Squaring up blocks....
 

If you were making blocks like my picture attached, would you square up each one after you put the white strip on or just wait until you put the next strip on and square the finished block?

Just wondering if I'm being too persnickety and wasting my time.

Watson [ATTACH=CONFIG]539626[/ATTACH]

I would square up after the blue borders.

For at least the first blocks (until I know that I am cutting and sewing accurately) I would measure after each seam. If it's off by more than a sliver, figure out what's wrong and fix it. That eliminates the need to do much squaring when the block is finished.

WhatDunster said.

If your seams are pretty accurate I would not square up until the block is complete.

I usually prefer trimming up my block especially when they are a square block. I would sew the dark teal 1/8" wider, then starch and press the block and then trim. It take a little more time but you will have perfect blocks to sew together.

i would square it up after each round

That is my thought as well. I seldom square up a block at all if my seams are consistently sewn the 1/4" and strips are cut accurately.

I square up after every seam because I'm a bit (okay, a lot) obsessive about it, but consider this...with your particular block and with that much contrast, if the center isn't dead on square before you add the outer teal round, it's going to scream out at you forevermore! It's a whole lot easier to deal with things as you go than it is later on. Accuracy is never a waste of time.

For me it depends on what the project is. I do pinwheel baby quilts and I don't square up anything. I make the centers match and don't worry about the outside edges too much. You can fudge a whole lot and as long as the centers match up fairly well, by the time it's quilted and washed you don't really see the imperfections anymore. The moms don't see them and the babies don't care.

But if the quilt is going to be much bigger than a baby quilt size those imperfections add up to a mess by the time it gets to be queen size.

I would square up after every round -- with the contrast you need to make sure each round the strips are even after they are sewn.

I just hate to square up parts of blocks BUT when I don't take the time to do it, I always regret it and find that squaring up when I finish the blocks just doesn't give me precise results. So, despite hating to do it, I make myself square up the units--in this block I would at least square up after the white was sewn on.

If you are a fairly acurate cutter and sewer, then after the blue. If you tend to run off a little, then square up after the white

I'm in the camp of squaring up after each seam as well. Sometimes my cutting is off, sometimes it's my sewing. By checking each step along the way, I know I have a better chance of things playing nicely together all along the way.

I would square up after the white is all the way around. There is such a graphic contrast, I think an off angle white would jump out.

This is what I do also!

Thanks, everyone!

Watson

Ditto what they said. Beats waiting to almost the end and trying to figure out why it won't square and be wonky.

I have learned to square up a lot as I sew pieces together. Simple blocks may not be as necessary if you are careful in your cutting and seam allowance sewing but blocks with angles need a lot of squaring up. It takes a little more time but I have found it worthwhile. I also have many different sizes of rulers to help in this process. Easier to square up a block if your ruler is the exact size ...i.e....3 1/2 " inch square and you have 120 to square up...LOL.

I Am part of the square up as you go group. I don't always trust my seam width although I try to be as accurate as possible. And I also enjoy the squaring up process. I am more of a pieces than a quilter and try not to be in such a hurry that I do not enjoy taking my time on each step. Basting the layers together is the only part of quilting that I don't enjoy. So take your time and make the blocks as accurate as you can.

I like this approach. I never thought of doing it that way and am always frustrated about how much I have to cut off to square up the block. Your method would definitely help me. Thank you.