Need some advice
 

So, I have been trying my hand at this piecing, quilting craft. I have pieced a few tops under careful guidance of a friend and had them quilted by someone else.

I have tried every thing possible to get my blocks to measure correctly but I still seem to end up with wonky blocks that are not the same size as required.

I have marked my machine with 1/4 inch...
bought a special plastic piece to attach to the bed of the machine ( which is stupid because I have a drop in bobbin and have to realign it after I replace the bobbin thread.
I have moved my needle over in order to get that SHY 1/4 inch that everyone talks about. After doing there's various things I am at my wits end. I am really ready to give it up!
Before I do.... Any suggestions?

Try for awhile drawing your 1/4" lines on the wrong side of the blocks. Sometimes a little prep work makes a world of difference. If you take the time to do this after awhile you will be so used to stitching that straight 1/4" you will not need to anymore. Careful pressing as you go along constructing your blocks helps with keeping them from becoming wonky. If you stitch a seam, press then find it is (off) it is much easier to fix right then instead of trying to fix the completed block

Maybe it's not your seam allowance. Maybe the wonkiness you're referring to is happening in the cutting stage? This was my biggest obstacle when first starting out. Just a thought....

Tartan is right! My quarter inch seam for example is a little fat, but it's always the same and as I'm only piecing stuff for myself, it doesn't really matter! I'm using a 1/4" presser foot with a guide; it's quite easy to get a consistent seam that way.

Also, are you sure your sewing is the problem? Might just as well be the ironing (instead of pressing).

Try heavy starching starching your fabric before cutting. Mine were wonky too, until I've read about the starching. It helps to keep the fabric from stretching.

There have been many posts regarding the thickness of the thread. You may want to check into that. I marked my sewing machine with 6 layers of painter's tape. There is also the hump that is formed when pressing the seam to one side. To resolve that problem, I cut my strips letting the thickness of the line be on the side of the fabric strip I am cutting. I use Omni rulers. My friend showed me this and even if that line is 1/32" if an inch, it has worked for me. But the most improved system that works best for me is EB method of over-sizing blocks. Can't be used with ALL quilts but over the years, I have been amazed with HOW MANY quilts it can work with. As LONG as your seam is consistent, that is the most important issue. If you do a Bargello or a Trip Around the world, if your seams are all consistent, your seams will fit snugly together. Good Luck

A very good point.
It was true for me. Basic stupid question: Are you using a rotary cutter and a good ruler? I started with scissors and my accuracy improved tremendously just by switching to a rotary cutter.
Does your machine have a straight stitch throat plate and if it does are you using it? I'm assuming you have a newer zigzag machine with a front opening door for the bobbin. I know others here have reported better results by using the straight stitch throat plate on their machines, at the very least it prevents the fabric from being sucked down into the feed dog opening. I use an old straight stitch machine so it doesn't apply to me.
I use a seam guide too and I line it up by setting a ruler under the needle at the 1/4" mark or just a tiny bit narrower and butting the guide up against it. You just have to be careful to keep both pieces of fabric just touching it.
I also use a sewing stiletto to guide the last part of the fabric thru the machine to keep the corners from drifting.
Rodney

Also remember that even though we talk about a 1/4" seam, you don't measure the seam, you measure the resultant patch! here's how to check:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...ce-t89997.html

I have the same problem and then decided this is my quilt and I'm not going to worry about it. I trim all the blocks to the smallest size I have and go from there. My quilts look ok to me and to the people I give them to. Now if you're going to enter a quilt show then you have to really be precise. I don't let this one thing make me crazy and damper my love for the craft.

When you press do you pull on the fabric? I did it. Friend of mine showed me what I was doing wrong and it does make enough of a difference. Even though I starched the fabric, I pulled on the fabric because I wanted it really flat. I was wonking it as I ironed and pulled. Press and ironing are two different actions when using an iron. Also just got done watching Jenny from Missouri Star. She puts couple anchor stitches in beginning and makes sure her ends are together before she continues to sew.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have tried marking the 1/4 inch on each block. I use Aurifil thread. I was speaking to a friend and she suggested I use the same ruler for all my cutting. She said rulers vary...Never even thought of that. I will try again using some of your thoughts....LIKE..it's my quilt so I'm not going to worry about the quilt police.

First I want to say, stick with this wonderful craft. Don't let these little problems hold you back. It does get better! The old saying "Practice makes perfect", works only as long as you practice and are getting the same results every time.

I was making wonky blocks and it was the result of 3 different things for me.

First, I was tailing off when I got to the end of each seam, because I quit looking at it. I now use something to stabilize the seam all the way through. I usually use my left hand and a pin if I am sewing over a lot of seams. I have 2 sewing machines and the little Runway Brother is a lot worse at tailing off than the Big Brother Embroidery/Sewing machine combination. I had such problems with the tailing off that I thought about buying one of the Pfaff's with the built in walking foot that is supposed to keep the seams even, but just never got around to it, and didn't budget for it. Instead, I figured out where I had to move the needles on each of my machine to make that "perfect" first block of any project and then continue to use that setting. And, yes, it is different on both machines. I, also, use a 50wt thread for all my piecing. It really does help.

Second - One of the other things I was doing was watching my needle, instead of watching the edge of the fabric which was my guide line for where I was supposed to be sewing. I often wonder how many people do that and never manage to get a 1/4" seam. Training myself to watch that fabric edge has increased my accuracy.

Third - I was pressing with Steam. I had great flat seams but the steam distorted my fabric. Turning off the steam meant my seam wasn't quite as flat, which I found doesn't usually matter for my simple piecing, and was very helpful to keep my fabric from going wonky. "Love that word." Everyone is so right when they say it isn't the size of the seam, but the resultant block that matters.

I bought some precut kits that had to be sewn perfectly for everything to fit together. That really made me get familiar with making a 1/4" seam that worked. I ripped/unsewed a bunch but it made me a better stitcher. I still lose some points every once in a while. It does aggravate me, but I get over it.

If all else fails, take up paper piecing. You sew onto a piece of paper that has everything marked for you. The results are frequently stunning. Carol Doak has a Yahoo group and she shares a lot of free patterns. Doing the paper piecing has also made me be more careful with my stitching lines.

Lots of good suggestions here. Rulers and cutting are very important. Accurate sewing is a must. Thread is also important. Pressing makes such a difference. Lots of little things to master! You will get better the more you sew.

I use steam all the time....That just might be the problem! Thanks

I learnt something today, shy of scant which never knew what quilt ladies talk it is moving needle over.. COOL!