merrylouw

If you're having trouble using your rotary cutter and cutting mat, I strongly urge you to go to your LQS asap and ask them to give you a few tips. That rotary cutter could be your best friend!

madequilter

ttfn have to cook dinner.

madequilter

ok what is lqs and where do i find it. only have a walmart in town and that is it.

nativetexan

perhaps your stitch length is too small. too tight for the fabric so it keeps shifting under your foot. do you have a walking/quilting foot or are you using a regular one?
lqs is Local Quilt Store.
anyone give classes near you? if not, try your library for quilting books.

pocoellie

Madequilter-I'm about 4 hours north of Reno, maybe we could pick a spot in the middle and I could help you. If you'd like, send me a PM and maybe all you need is a phone call to explain it. I have unlimited minutes so it wouldn't cost me anything.

clem55

If you are using a paper pattern to cut around, are you maybe slicing off a little edge of the paper when you cut? I Used sand paper when I drew my pieces out , or you can cut a piece of stiff cardboard. I would get a straigth edge to start, then I would put the cardbosrd down, draw around it with as ballpoint pen, then lift the cardboard, and line it up perfect with the line I just drew., I would do this all the way across the fabric, then go back to the beginning and start over. I drew them all out bfore I cut any of them. Another thing you can do, make a second square the same exact size, and after yi have them cut out, check your fabric square with this to make sure it is square. When you are sewing, don't pull on your fabric, just guide it toward the needle. You don't want to stretch it. You still made a pretty quilt, and your colors look nice, and your seams seem to be matching pretty good until you get closer to that short side, that's why I wonder about your cutting pattern, and a few of the squares look as if you stretched them to match your seam. I'd suggest you slow down a little, and just try to have everything square and the same size seams and I think you weill do fine. I've been sewing more thasn 55 years, and today I ripped out forty short seams that I didn't get sewn straigh edge to edge, so everyone has bad days, we just have to keep trying to correct them as we go along. If you start getting off, on one, then it just gets worse the more you add. I hope maybe this helps you a little.

Prism99

I agree that a rotary cutter could be your best friend.

At Walmart they have rotary cutters, cutting mats, rulers, and the "Shape Cut" flexible mat. The Shape Cut has slots in it to guide the cutter. First you cut strips, then you cut the strips into squares.

Here is a link to a Youtube video demonstrating how to use the Shape Cut:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pETsJf2nNQE

Laura1557

I'd also suggest trying a smaller quilt to get the feel for accuracy. If I tried a king-size with my limited experience, trying to cut and piece a project that big would've been too much. My first quilt was crib-size (lap throw) and my second one (still in progress) is between crib and twin-size. The bigger the project, the more room for error.

Ann L

Don't forget the ruler when you use the rotary cutter. That might help.

brushandthimble

make sure you cut them square
and your seam allowances need to be consistant, invest in a 1/4 inch foot, I like the one with the edge.

square off blocks before sewing together.
pin row together from center out to each end

measure borders to length of quilt and pin again from center and corners.

hope this helps.