Prepping blocks for squaring up
 

I looked in the archives and didn't really find exactly what I was looking for. I'm new to quilting so please be easy on me. I am making a Turning Twenty quilt. I have all my blocks finished and now I'm at the point of squaring them up. I'm sure I'll get several answers which is great but I would appreciate an explanation as to why you use your chosen method. The question is how do you prep your block for squaring up? Just pressing it? Press with steam? Press with starch? If you use starch what type? Such as light, heavy? You guys get the idea.

I don't want to miss any steps that will help me have a more accurate quilt. I am working on perfecting my seam allowance but it's defiantly something that takes time even when using a 1/4" foot.

Any and all advise will be greatly appreciated!!

When I square up a block, I do iron it with steam first - some times I use starch, but not always, when i do I use Best Press. I have several square rulers and use them to measure and trim the blocks. When I did the Turning Twenty quilt, I was using Halloween fabrics and felt the quilt looked better with sashing between the blocks.

I have plans to do a Christmas version since the Halloween quilt came out so cute.

I generally use starch on fabric that needs it before I cut the fabric-so, fabric is already starched when blocks are done. I steam (IF) steam is necessary... Most of the time a dry iron is all that is necessary to get my blocks to lay flat, especially large blocks like turning twenties. I press as I go constructing blocks so I seldom need to do any*squaring up,* if I do need to square up a block when it is constructed I just lay it on my cutting table, place my ruler, trim side &top, turn 180°, trim side & top again then no more pressing is needed until I am constructing rows (pressing seams) too much pressing -- especially with steam and/or starch leads to distorted blocks. Pressing should be kept to a minimum and when necessary. If your fabrics have been ironed (and perhaps starched) before you make your first cuts and you sew straight often simply finger pressing is all you need to do while making blocks. Then a good press on each block before constructing rows.

What I do is make sure that i cut out accurately and sew accurately as I make the blocks (which is prior to where you are now, so that isn't really helpful now, but for the next time.) I also PRESS w/ starch as i go. Pressing is just lifting your iron up and down so not to stretch your blocks and make them wonky.

For where you are, press the block using more of an up & down motion. IF you have to trim, make sure to account for your 1/4" seam.

Yes, this is the point where you can actually make any tiny alterations to the block before doing the final cutting (especially when making flying geese). Then I starch, press and then trim. My blocks then go up on the design wall.

Everyone does it it differently so you have to chose which method will work best for your. The results will all be the same.

While in the "construction" phase of a block, I square up each sub piece. I have an 18" piece of wooden handrail (the railing on a stair) that I use to press the seams with. When done, I spray with either spry starch (mixed 50/50 with water) or Best Press. Then square up.

Also remember that you don't actually measure your 1/4" seam, you measure the resultant patch. Here are good instructions:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutorials-f10/achieving-accurate-1-4%22-seam-allowance-t89997.html
The thickness of the fabric & thread weight affects where that pesky seam is going to be on your machine. It may vary from project to project, so it's good to check at the beginning of each project. Even with a 1/4" foot, you may need to adjust your needle position.
Also, starch before you cut your pieces!

I iron each seam in my block as I am sewing it and then square the block up after finishing it. I do this on the first and every block. This lets me know very quick if my seams need to be a little bit bigger or a bit more on the scant side. Once you get the first block right, it should be much smoother sewing and squaring for all the rest of the blocks. I don't use any starch, but neither do I wash my fabrics first. If I did use fabric that was washed and soft, I would use some type of spray starch or Best Press.

I have tried squaring up after I finish all the blocks but found it very confusing and if you have anything with points, you end up losing some of them. For me, squaring up from the beginning is the only way to go.

I have a square up ruler that is 16 1/2". If the block is that size or smaller I can use it or one of the multiple other square rulers I have. If it is bigger, then I use my cutting board lines. Small amounts of difference can always be adjusted in....small being 1/4" to 3/8" on a 12 inch block. Any thing bigger tends to try to get tucks. If you have one block slightly bigger than the other, always put it on the bottom when you are sewing. The feed dogs are what pulls the fabric through, and they will help when you need to ease fabric.

For me, it really depends on how fussy the block is. If it's just something simple like 4 patches I usually don't press at all until the whole quilt top is done - finger-pressing does well enough for assembling simple blocks.

Usually I just press with a dry iron and that does well enough. Complex blocks that have lots of intersecting seams, I will bust out the steam and the clapper. If I'm going to use starch or Best Press, I will have done that before I cut (or before I sew, if I've forgotten to do it before cutting). I don't usually starch completed blocks.

When "perfect" size is important such a a group quilt or swap, I mark the correct size on a padded surface then pin the edges well to fit the correct size. If the block is within 1/4 inch or less I an able to correct the size by spritzing with water then holding the dry iron slightly above the block. Cotton fabric can be quite forgiving and will stretch or shrink to fit the correct size without distorting shapes or messing up the already pressed seams. Be sure to leave the block pinned until it is dry. My fabric is already washed and starched before I begin cutting.