Uneven Blocks
 

Hi everyone-

I made 30 blocks for a quilt and squared them up yesterday. However, when I started to try to put my rows together nothing is matching. They are all 10 " blocks but they are heart blocks and they don't sit straight in a row. Is there anything I can do to save this? I am so upset. I spent so much time on these blocks and someone is counting on me for this quilt. Thanks for all your help.

Oh, I am so sorry!!!!

Do you have a picture so that we can see? I wonder if when you squared up the blocks you didn't square up off of the same point or measure out from the middle....

Can you show us a picture of your blocks all together? Maybe we can come up with a solution for you. There are a few tricks, but we need to see what the problem is to give you the right one.

I agree with Tartan that sashinng might help even out the blocks and the look of them. And especially pinning them and easing them to the correct size.

What is it that isn't matching up?

I found out the hard way when I made the following 4x4 unit in a sampler quilt. I wasn't careful enough when I squared the blocks so the small yellow square at the corners of each block were slightly different sizes and did not line up to make a neat square. I wish I had just left them and eased to make the seams match. It would have been much easier.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]554752[/ATTACH]

Thank you everyone. Here are the blocks laid out. When I pin them the points on the side of each heart is not matching the next one.

Since they almost match, but not quite, I think the easiest way to fix it would be a narrow sashing. Either the check fabric or a solid black.

Kassaundra, you don't think it will look weird that they do not match once the sashing is added?

Could you move them around so the hearts in a row are the same height? If they're still uneven on row widths, add some of the checkered fabric to each end of the row and resquare. You might even offset the heart blocks so it won't be obvious the blocks are a little different in width. They're very pretty. And I love the bright colors against the black and white. Good luck! (0:

Thanks BJ great idea on off setting the blocks :)

Yes....add a sashing between the blocks. It could be narrow.

The hearts are so close to matching I think it won't be obvious w/ the sashing. Using the block fabric as a sashing would be problematic if you want to match the pattern in the fabric though.

I would also play w/ the block layout so the ones next to each other come as close to matching as you can manage.
Place the best matching blocks to the center and poorest matching to the outer sides or bottom. (away from the main focus)

If you add a sashing then each heart will be a stand-alone block, rather than part of a row. The matching won't be an issue because there will be enough distance between the hearts and the eye won't read it as a mismatch.

Here is a quick idea of both black and check narrow sashing. Not precise just to give an idea

I don't think it will. You can do some easing in and it will help. Just my opinion and I'm no expert.

I think you could ease/stretch the blocks to match. As I hear said on Fons and Porter - "baggy {on the} bottom" when you sew the blocks together. The feed dogs will help ease the little bit in.

My concern w/ sashing is that if it is narrow sashing, if it isn't exactly perfect, that will be noticed, too.

I love your colors and esp the black and white!!

I agree with a narrow sashing. Probably you will be the only one to notice it once it is finished.

Most of your heart blocks don't appear too far off... Maybe If you can piece them by easing them together as close as you possibly can...after quilting and washing, it might not even be noticeable. ? ? Good luck.

For next time -
When one squares (evens up) the blocks - make sure that the point of the heart is "centered" -

For now,
I would add a solid black sashing - at least 1 inch (finished) wide -

The rainbow colored heart is the one that caught my eye - so that one would be the one I would use as a "focus"

This is what I was going to suggest. I think black narrow sashing would really make those hearts pop!!!

I have not read through to the end of this thread yet but this solution is what I was going to suggest as well. Fabric is forgiving. It does not appear in the photo that your blocks are off by that much. I think you should be able to 'stretch or squish' and get your heart sides to match up just fine. And even if they are off a smidge, by the time it's quilted it will never be noticed.

and once it is quilted, you really wont notice

Try sashing. This might even enhance the overall impact of your colorful hearts.

First of all, it's beautiful. Whatever fix you use, it will still be beautiful. I would try the easing, myself, and if that's not working, the sashing (but I'd use white, as I'm not fond of black, and I'd go wider).

