Help! I just finished all the blocks for a BOM. Of course each block is different and they each need to be squared. Problem is that with some of the blocks, squaring them will cut off the star points and triangle points. What should I do?

You can unsew and fix some of the seams. You can try and wet and block the smaller ones to increase their size, I would be more apt to go this route.

Yep - what amma said. I have disassembled some parts of blocks and resewn with skinny seams. Others I sprayed with starch and pressed and blocked them to size. That would be the better way so you won't lose points. The other option is to just accept that the points won't all match and you'll do better next time.

I'd just make the small blocks larger by adding a narrow border, arrange them so that it looked like I planned it that way, and I wouldn't stress too much about the points. As long as it's a quilt to be used on a bed, no one will notice a lost point or even several lost points. When you start stressing it take the fun out.

I always get amused with questions like this. Quilts are large, they get quilted, they get put on a bed or hung on a wall. Do people really think those quilts are examined so closely by others that little things like matched seams and points ae noticed? People just see the pretty pattern and colors. That doesn"t mean I don't try to get mine right, but I don"t stress out over it. My quilts aren't being made for contests.

http://sharonschambernetwork.com/Classes.aspx

free tutorial on how to stretch a block with starch.

I always take a block apart if I don't have at least a scant 1/4" seam allowance at a point end on the finished block. The more you take one apart the better you get at not messing up on the next ones. I learned what I was doing wrong by taking stitches out and redoing it until it was right.

I strive for perfection, never achieve it, just figure I will get closer if I keep trying. I will redo a seam three times, if I don't get it right, I move on. If it suits me I figure that is the best I can do.

LOTS of quilt police out there... :thumbup:

Well, the police aren't allowed on this board, neither are they allowed in MY house :lol: :lol: :lol: I do the best I can...and its getting better with more practice. Don't stress over it...if you don't feel like doing them over...just sew them together and then smile with each compliment and say "thank you very much"...don't point out the non-matchies.... :roll: :lol:

For some reason in one of my BOM's one of my blocks turned out HUGE!!! I don't know, maybe I forgot to trim the pieces down. But anyway, if I trimmed the whole block down it looked horrible. Rather than to redo the whole thing I added a few more pieces and it will be the "medalion" block for my quilt.

I'm with those who say unsew it and do it again. If you have to resew a bias seam multiple times, consider recutting the piece and starting over, as they are apt to stretch, giving you a different problem.

However, next time, you might consider doing the squaring with each of the subcomponents. You'll be happier with your finished product.

Another option for the future is to paper piece the tricky parts whenever possible. This usually produces a good result also.

Thanks so much for the suggestions. Wouldn't you know it, the blocks with star points or triangles are the ones that are larger than the 12" they're all supposed to be. I will try to alter only the most obvious ones and smile at the rest! :lol:

let us know what you decide

please show us pictures :-D

You are correct! Us quilters can't seem to get past that there are mistakes to be made, we just have to get over it!