IBQUILTIN

Starch first, then starch again. Especially if you have bias edges in your block. Keep at it, you will get it

linda faye

All of these suggestions are great!

I was wondering if Washable Elmer's Glue could be used in some way since it does such a good job with other quilting steps?

skothing

Good suggestions all. Wash your fabric and dry it . I then mix a liquid starch 50 % starch and water. I spray the washed fabric and place in a zip locked bag over night. I iron it then and only then cut it . This process allows the fabric to remain stiff and not stretch.

jeanharville

I have learned this past week the truth in every hint listed above. I came to quilting from sewing clothes and slipcovers, so I didn't know how to be as precise as you must be to quilt successfully. It amazes me how our mothers and grandmothers were able to do this with scissors as their cutting tool.

yorkie luv

What makes you think that you are stretching the fabric? I've been quilting for about 5 or 6 years, and making the same mistakes over and over, with the same poor results. (What is the definition of insanity?) This past year I have learned more than all the rest of the years put together. I was measuring wrong, cutting wrong, pinning wrong, stitching wrong, ironing wrong. I did nothing right. This year I leaned how to cut, how to measure, how to pin, how to sew, how to iron, and guess what, the results are amazing. Watch videos on measuring and cutting, get yourself fa presser foot with a seam guide on it, get a perfect square ruler by June Tailor. don't push your iron, just press it down, use a sharp blade in your rotary cutter, and a sharp needled in your machine. Get some fine pins that don't distort your fabric, and press those seams in the opposite directions.

Squaring your square or block is very important, it is not enough to just make the block square, you have to make sure it is squared to the center also. the June Tailor perfect half square triangle ruler, will help with that. Good luck to you.

Judy Smith

Thanks to all of you. I do use a walking foot but I think from what I am hearing that I am just too much in a hurry. Also, something I do ( and I guess I will just have to practice not to) is take out too many stitches.
Thanks again!
Happy Quilting!

icul8rg8r

My husband says I'm a self-taught (new) quilter, but not so - almost everything I've learned is from this board! These tips made such a difference between my first quilt and my second and gave me the confidence to move on and try new techniques.

Pepita

My biggest lesson has been to cut your strips from the width of the fabric not selvage to selvage. Selvage to selvage stretches--a lot. Not as much as bias, but enough to make your quilt wonky.
I've been putting together my latest BOM applique, and since I hand dyed the fabric, most of it is in more or less 1 yard sizes. Somethings (settings)work like that and some are going to work like that!

Best of luck!

quiltinghere

What PART of the piecing process are you stretching? Each of the charms put together or block sections to block sections or blocks to blocks?

I agree with a lot of the advice listed above -
making sure you're cutting on grain and not bias,
don't pull the fabric through,
square up each item before you sew it to another squared up item,
starch will help,
PRESS don't iron,
start with a leader fabric (see Bonnie Hunter's site) so you don't have to pull your good fabric through when you start (that could cause stretching).

I get better results using a regular piecing foot NOT A WALKING FOOT. In an effort to save time switching the feet out...I tried using a walking foot and was not happy at all with the stitches and the 'bad' movement of the fabric.

Quilting is a LOT Of practice...keep going!

Nan

carslo

I stopped pressing aka perhaps ironing my fabric and my quilting improved significantly. I finger press seams and sometimes use the roller thingy my g/f gave me. Once I gave up the iron everything seemed to fit together so much better.

Good luck with your sewing adventures!