One skill I haven't mastered yet is "How to square up the edges of that quilt" How do I measure? When my quilt is finished, and before I put the binding on I wish I knew how to square my quilt properly. Help, please.

Being a newbie - this is one this I haven't figured out yet either. Hopefully someone will give us great advice.

Sheila

Thanks Loretta! I am amazed at how quickly we can get the info on this board that will help us. Any other tips are welcome on this thread, as you experienced quilters help us new ones~~~

I read a tip somewhere that the easiest, most accurate way to square up any size quilt was to use a laser square. It's probably very true, but unless your hubby has one, the price of $600 seems a bit high for a quilting tool!! :shock: :lol: http://contractorstools.com/lasersquare_sl24.html

You know, it seems like a regular laser, like teacher's use or a laser level, ought to work just fine if lined up with the edge of a carpenter's square and shot down the edge of the quilt to the next corner. My problem is always the parts beyond the reach of the square and jigging the line to the next corner.

You know, my husband does have a laser square!! Guess I'll have to learn how to use it. Right now it collects dust. I remember we bought it a long time ago for some remodeling project. It looks a lot different than the one in your link, but it is the same principle.

I like the idea of the carpenter square too! Multi purpose LOL!!

Wow! Lucky you! Bet you could rent it out if you belong to a guild!! :-D My XH has one, too, but I celebrated my 17th divorceiversary two days ago so I think I'd better not count on borrowing his! teehee

I use my largest square ruler, square the corners, when use a long straight edge to do the edges. I mean, unless you're going for a blue ribbon at a national show, "straight & square" only needs to be reasonably visually so?? Am I wrong here?

I check mine (lap quilt sized) this way. Lay it on the carpet. I tie a piece of yarn to a safety pin, pin it to the carpet just above the quilt on the longest side and bring the yarn down just past the quilt and attach the yarn to another safety pin to the carpet. (on hard floors you can securely tape it down) Lay my longest ruler perpendicular to the first string of yarn to get a true 90 degree angle and run the yarn the same way across the bottom of the quilt. Now I adjust the quilt to these two strings. I can tell where I am off and I mark it with a ultra thin permanent marker along the yarn lines. I flip the quilt around and do the other two sides. Then I can take my mat to the quilt on the floor to trim or take the quilt to my mat.

On bigger quilts,fan fold them in half vertically and measure half at a time :D:D:D