams open vs to one side. I find my blocks lie flatter and things fit together better pressing open. I don't generally deal with pieces that small but it may help. And yes, the math says it should work out but it seems that the elusive 'scant' 1/4" seam is what is needed due to, as QuiltnNan says, thread taking up some of that seam allowance.

Good luck.

Also, do you set your seams before you press? With such small pieces, all these things together can add up to throw you off just a wee bit.

Try glue basting the whole blocks together. This helps me find the problem when my block sews up too small. I found most of my problem is in the pressing of the seams. Connecting Threads cotton is 50 wt 3ply. That is too thick for top and bobbin for piecing. Try a thinner thread in the bobbin. I like Connecting Threads Pro on the cone. It's 70 wt and strong.

When you measure, you should NOT be measuring the seam. Cut 3 strips 1 1/2 inch x 3 1/2 inch. Sew the long sides together. Press the seams to the side. Now, from the right side, measure the center strip. It should measure 1 inch - from seam to seam on the FRONT. If it does not then you need to adjust your seam allowance (even if the seam itself measures EXACTLY 1/4 inch). In the end it really doesn't matter what the seam allowance is. The only thing that matters is the size of the piece after it is sewn.

I agree with the advice already given and I just wanted to say hang in there! You're not going to be defeated by some thread and a piece of fabric!!

OK. It has been my belief that it is the tiny bump that happens when pressing the seam to one side. But I don't press my seams open because that can cause another can of worms. I cut on the line just above the line thickness on the ruler and that solves the problem for me. If you are consistently just a tiny bit smaller, then don't worry, I would just piece the quilt as is. Does this quilt need to have a specific measurements? Then add the difference to the border. It is not going to be that great of a difference as long as your seams are ALL consistent.

The term '1/4 inch' seam is both a misnomer & a moving target. It's misnamed because you don't measure the seam, you measure the resultant patch. Here's a good way to check:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ce-t89997.html
It's a moving target because different fabric and thread combos can make the seam placement different on different projects. Some folks are lucky with their 1/4" foot because it is positioned correctly for their fabric & thread choices. I have to move my needle position to get the seam where it needs to be, and if I use different thread or fabric, I recheck at the start of the project and adjust the needle position if needed. It only takes a couple minutes. Once you figure out where the seam should be, you may find that the foot guide isn't going to work, or your machine has a fixed needle position then you need to use a piece of tape or magnetic guide to create the correct seam.

QuiltnNan, your reply was right in. Just want to add a few comments. I have sewn for years but have found the patchwork foot WITH GUIDE to be very helpful. I have one machine (Pfaff Passport) which is my designated piecing machine. The seams are perfect width. I also have a Bernina. It is so frustrating because I have to move the needle to get the perfect 1/4" seam. I use this machine for FMQ and embroidery.

I have been quilting since 1992 and have yet to achieve the quarter inch seam. I figure if one block is off a bit, they all will be. I just keep sewing.

I also do as ManiacQuilter2 after hear Bonnie Hunter suggest as well. Instead of cutting with my fabric exactly on the measurement, I give myself a couple of extra threads of fabric by lining up with the outside edge of the measurement line.

You are getting a lot of great advice here. I had the same frustration. I now use a 50wt thread on top and 60 wt on the bottom to piece, both by Superior Thread which isn't necessarily relevant, and also cut my fabric allowing an extra thread on the fabric edge if my finished pieces aren't coming out 100% true to size. I use my 1/4 " foot as a guide, but move my needle position and stitch a test square as advised previously and check the end result to make sure I'm getting the finished product the size I'm looking for. That is the only way to check whether or not your seams are accurate. I am happy to say my piecing accuracy has improved 100% since making these changes.

Are you pressing with steam after you sew and before you measure? I've had some amazing shrinking doing that.

Kitsie has a good point. If you don't prewash/preshrink fabric and use steam or starch, your fabrics could be shrinking.

Here is Judy Martin's method... of testing/setting your seam allowance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JH9QdMHjnug

As long as the piecing is consistent throughout the quilt the seams will match and it should be fine. Te scant loss of the full inch is because of the fold in the seam. That is also why people sew with a scant 1/4" seam allowance to compensate for that little amount.
peace

Here's what I did to reestablish how to get a 1/4" seam when I started quilting again after a many year break. I cut 4 pieces 1.5" by 4", then I sewed them together, pressed them and measured the full width of the resulting piece, which should be 4.5" exactly. Then I cut 4 more and did it again, adjusting for whether I was under or over. I did this several times until I knew exactly where the right spot was on my machine and foot.

It can be hard to tell if you are slightly off with only one seam, but when you multiply that you multiply any problems and it's easier to tell if you are off a bit.

When I was working on a quilt last summer that included various blocks with 1 inch pieces that were to end up 3 and 1/2 squares, I finally found that if I used spray starch on the fabric before I cut the small pieces and spray starched each time I pressed each step of the construction of each block I had much better results. This after much seam ripping and frustration. Finally, I remembered reading on this board somewhere about "starching until the fabric felt like paper." So that is what I did and it worked for that project. Not really needed for every project. I use Aurifil thread for piecing and FMQ, if that helps. I think it is 50 weight. Good luck with your quilt!

Are your 5- inch squares actually five inches square?

When I cut my own squares with a ruler - they are actually a smidge larger than the measurement bcause of the distsnce between the ruler edge and the cutting line of the rotary blade. It is a very small amount - but it is still a tiny bit larger than 5x5.

