Sewing with strip sets for rail fence quilt blocks
 

Rail fence blocks should be one of the easiest of blocks....right?

Even though I am an experienced quilter, I struggle with getting accurate cuts from strip sets. It all has to do with the pressing, I think.

I know that when sewing strip sets that I need to alternate the direction in which I sew each strip. For example, I sew the first 2 strips together---and then when I sew on the 3rd strip, I start at the opposite end from where I started with the first seam. I think that this helps eliminate some of the waviness that sometimes occurs with strip sets after they are pressed.

Nevertheless, my long strip sets still sometimes have a bit of wave to them, and then when I subcut them into sections (like for a rail fence block), I still sometimes struggle to get them cut accurately into my targeted length because there is still sometimes a bit of a wave or because they don't lie as flat as I would like them to.

I've even experimented with doing the subcutting Before I press the strip set, but that's usually not the greatest, either.

Give me tips! What works well for you? Should I starch the heck out of the strips before cutting? Should I work with shorter strip sets? I would love to hear your good advice.

Thanks!

Work with shorter strip sets. I had the same problem and thought, "what the heck? This is supposed to be the easiest, most efficient way on the planet to make strip sets." THey were long. I put the pedal to the metal. I got waves a lot of times. Now I use not more than 20" at a time, and make sure both strips are just about the same length to start with.

Ditto what Zozee said....plus, I'm sure I don't have to say this because you are a great quilter but...no steam and I, typically, don't press the first seam until the strip set is done. I just finger press the first seam. That way all the fabric is pressed at once and leaving little chance for distortions. That's my 2 cents.

I usually spray starch my strips before pressing, then use a marked line on my ruler to line up on those seams to ensure the block will be cut on the square. There are times when this means the last cutting needs to be trimmed to make the next block square. Spraying seems to help keep the strips straight while ironing.
Also try a tad looser thread tension as too tight can gather the fabric a little creating waving.

Try pressing as you go. Establish a straight line on your ironing board: use a long metal ruler, cover your ironing surface with a fabric with a woven stripe or take a thin cord and tie it to both ends of your ironing board. Seam 2 strips together. Align the edge with whatever you've used to get the straight line and carefully set the seam. Open the seamed piece up and press, again using your guide to keep it straight. I usually press with the seam to the dark, but you can also experiment with pressing it open. Take it back to your machine and add the next strip, press and repeat.
I saw this on a you tube video, but I can't find it now...

I find that heavy starching and shorter strip sets helps. I also press as I go and measure and adjust if necessary before adding the next strip.

I never use starch. I cut all my strips WOF. I sew strips together in opposite directions. When I press seams to dark side I press diagonally, never across the rows, never along the strips. I have no ripples or waves. I learned this years ago. I did a pattern out of a Lynette Jensen quilting book. This is how she said to press strip sets. It works well for me.

I don't sew mine from alternate directions and my strips are not wavy. My first question would be, "Is the presser foot pressure too firm?" If I tried to sew a strip set on my Elna that has no presser foot adjustment, it would not go well. My piecing machines are only tight enough so that the feed dogs can advance the fabric.

I would starch my fabric and cut/sew on the straight of grain. Then i would reduce foot pressure and adjust thread tension. Press with no steam. If you still have wavy issues, cut oversize and square blocks by trimming to correct block size.

Agree with others about starching before cutting, making shorter strip sets, etc. Also, Bloc Loc has a strip set ruler specifically designed to help with your kind of problem. Here is a link to a video demo of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Esr_-N4NEk0

The choice of machine and foot might make a difference. My Brother has a pin feed that acts like dual feed. Try a walking foot. Of pin the strips together to minimize creeping.

I starch my fabric well before cutting my strips, then as I press strip sets I do use steam which reactivates the starch and makes my stripsets nice and flat. It is Much easier and accurate to subcut my stripsets when they are flat & starch stiff.

I do not starch and I do use steam when I press. I sew in opposite directions when adding strips to the strip sets. I do press in a somewhat diagonal direction. I have a line drawn on my ironing board that I set the first seam (not the edge of the first strip) on to begin pressing. I frequently sew and use full WOF strips. I recently did a bargello quilt and it turned out perfect. I did not have to change one seam. I do think you need to be careful that your machine settings are correct because this kind of quilting magnifies small tension or pressure problems. I have done this kind of sewing with my walking foot. As for pressing the seams, I follow pattern directions. I frequently divide the stip set in two pieces and label them A and B. Press the seams on A up and B down. Sub-cut alternating A and B strips and the nest and fit together perfectly.I press from the back side and then lightly press from the front side to be sure that I have not pressed in any little pleats. Then, be sure to keep strip sets square on the cutting board to sub-cut; you may need to square up slivers of strip sets from time to time to stay perfectly straight.

Thank you! Pressing diagonally? This sounds good. :-) But I'm having trouble visualizing this. Do you happen to know which Lynette Jensen book it was in?

When I press long strip sets, I line the unopened set on the mat, using a ruler or the pattern on the mat to make sure it's straight. I'm right handed, so I start on the right end and open the set with my left hand, finger pressing just ahead of the iron to be sure there are no pleats in the top fabric. I almost never have irregularities in my subcuts pressing this way.

Sometimes you just need to have a crutch! Decide how long your rails will be and then cut your fabric 'almost' in half. (Directly in half may cause too much waste, so maybe an inch or two in one direction will be better. Example - finishes block is 6", so the set will be cut in 6 1/2" blocks, therefore I split my WOF in 20" and the leftover. I know I will get a full 3 blocks from first and only have waste on second part.) Then work with the smaller strip sets. An extra benefit is that you can make more set combinations this way.

This may seem obvious but I'm assuming your straps are being cut perfectly straight on grain with no 'v' or curve to them.?
Watson