scant 1/4" is a guideline. How the unit measures when finished is the goal.
There are many variables, one important one is where you guide the fabric. A 1/4" foot guarantees nothing, where the fabric is, is key. Another is pre-pressing.

Fabric fresh from the store seems so flat and smooth. But cut from it and then do peicework and it can grow or shrink with pressing.Depending also on if it was pre washed or not.

Another key is knowing where you decide to hold the ruler lines. Be consistant. My lines lie right On the free edge.

We all have to make our own decisions,...and then stick to them for consistancy. :) I have dozens of 9-patches I've made over the years on different machines. I wish you were here, you'd be sewing perfection before your tea was gone!

Might seem like a pain to bother knowing your 1/4" is right but nothing in this world would make me trim blocks when finished.

Are you “spining your seams “like Bonnie shows? I would try not finger pressing, just do that and put iron straight down on it. I press with seams up but I know some press the other way. If you do finger press use you nail not your finger pad. I do set the seams of each strip set before matching them up for the sub it. I also am using a pressing block on top of them right after they are ironed .
Hope this helps a little.
Terry

I had time for 1, so I made 1! :)

Marcia, did you check the width of your strip sets before proceeding? That's how you would tell if you need to change your seam allowance. Keep trying until the strip sets come out exactly the right width. Once you've established your seam allowance, make about five sample 4-patches to make sure things are coming out right. It can take quite a while getting the seam allowance right, but never was time better spent.

As for pressing, I take the sewn 4-patches to the ironing board, set all the seams, spin the seam, touch the point of the iron to the little 4-patch on the back, then turn over and press carefully. I used to push too hard against my seam lines with the iron and distort my blocks. Use a light hand with your iron. Also, consider that photos you've seen may be showing units that have been squared up.

I couldn't resist starting a second mystery quilt in Bonnie's colors. This isn't sensible, since I've never been able to keep up with only one quilt, much less two. I have a single fabric for the blue, a single green, three tonal neutrals, and a few reds and oranges. It took just a fraction of the time to press and cut the yardage, compared to the scrappy. I'm currently pressing my #1 4-patches, and ready to sew the #2 4-patches. Whatever stage I'm at by morning, I intend to start right in on clue 2.

Thanks to all for the discussion. I saw on facebook a video of a woman fingerpressing her 4-patches. She was slow and deliberate. I am like a bull dozer. I think that is the problem, I'm just not careful enough. Yes, I spin the seams and I have learned that if your two fabrics don't come together thread for thread, your spin will not happen, or will look bad.

Thanks to Lisa for starting a second quilt. I know it will turn out great. Always does.

Thanks to Kalama for the offer of a lesson over hot tea.

And thanks to Terry and fraeq for the response.

Anxiously awaiting Clue # 2. If I see another red and white patch I will be sick.

Marcia,
When working with really small pieces I highly recommend starching the heck out of everything and pinning pinning pinning. From what I can see it doesn’t appear to be distorted, as much as some appear to be not properly aligned and others appear to be too big/small? Do you have a picture of the back seams so we can have look there? Also, sometimes we have to find a method that works well for us, even though we may want to use something else to make it easier, that might not always be the best way to achieve the results we want. Have you tried other methods other than your accuquilt? I know for myself I try to make a sample block the way the pattern says, if I don’t like the results I stick with what works best for me, even it if means more work.

I love the reds and neutrals you picked, I can’t wait to see your completed quilt. I love Bonnie’s quilts but have not done one yet, I just live vicariously through everyone else’s quilts!

Clue #2 is UP! No red and white 4patches this time Battle Axe -- Blue and white (or for me blue and orange, since orange is my neutral) Half Square Triangles..... a Whole lot of them!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/...ne-part-2.html

Thanks AmyBible, thanks for the blue. Trouble is I still have half of the red ones to do.

Another Dr. Pepper and I'll get some energy.

I'll find my Best Press bottle.

Yea! I love the essential triangle tool method, however I have the Easy Angle rule that I bought for a past mystery, the year before Bonnie came out her ruler.


the only bad part, I really had not decided if i wanted to swap out the blue or green for a different color, so now I'll have to make that decision before I start.

the bad news is the printer is out of ink.
the good news is I know how to make 1/2 square triangles.

years ago one of the clues was make 700+ 1/2 square triangles finishing at 2".
iI'm a much better piecer now! No trimming down.