This has happened to me many times, and I do not know the answer either. I can never join swaps because mine are not the right size.

Yes, those are the same ones! They also hide fabric I need when I discover I need to make an extra block. I've been searching for a particular fabric they've hidden for about 6 months now. I put it away (evidently somewhere nice and safe) and they moved it on me. It's holding up putting together an entire quilt! They also use up all my erasable pens. I'm certain of it because they are always empty when I go to mark a quilt top.

mimisharon - we call pic'n and restichin "reverse sewing" out here. I am very good at it. :|

YES! I've learned to really check out any pattern I pull down off the internet. It took me awhile to realize this and now I simply check before sewing or I spend a lot of time saying naughty words and reverse sewing. I find that those that are paper pieced tend to be the worst offenders, even when the inch measuring guide is perfect. :x

I am a self-taught quilter and have made so many mistakes, that I learned from, and the major issue for me was that 1/4 inch perfect seam.

My research summary is that you should ALWAYS use a scant 1/4 inch, because the thread, the fold, the fabric weight, and the pressing enlarges that 1/4". The most popular way to do this that I had found was to use a 1/4" presser foot, with a fabric guide on it, and move your needle position once to the right.

If no fabric guide on your 1/4" foot, then I use the 1/2 inch sticky insulation tape to keep the fabric straight. It was all I had in the house and it worked great! As much as we strive to keep the fabric straight under the presser foot, it can shift that thread or two either way.

Pressing absolutely makes a difference. I press the seam as sewn to push the stitches into the fabric, then open the fabric and press to the dark, then on the wrong side, I press the seam flat again.

Alway square up your patches/blocks when making the first few or for the whole quilt. I like to find my issues as soon as possible. While I prefer to make all patches at once, I know know that making a few blocks first is more important for accuracy.

Ruler lines can make a difference too. Use the same ruler for all cuts and make sure that ruler is correct! If the ruler is a perfect 2", when you cut, you are still adding to the width if you are not right on the edge. For me, this means sometimes moving the 2" line inside the cut area, especially on my Olfa lip ruler.

I have yet to use templates, but I can understand how they could be a problem, between drawing lines, ruler lines, and the actual cut line.

So many teeny weeny details! I try to stick to rotary cut patterns to keep the sewing as simple as possible and easier to deal with the details.

I still screw up a block here and there! But what is a great homemade quilt without some fudging in it? LOL!

Diane

I was told it could be the thickness of the thread. Taking a scant 1/4 helps

Can't speak for anyone else, but I don't waggle. I might raise said caterpillars above my visual orbs (certainly not at anyone on the board), but waggle, they do not.

Amma....
If I left out chocolate for the gremlins, guess who would eat it? he he he he ....too funny!!!!
Ditter

I always move my needle 1 position to the right and that seems to help.

if you used triangles in your block that happens to me.. cut a bit larger and square up before you put the block together. darn short again :lol: :lol: :lol:

I like to cut things a little bigger and then trim down if I'm having this problem....

What a wonderful and helpful site!
Thank you,