Wow, this is genius. I would have never thought of that on my own. Would you mind if I included your idea when I post my finished quilt on my blog?

This whole thread has been a learning experience.

if I need to square up from the middle. I find the sz I need. I take a pc of template plastic, cut it to that sz. Take a ruler & a fine sharpie marker, draw a line from corner to corner(diagonals). center it over your block middle, carefully place your ruler on top, & rotary trim away the small edges.save the template to reuse or recut!I know you can square up from your rulers, but I find it MUCH HARDER

...and crying. Definitely square them up!

What is a fussy cut square/ruler?

A square up ruler has the diagonal line marked on it. You just line up one corner of your block at the size you want, make sure your seam line is on the diagonal line of the ruler and cut your block to size. One step - easy peasy - HST nice and square with seam going corner to corner.

Just came home from a retreat weekend where we used THANGLES for our half-square pinwheels and it really works well. Also, helps to stabilize the fabric. Takes a little care in removing the paper.

R I P and you'll be happy you did. Or like the other quilters said-square them off.

Measure your smallest block and square up the others to match it.

Looking at you blocks I looks like you have not pressed as you go properly. I have had that problem with other peoples blocks as well as my own. that is one reason why they are not right. Also check that you have a 1/4 seam, if this is nor right it also will make your block uneven. if you do not have a 1/4 foot measure 1/4inch from your need and put a piece of tape on that line and allow the fabric to follow along that edge. but always press, not iron( do not move the iron) you may have to unpick and start again--Sorry.

Okay I am also a new beginner and working on my first baby quilt.
My blocks have embroideried line work zoo animals it is a scrappy log cabin design.They are not the same size either. How do I square them up? Do I just cut the squares all the same size all the way around the block or what?I have a really wide ruler.

I don't want to have to rip them all apart (again):)

Berta48 how big are the squares? maybe if you can put another strip around 2 sides it may help get the blocks the same. I do it all the time and unless you tell any one you will be the only one who will know. Trace the blocks and add the size of another block before cutting out your fabric. Good luck.

Thank you all for the information. God bless.

Thank you everyone who has posted solutions. I will get my pinwheels out and get squaring and stop crying!!!!

According to the pattern that I purchased off the web they are suppose to be 11 1/2 x 5 :shock: But i have snese enough to know that can't be correct.

So I am guessing 11 1/2 x 11 1/2.I tried squaring one off last night but really ruined it. :roll:

What size strips would I use? It is a log cabin style.
THe pattern has all sort of typing erros on it as for the left side of the s

According to the pattern that I purchased off the web they are suppose to be 11 1/2 x 5 :shock: But I have sense enough to know that can't be correct.

So I am guessing 11 1/2 x 11 1/2.I tried squaring one off last night but really ruined it. :roll:

What size strips would I use? It is a log cabin style.
THe pattern has all sort of typing errors on it as for the left side of the squares it is stating 12x12 and I know that isn't right either.Should have been 2x12.

This is the 2nd time I have started over.It is really frustrating.I haven't made a quilt before and honestly feel it may be to hard for me.But want to learn to do it really bad,I am thinking of just startng the whole thing over again from scratch.

If you are a beginner and if you are trying to make a log cabin quilt block you might try the Eleanor Burns pattern - super easy pattern to follow - and beautiful results. That's where I started 25 years ago and her patterns are still going strong.

Thanks. Do I look up Elanor Burns or is there a specific site?I would really like to have an easy nine patch that I could work an embroidery design into too.

I don't think this pattern I have would be that hard if If I could just cut those strips right :roll: OR it may bee I am not sewing straight but I use a 1/4in. foot.

not all 1/4 feet are accurate as you think. It is really the position of the needle to the edge of your fabric. To test your machine cut a strip of paper 8 inches long , sew along the straight edge, then measure from the edge to the sewing line. if it is not right try moving your needle over until you achieve the 1/4 " seam. To make sure it is right from there take a strip of fabric 8"long by 21/2" wide, fold it in half, press, then sew down the fold. Open up the strip and press, if it measures2" then you have it right. Make a note of where it is or like most new machines you can set that position in so every time you turn it on, it will or should be right.Check the sewing machine manual on how to do that. I hope this helps you a little Bertha48 :thumbup:

How wide should the first 8in paper be?

I'll try that I didn't think of the position of the needle :roll: That just may be my problem thanks.
And it's Berta(Roberta) not Bertha. ;)

the paper should be about three inches, sorry I forgot to tell you. Been having a bad week with more panic attacks and change of medication. Sorry again Berta48. same excuse. Happy Quilting.

Sew much good information! I find that I do better if I cut w/rotary cutter and mat than using templates, I cut exactly on the ruler line (use caution at the ends of the cut that you dont move the ruler though). When you press your seams, just press them and do not iron them. The iron stays put, dont slide back and forth, (that will stretch the bias edge every time.) If your squares are still off, that is when I cut a 1-1/2 to 2" strip and sew around the block and then use my size up ruler & make them the exact size I need. Sometimes, that little strip just makes the quilt. (At least thats what I rationalize with myself)
Bottom line, dont give up. Practice will sometimes be frustrating, but the end project will be worth it.

Hi Sunny Cat-
I hated using starch - it always seemed to create flakes on my darker fabrics.
However, Mary Ellen's "Best Press" Clear Starch Alternative is great and it can
be purchased scent-free or scented. It keeps my fabrics slightly stiffer so that
aligning them goes much more easily.
Judy

I just tried making the pinwheel blocks by using the tutorial i found suggested on this site at missouriquiltco.com and they turned out beautiful. they show how to using charm pack squares which are just 5" squares but you could make them from any size you wanted really using the same concept. they matched up and ironed beautifully and were very simple. check it out. :-)

Don't be discouraged because your blocks are "off." I read somewhere that the Amish deliberately make a block "off" because only God is perfect, not mortal man. Has anyone else ever heard this? Anyway I think your quilt will be beautiful even if there are "mistakes."

Thank-you so much for posting that , I spend so much time worrying my project isn't going to come out perfect I end up not enjoying the craft of quilting.

My thoughts as well. Press as you go. They might not be as far off as you think and you can square them up from the center. Then you can decide if you need to do one over.

you can cut squares,(I do them 3/8" or so bigger than needed) then cut diagonally for your tri's.
you are sewing bias, so pin at the end of the seam. then press & square up each little block. then sew blocks for the pinwheel. Pin is not a dirty word. remember when you square blocks up that you need to have a ruler with the 45 degree on it so you can lay that on the diagonal for squaring. you usually take a little off each side instead of all off one side.
you might want to try one of the methods where you
sew on squares, then cut diagonally. google HST methods.
startching the strips BEFORE cutting helps too.
the accurate 1/4" seam is so important. test yourself before doing zillions of tri's. good luck !

Thanks so much for your toot. your directions are great!

Blocks are pretty fabrics.

Blocks are pretty fabrics.