Sashing question
 

Does anyone have any hints for me on putting together a quilt with sashing between all of the squares? I cannot seem to make all of the squares line up nicely. I am sure it is something simple that I am not doing but I could use some advice from all of you great quilters out there.

I would suggest coming up with a sashing width the widest dimension you need to make all of your blocks line up nicely. If you need to shave a smidge off each sashing width, it likely is not going to be noticeable. If your blocks are say, supposed to measure up at 12.5" square and some vary between 12.25 and 12.75 (which I doubt as that is a lot and I'm sure yours are not off by that much) start with a sashing width of perhaps 3.5". If you need to go down to 3" wide, vary where you are putting those really off-size blocks (if possible) so you don't have a really wide sashing on one side or the other (or all that the top/bottom) so any variation of the sashing width is less visible overall.

Just my suggestion. I'm sure others will be along with other/better solutions. Good luck.

Here you go!

http://www.synthcom.com/~val/Quilts/...ngSashing.html

It's my favorite method. Another tip is go block by block. Then add blocks together in quadrants rather than long strips. I square up the four blocks and then they line up easier.

Squaring-up will be your friend with these type of quilts.:o

Thanks so much for the advise! I especially like the thread with pictures to follow! You guys are great!

I have to put cornerstones, because they seem to shift if I don't. Sometimes I make them the same color, and sometimes contrasting colors.

This is a top I did recently.

Great advice. Thank you so much. Now I know how to finish my quilt. :)

Sometimes I like to do long strips of sashing and I will draw on the sashing where the blocks are supposed to go so I can line them up. However, if I am not in the mood to do all of the measuring (and if I am not putting the sashing between the blocks in the rows) , I cut pieces of the sashing fabric the height of the bocks and half the width of the blocks and sew it on alternating rows so the blocks are purposely off set. I do this mostly on row quilts or I Spy quilts (since the sashing gives the eyes a rest).

I generally don't do the long sashing strips and instead break it up with corner stones. That is much easier to line up square by square.

Thanks Rhonda K for the link showing the corner stones on the bottom sashes. I have done that before when a pattern called for them. Since I am making up patterns using scraps to make charity quilts I didn't remember the corner stones. The link you put up refreshed my memory and I saved it and will remember it now.