If they are pretty close you could match the points on the hearts and adjust the seams where the blocks come together the other way to compensate.

I like the idea of off setting the columns. Move the second and fourth columns up by half a block, and take the odd half heart block off at the top. Then fill in those half block spaces at top and bottom with more black and white checkerboard fabric. I think the design would look more interesting than the lined up columns and rows, too. :o

Some block designs can't merely be "trimmed" without running into the problem you have. In those cases, I would make the block smaller by taking in seams, rather than cutting off at the edges.

I agree with the others about the 1" or even just a 3/4" sashing. That will merge everything together and make it work out. A second thought.....Your choice of background fabric is not one I would have chosen. I don't like it when squares don't match up, so it would drive me crazy trying to keep the integrity of the quilt pattern and the checkerboard fabric pattern. The sashing will help with that issue of it not matching up too. BTW...a very good effort there with your hearts. I like all the colors of the hearts and how you placed them. You have a good eye.

It is a very nice top you've made. Perhaps you could do something funky like turn a wonky block sideways, adding a bit of filler if the blocks are rectangles instead of true square. Perhaps every other could be turned, or even every other row.............

My thoughts exactly! With the black and white checks it is perfect for a wonky setting! Let me see if I can find a picture on line.

Found the ruler and pattern! Here is the link. I am thinking a solid reading fabric in either black or white. Then the whole thing will look intentional.

http://www.checkernewsletter.com/?p=6755

I just noticed that it was an aussie site. I am pretty sure if you do some research you will find something similar here in the states.

Beautiful, eye catching colors! My suggestions:

1) Very narrow (1/2" to 3/4") black sashing between blocks.
2) Rotate blocks - have one heart with bottom towards bottom of quilt. Turn the block next to it so the bottom of the heart is towards the top of the quilt. Repeat across row. Next row, reverse the direction of hearts (if facing down, turn up, etc.).
3) Make a row of sideways hearts (points don't need to match in this row). Then a row of right side up hearts, a row of sideways hearts (going in opposite direction from first sideways row), then a row of upside down hearts. By using sideways rows, you can use the blocks where the points don't match. Each of the rows will be facing a different direction.

Just my humble 2 cents...I love your colors and the overall look of the quilt! It will end up fine, no matter what you decide to do.

I think this is lovely - why are you worried about them matching perfectly? this is quilting after all....little mismatched areas are what make an artist an individual....it looks fantastic to me....!

I agree with this. If you don't want the narrow sashing, then match up all the ends of seams and match seam lines. Then stretch, squeeze the rest to get it to lay flat. A stiletto works well here. Ease it in.

How about turning them? on point? then you would only have to get at most, the middle row of 5 to match pretty well. Or even just turning all of the blocks going in different directions. Neither of these suggestions may work out...but ya won't know if you don't try :) I'd say play around with the lay out unless you just have to have them straight in rows.

Your blocks are almost matching. Remember that when you quilt it they will move a little bit more and when you wash the quilt you won't be able to tell that they aren't perfect at all.

If it is a wall hanging, I think that adding the strip in between the blocks will distract the eye enough that you won't be able to tell at all. Besides, from a distance you won't be able to tell, you are only noticing it because you are extremely close to the project and working on it with a bird's eye view. Back up a few feet and all your perceived mistakes melt away!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]554832[/ATTACH]Another idea, is to turn all the hearts different directions with the sashings, as indicated by others.

Solid black sashing would make the colors pop and probably alleviate the mismatch problem.

If you make them square in a square with black fabric, the hearts would all be on the diagonal. You could alternate directions like zig-zags.

If you laid them in sets of 4, the hearts would look like petals of a flower. You could either leave off your last column (4 blocks by 6 blocks), or make another column of 6 more hearts. Or you could make two more hearts and put two more "flower" sets of 4 hearts each at the bottom. The last choice makes your quilt 4 blocks by 8 blocks, which is long & skinny, but if you had pretty side borders, it could work.