I've been quilting a good while and didn't used to bother trying to square up anything - but I really don't understand HOW. I broke down and bought small square rulers but I'm doing a 7" block and I'm lost. I know it's a dumb question, but I'm lost and it's costing me quality. Any help out there?

What block are you working on?

Sharon Schamber has some great videos on YouTube that demonstrate blocking. She shows extreme examples, but the same techniques apply for regular blocking. Here's a link to one of her videos. If you do a search on her name, you will find lots of others:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-3RIWhBvcA

Edit: I see you mentioned squaring blocks rather than blocking them. If you are making blocks a specific size and they are a little wonky, blocking is in order.

There are techniqes for making a block bigger and then cutting it down to size; that would be "squaring". There are probably YouTube videos on how to square a block too. Some blocks cannot be cut down to size because you destroy points, etc., and that's when you "block" instead of squaring. Sorry if I have answered a question you weren't asking!

Exactly what Prism said :D:D This is why I was asking what block you are making :wink:

This is a good question!! i don't know really the right way to square up a block either, and I am like you CompulsiveQuilter, I don't bother squaring either, even though I know it would make a huge improvement in my quilting! Thanks for posting it...I'll be interested in the helpful responses as well!

The easiest example I can think of to demonstrate squaring a block is Half Square Triangles that have been speed pieced--where you lay 2 7" squares right sides together and draw a diagonal line on the back side of the lighter one then sew a scant 1/4" away from the line on both sides. Cut on the line and you now have 2 slightly wonky Half Square Triangles so you want to trim them to be the same size--6.5 inches unfinished.

After pressing--not ironing--the blocks and letting them cool a few minutes you lay one on your cutting board and line up your 45 degree diagonal with the line on your ruler while also trying to line up with the 6.5" marks but on this first cut, you're really just making sure you have enough going over the 6.5" marks because you're going to turn it and trim again--squaring up all 4 sides in 2 cuts.

So--you have your block laying on the cutting board with the 45 degree line matched up with the diagonal seam and the left and bottom edges of the block are just over the 6.5" marks on your ruler and the top and right sides are probably about an 1/8th of an inch peeking out from the top and right side of the ruler. You'll trim off the part peeking out. Then move your ruler and turn your block 180 degrees. Lay your ruler back on it matching up the 45 degree line with the seam again and this time your left & bottom edge of the block should exactly be on the 6.5" marks on your ruler before trimming the part that is peeking out from the top & right side of the ruler.

If you are left handed--reverse the right & left directions above.

I thought there was a tutorial on this site for Half Square Triangles so you might look at that also. Squaring up blocks involves finding the exact center of more intricate blocks and as a previous poster mentioned--blocks with points should be pinned, spritzed and blocked (like you do with crochet & knit sweaters) or you will end up trimming off points.

http://www.quiltuniversity.com/squaring_up.htm
perhaps this can help

To me "squaring the block" is to measure it when finished to make sure it is the size it should be. If the piecing is not accurate then "squaring" might cut off points or make the inner designs too small etc.