Lots of good advice but I would advise against open seams. They are a disaster waiting to happen when trying to line up seams. If you think through the project and iron your seams the correct way, all your folded over seams will lock against each other when you are sewing two adjacent rows together. The method of locking seams as you sew even works with slight discrepancies in block width when you are sewing. You can get the hang of locking the upper and lower fabric together and find out how to make your sewing machine feet even out the fabric as you sew down a line of connections. Much easier to show in person than describe here.

Wow! Thanks to everyone for the great advice. I almost didn't post this because I felt kind of stupid but now I see that this more common than I thought.

I will try your ideas and I'm sure that with practice I will be able to get this figured out.

I don't worry about the scant seam. If all the blocks are pieced using the same thread and the same machine, isn't it all relative? We used to say it's all relative in hand grenades and hang nails. So, if everything is off by the tiniest bit, won't the blocks still fit together? I'd go nuts trying to make every single seam exact. It just isn't in me!!!

I have found when sewing small blocks, using a microtech needle will also help. Good pressing and needle adjustment should do it. Good Luck!!

exactly my feelings - don't get hung up on actual size of seam allowance the finished size Is what is important - no one sees the seam allowance once the quilt is finished, but they do see the finished size of the blocks

Welcome to the best Quilting Forum on the 'net. Every quilt I make presents this problem. I try so hard to be accurate in my measuring and cutting and still I can end up "off." I've started lightly starching my fabric before cutting and that has helped so much and I take time to check myself as I go along with each block. Fellow member, lakekids, really gets it when she states "The only thing that matters is the size of the piece after its sewn."

Not exactly true. If you are sewing pieces together that need to come out a certain size to fit a piece that is already cut, as in 3 little blocks sewn together and the then joined to one long rectangle. If your piecing isn't accurate they won't match.

The Connecting Threads Essentials is cotton and the Essentials Pro is Polyester. Does that make a difference on the finished quilt if you are using the different types of thread for your project? I have only used the Essentials for piecing and quilting for both the top and bottom threads. I love the thread from Connecting Threads; it works very well in my machine.

My Juki TL98QE has a compensating foot that will also fit on my Baby Lock Jane. I use it to get a consistent seam. I make up a lot of my patterns and don't need a real 1/4" seam. The seams are whatever they are, usually 1/4". If I need the quilt to be a certain size I just add borders. Consistency is the real important part. Being careful to have the pieces next to the immovable part of the foot will keep them right.
Remember we are our worst critics. Up close is the easiest way to see the mistakes.
By the way, Welcome to this wonderful board. There are no dumb questions and most people on this board are willing to help and give advice. Most of us have had the same problems everyone has/had.

Go to a 50 or 60 wt thread. Bottom line or SewFine works. Also...don't do a full 1/4" seam...set the needle just shy of 1/4". If the cornerstones are slightly large..trim them down. Another thing I saw on youtube...you want to include the black/color ruler marks when cutting the strips/blocks. I used to center on the ruler lines...Then realized that by including them...it works!
Marge

This was going to be my question also. We've had quite a few posts on this site about how manufacturers measure their precut strips. This could also be true with precut squares. Some mfgr. measure from in the valley of one side of a "pinked" edge to the point on the other side.

Don't automatically assume that the problem is in your sewing!

If you take (3) 2and a half inch blocks and sew them together..you should end up with an exact 6 and 1/2 inches....you should be able to iron, then measure them....this will tell you if your 1/4 inch guide is off(needle position, moleskin, foot) whatever you use to get your 1/4 "...if it's off, then investigate that.
But.....when making the same blocks on the same machine, even if it is off, they should all come together well because even 1/4" plus a "tad" will translate out to everything, and it should come together fine.
In your situation, if it was me...I would just accept it and go row by row and get them lined up...it is just sashing, and a tad off will never be noticed by anyone but you!

Could it be your cutting which is slightly off? By cutting with the rotary cutter at 90* to the fabric you cut stripes slightly wider. Also the location of the 1.5 line on the ruler in relation to the fabric edge will also make a difference.
Position ruler exactly on the edge and use the rotary cutter at 45* angle to the fabric.
measure the stripes and squares and see if the begin the same size prior to sewing.
this was something I did wrong for ages and it made stripes a whisker. Larger each time.

Be sure you are setting the seam before pressing to one side. This may make the difference as the thread is being pressed into the fabric first. Then consider adjusting the size of the cut piece or the size of the seam. It's the finished product that counts and nobody will see the underside.

As to the disappearing points, I prefer to make blocks a little bigger and trim to size--and again, nobody sees the underside so you can fudge a bit to make it happen.

I try never to deal with 1.5" squares. If I need a 1.5" sashing block, I sew a 1.5" strip to the sashing fabric and then I
sub-cut that to make a sashing with the sashing block attached.
However, that doesn't help if you have already cut all your 1.5" squares. One possibility is to buy 1/4" wonder-under
or steam-a-seam lite and use that to attach your squares to your sashes.
I am sorry that you are feeling so unhappy with quilting but I find that problems such as yours are most likely to arise
when sewing under the pressure of a deadline.
GOOD LUCK!
JUDY

I was thinking the same thing. If you don't prewash, those tiny pieces could be shrinking when you press them. Personally, I find if the thread is the same in the top and bottom I usually don't have a problem. Maybe if we knew what pattern you were making it would help.