Hi, I just posted my first message in the newbie section and wasn't sure where to post my actual question so I'll start here. I was briefly reading through some of the posts and wondered what squaring up a quilt meant. I just made my first quilt top using an actual pattern and it turned out really well. I know from talking to the ladies at my local quilt shop how to put the top, middle and back pieces together (which is something I never did right before!), but I'm not sure what the squaring up part is about??? I want to make sure this quilt is done correctly cause I spent a lot of time collecting just the right material for it and I want it to get ooh's and ahhs...lol. Thanks for any help

Hi sewing newbie - I'm not really the best one to ask because my quilts are usually wonky - it's character :D

But there has been a discussion recently here http://www.quiltingboard.com/posts/list/18553.page

Hope it helps!

K x

I found this youtube video on how to square our quilt


http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to/vi...inding-232714/

Good video.
I have learned to square up my quilt before binding.
By doing this I can stitch in the ditch after sewing on my front binding and my back binding comes out even stitched.

Thanks for the Youtube video...I'll have to wait til I get to school tomorrow to check it out...only have dial-up at home..lol, but I will be sure and check it out

I watched the youtube video and think that's a pretty good technique. It's important to get the corners square. My quilts usually have several inches extra on each side.

There is something I do differently; don't know if anyone else does. Instead of cutting the edge, I use a black permanent marker to mark the edge. If I think I may get distortion or wrinkling, I zigzag beyond the marked line to stabilize all three layers to the right of the marked line. The binding is folded in half with raw edges aligned with the permanent marker line, and I use a walking foot to sew that on, mitering the corners as usual. I don't cut the quilt's edge until after the binding is sewn on. I think this method gives me more stable edges.