Stuck!!!
 

Hi Everyone. I am new to this forum and I am hoping someone can give me some insight! I am working on a quilt that the directions read as follows.
Cut from 4 different fabrics 1 1/2 x 42
Sew four pieces together using a 1/4 inch seam
According to my calculations this will equal a 5" panel.
When I have it put together it is measuring at 4"
So...it has skewed all my other pieces.
I took one panel apart to make sure I had measured and cut correctly. I did.
My only other thought is I recently started using a new 1/4 foot. Could that be it?
Thanks in advance!!

My calculations equal 4.5, 1.5 xWOF=6 inches, minus .50" for three seams= 1.5" loss=4.5"

If I'm following this correctly, 4 pieces of fabric each 1.5" x 42", sewn together the long way. Using a quarter inch seam allowance means the pieces finish at 1", so 4" finished, but your sewn size of the four strips should be 4.5, not 5" -- but not 4" either :) Good luck!

1.25" (one seam, one raw edge)
1" (two seams)
1" (two seams)
1.25" (one seam)

Are you saying you’re sewing 4 strips (1.5 inches each) together? When you use 1/4 inch seam, it takes 1/4 inch off each piece, or 1/2 inch per seam.

So you should end up with 4.5 inches wide. (1.5 x 4 = 6. 6-.5-.5-.5 =4.5. That’s your unfinished block width. When you see it into the quilt, your seams will subtract rei more 1/4 inches (so 1/2in). 4.5-.5 = 4. So your finished block (that is, once it’s in your quilt, will have 4 inch blocks. Unfinished will always be 1/2” more than finished.

Does that make sense?

Thanks so much everyone. I'm still not sure why I am losing the width though. I have given this way to much thought today. I think I'll go back at it again tomorrow with a fresh mind.
I do appreciate all your responses!!

It does make sense. I am over thinking this I am sure. I have to set corners on it and they seem wayyyyy to big.

Could you please post a link to the actual pattern? Often there is some other factor involved and it will not be apparent if we are given only parts of the pattern.

1 1/2 inches times four strips will equal an unfinished panel that should be 4 1/2 inches wide.

Try a sample to make sure that your 1/4 inch foot is accurate on your machine. Take two scraps with a specific measurement. Now sew them together with your 1/4 inch foot. Press and measure again. The measurement should be 1/2 inch less than the combined total of the width of the two scraps.

I have one machine that has a 'problem'. I actually did not notice it until I made some blocks for the same quilt on it and on another machine. My 'problem' machine does not have an accurate 1/4 inch and it took a bit of trial and error until I figured out what change I had to make on the needle location (left/right) to achieve that perfect seam width.

Yes, after sewing your strips together you should have a 4.5" wide strip set. And your new 1/4" foot could indeed be the culprit. My machine has a 'scant' 1/4" setting which is what I use. Long ago I had purchased a 1/4" foot w/guide and my seams were waaaay off! I also find that most of today's patterns - even if not specified - are referring to that elusive 'scant' 1/4" seam - which is a thread or 3 short of a 'true' 1/4" measurement.

And, yes, if your blocks are set 'on point' - i.e., the points are top/bottom; side to side - your 'setting triangles' are going to be huge by comparison. It's always safer to waste a bit of fabric for your setting triangles and have the need to trim vs not having enough fabric. Most times by the time you are finished sewing your rows together and getting your borders on, there really isn't an excess of much fabric at all in the setting triangles.

Good luck. If you like, post a link to your pattern or some photos and we might be able to give you some more hints/clues when your mind is a bit more fresh.

Measure your seams. Bet they’re a tad wider than 1/4 inch. It adds up. Also check your pressing to make sure there are no tiny folds.

when sewn, it should be 4.5 inches. the quarter inches on each side for seam allowance. do a test sewing 1/4 seams on scraps and see what you get.

You have three seams so I would guess your seams are 1/8" or just a dab over a 1/4 inch seam. Easy fix to take out and resew. Good that you found out at the beginning.

Check your machine settings to be sure the needle is in Center position. Some machines have settings to the Left or Right needle position.

I'm thinking Rhonda is probably on target, check the needle position.

It's good to find out early how small differences can add up. Each seam is twice the issue. A quilt can very quickly get larger or smaller than planned.

There are all sorts of guides/feet you can get to help. For a long time I used one of my son's fancy bandages (it had stars and stuff on it), I took a piece of graph paper and stuck the needle on the marking, made it straight and then put the bandage on the machine at the marking, about 2 inches down from the needle, the little pad of the bandaid helped guide/keep the fabric in place.

I think this is likely where your problem comes from. Grab your scraps and see if you need to adjust your needle setting to get the 1/4 or scant 1/4 inch seam.

Also, welcome to the quilt board! :wave:

I agree with everyone-the width should be 4.5". I am wondering about how you are ironing your strips. Sometimes I get a distorted size when I push the iron across the fabrics. Maybe if you just iron up and down. So sorry you are frustrated. I sometimes just walk away or put up the problem fabrics for the day and the next morning everything seems to work out. Good luck.

pressing seams open helps with the "fold" taking up any extra. I did it with denim strips.

Unstuck!!
 

Thank you to all of you!! I found the problem! I had somehow moved my needle left! Ugh!! Unfortunately I had finished all of the strips and was starting to assemble the quilt. Now trying to decide if I want to start tearing out or start fresh!
Thank you again!!

If everything else will fit with what you have already done, IMHO I would just assemble the quilt as is....:thumbup:

for practice, try using paper, even graph paper so you can check before you "waste" any more fabric. Good luck!

I agree with btiny36. If you can make a useable block from the pieces you now have, continuing with it as is would be less demoralizing. You might want an extra border or wider border to compensate because the quilt will be considerably smaller than planned. Your time and sanity are worth something, and taking out that many stitches would not be easy. Perhaps you can get replacement fabric to redo the quilt you started and just use the odd blocks in a different way. One time I was given a stack of blocks by another quilter who had made a similar mistake. These rail blocks were rectangles instead of squares. I paired them with another fabric from my stash and made a quilt with alternating rectangular blocks instead of squares. I had fun making it. The pinwheels were from my friend's fabric from her same project. Welcome to QB!

I once had a 1/4" foot and the attached guide was flexible and it kept flexing out. I pulled the guide off and use the edge of the foot as a guide, that fixed the problem; except, of course, pilot error.