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trolleystation 03-01-2014 12:36 PM


Originally Posted by Tartan (Post 6601093)
Mine is labour intensive and low tech. I lay my quilt full out on the floor. I use my large 15 inch square in a corner and line up all my rotary rulers up to the next corner. I slide my rotary cutting mat under the edge and trim, moving the mat as I go.
I like the idea of the laser light for squaring up but so far can't justify the cost and I would still need to move the mat and ruler to trim.

Thank the Lord that my husband has made me a 9 ft by 9 ft quilting table so that my days of squaring on the floor are over. My knees are very happy too.

debbiemarie 03-01-2014 01:27 PM

First I fold it into fourths and see how it looks, if it's way off, put a pin where it looks like it needs to be cut off, then lay it out and measure it, see if it still is off in the same spot, cut if necessary by laying the quilt on my cutting mat and cut straight with a long ruler. I am not a perfectionist, but this is how I do it.

Phyllis nm 03-01-2014 05:41 PM

More power to you!
I am not that up tight.
I lay all 4 corners together square them up than mark all corners rounded, stay stitch all edges and trim, then bind the quilt.
Corners always hang off the bed, rounded corners lays better and are easy to bind.

elaine708 03-01-2014 06:25 PM

You mentioned wanting a lazer light but pricey. I found a small one in a hardware store on sale for about $5.00 and also found another in a big box store on sale also. They are handy for many things I have found. Hope you can find a bargain one soon

Rubesgirl 03-01-2014 08:04 PM

Mine are usually pretty square to start with, since I try to square everything up from the start (yes, I am a bit OCD), but then my LAQ is great about squaring up, too. I've never had to trim a quilt once I've gotten it back from her.

jitkaau 03-01-2014 10:35 PM


Originally Posted by mckwilter (Post 6601365)
I square up my quilts by putting borders on. I measure through the middle of the top, then at 1/4 and 3/4 spacing across the top. I get an average of those measurements and cut my borders. Then I fold the quilt and border into quarters and pin the borders on. I ease the fabric of the top as I'm pinning. Usually the top and borders go together easily, but I have been known to resew a few of the seams right at the ends where the threads have either pulled out or to take in a couple threads. Once the top and bottom borders are on, I do the sides in the same way.

I repeat this for each border I put on.

My method is very similar to this one - works very well.

cjaneky 03-02-2014 04:19 AM

I lay some of them on my husbands pool table...lol, of course he doesn't care for this idea, if the quilt is too big for that i go to the floor and then use the same method as some of the others, Tartan and Jan.

jmoore 03-02-2014 04:40 AM


Originally Posted by Jan in VA (Post 6601833)
Yep.:)
Except I can't "do" floors and am blessed to have a large table and large mat to use. :)

Jan in VA

I can only imagine that your sewing space is amazing. I want to come play at your house...

MaryKatherine 03-02-2014 04:42 AM

I square up on my large table, with a pen and rulers. After I apply the binding using the line, I trim everything to the 1/4 inch.
MaryKatherine

petpainter 03-02-2014 06:24 AM


Originally Posted by KathyKat (Post 6603026)
I use my husband's large metal T square and start in with the upper right corner to make sure that is square both ways. Usually I only have to do a very slight trim or none at all because I do square up my blocks as I go. Then I switch to my 6x36" ruler and using the outer edge of my 2nd to last border I line up my ruler to trim the outside border a slight bit, sometimes up to 1/4" to get rid of variations in the outside edge usually due to the machine quilting pulling a little at the edges. Now I just keep his T square in my sewing lab and he knows where to find it if he needs it.

I have only done 3 quilts, and have done it this way, as you Tartan and Jan...have done the measuring in all spots to put my borders on, too. Glad I did it "right" or the same as you respected quilters- BUT it seems kind of archaic compared to all the high tech notions we have these days!! One day maybe there be a quick magic way! (laser light is a start)


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