How and When to Square up a Quilt
02-28-2022, 09:10 AM
#2
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,394
I do not have a tutorial - but from the way I do things -
I start out with fabric that has been shrunk before I cut it . My method is to soak fabric in very hot water for at least three hours and then gently wash and dry it.
Once had a five inch square shrink over 1/ 2 inch in one direction when it was just washed in warm water. That is not typical, but fabric can shrink when it is steam pressed..
I do an accuracy test when I start - and generally check/ square-up as I go along.
Are my pieces cut the right size ? Are my HST unIts the size i want them to be? Is each unfinished block the expected Size? If not the expected size, then are they the same size?
it is easier - essential - to make sure things are " rIght " from the start than to try to fix a mess at the end.
I start out with fabric that has been shrunk before I cut it . My method is to soak fabric in very hot water for at least three hours and then gently wash and dry it.
Once had a five inch square shrink over 1/ 2 inch in one direction when it was just washed in warm water. That is not typical, but fabric can shrink when it is steam pressed..
I do an accuracy test when I start - and generally check/ square-up as I go along.
Are my pieces cut the right size ? Are my HST unIts the size i want them to be? Is each unfinished block the expected Size? If not the expected size, then are they the same size?
it is easier - essential - to make sure things are " rIght " from the start than to try to fix a mess at the end.
02-28-2022, 09:44 AM
#3
Power Poster
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 41,461
I try to keep all my piecing square throughout the top and usually put on a good size border. I quilt and then square the whole quilt and give or take 1/4 to 1/2 inch it is not noticeable in the border when I trim it square before binding. Before binding, I even fold the quilt( after trimming) matching up all the corners to make sure the quilt is perfectly square.
02-28-2022, 10:15 AM
#5
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: northern minnesota
Posts: 2,346
Squaring up a show quilt is way different than for a bed quilt. My friend who does show quilts measures and remeasures everything as she makes the quilt making sure everything is squared up, then when it is all together including binding and hanging sleeve, she will pin the quilt to a base like a large piece of cardboard or maybe even the carpeting, measure the sides and make sure the right angles are right angles, then she will steam it, blocking it. That is a lot or work for a bed quilt. I just try and measure and stitch everything correctly, then I load it onto my long arm, I have learned that if I can, I use the selvage edges of my backing to both trim the backing, so the sides are even and to attach the backing to the leaders. I then do the quilting aiming to keep the sides of the quilt straight, so I don't end up with one end of the quilt narrower than the other. I then take my quilt off the longarm and move it to my six-foot cutting table and use my ruler to trim the edges making sure I have kept everything straight and all four corners square. And like Tartan, when I fold the quilted top, I check and make sure it folds up square.
02-28-2022, 10:34 AM
#6
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Greater Peoria, IL -- just moved!
Posts: 6,061
For the last 20 years or so, I've been working on the "sew/cut large and trim down" theory. I find I get more accurate results and that it is easier and faster and ultimately more enjoyable for me to sew with less stress and more precision. Not all shapes are created geometrically equal and how I do it varies.
I true up my blocks and sub-units as I go. Periodically we know specific measurements that I call "justifiers" that is, we know this particular square is cut correctly at 3.5, and so this 9-patch it matches/faces also has to be 3.5. Or that sashing is cut at 12.5x2.5 and so the square it touches has to be 12.5" too.
I keep my pieces as even as I can, and so when I stack/sew them up the weight isn't pulling or stretching. So when you put a row or column together you put two blocks together, and then another 2, alternating amounts but you don't end up with 6 blocks in a strip and adding the 7th.... it would be (2+2)+(2+1). Same thing then when you put the columns/rows together. Keep the weight and sizes as equal as you can.
I find I get the best results when I pin, and for proper pinning that is about every 2 inches. It just is.
Sometimes I'm sewing a bit scant or a bit tight, I'm more concerned with consistency than anything else. By the time it comes to make a border, my top might be 2" bigger or smaller than as designed, I prefer to measure/fit the actual results than the planned. Honestly though, over 100" you can fit in a pretty good sized difference.
When you are actually trimming something like solid border square, it helps to have a nice large square ruler, preferable one bigger than the block. 12-16" is reasonable. Before all the specialty rulers I had a plain large drafters triangle. No measurements but a big right angle was what I was wanting.
I true up my blocks and sub-units as I go. Periodically we know specific measurements that I call "justifiers" that is, we know this particular square is cut correctly at 3.5, and so this 9-patch it matches/faces also has to be 3.5. Or that sashing is cut at 12.5x2.5 and so the square it touches has to be 12.5" too.
I keep my pieces as even as I can, and so when I stack/sew them up the weight isn't pulling or stretching. So when you put a row or column together you put two blocks together, and then another 2, alternating amounts but you don't end up with 6 blocks in a strip and adding the 7th.... it would be (2+2)+(2+1). Same thing then when you put the columns/rows together. Keep the weight and sizes as equal as you can.
I find I get the best results when I pin, and for proper pinning that is about every 2 inches. It just is.
Sometimes I'm sewing a bit scant or a bit tight, I'm more concerned with consistency than anything else. By the time it comes to make a border, my top might be 2" bigger or smaller than as designed, I prefer to measure/fit the actual results than the planned. Honestly though, over 100" you can fit in a pretty good sized difference.
When you are actually trimming something like solid border square, it helps to have a nice large square ruler, preferable one bigger than the block. 12-16" is reasonable. Before all the specialty rulers I had a plain large drafters triangle. No measurements but a big right angle was what I was wanting.
02-28-2022, 11:29 AM
#7
Power Poster
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 17,706
As already said ...... squaring up is not an end thing, but a before you begin thing!
To me the fabric preparation is as important as every step along the way.
Then precision cutting of the pieces.
Precision stitching and checking at each stage.
Pressing after every seam is vital (not ironing and stretching).
For example, is that 6-1/2" completed block, really 6-1/2" all around the block?
If not, best to fix the problem now, before making 49 of those!
And so on .... til you put on the borders.
Ditto to borders a bit wider, to allow you some trimming room at the end.
Quilt as desired, staying within the final seam/binding edge,
so that your quilt design shows when complete.
Then a long stitch around the outer edge, holding all layers of the sandwich together.
For the final trimming and squaring, a nice large table to work on.
I usually find a common seam and measure out 8" or WHY, and then trim,
making sure the corners are squared/right angles.
Alas ........ the crowning glory. The binding!
Precision again with even stitching/seamline all round.
Good cornering methods so they can be nice and sharp and pointy!
After the machine stitching and before the hand stitching starts,
I then stitch close to the edge of the inside of the binding seam to
holds it all nicely together to give a crisp edge to the finished binding.
Again, careful hand stitching (ladder stitch) and cornering
to ensure that crowning glory, is just that!
Sounds like a lot of work and attention, but not really.
Whether a quilt for my bed, or an every day placemat, or one for charity,
I figure they all deserve the best efforts, I can give.
It really is worth it!!
To me the fabric preparation is as important as every step along the way.
Then precision cutting of the pieces.
Precision stitching and checking at each stage.
Pressing after every seam is vital (not ironing and stretching).
For example, is that 6-1/2" completed block, really 6-1/2" all around the block?
If not, best to fix the problem now, before making 49 of those!
And so on .... til you put on the borders.
Ditto to borders a bit wider, to allow you some trimming room at the end.
Quilt as desired, staying within the final seam/binding edge,
so that your quilt design shows when complete.
Then a long stitch around the outer edge, holding all layers of the sandwich together.
For the final trimming and squaring, a nice large table to work on.
I usually find a common seam and measure out 8" or WHY, and then trim,
making sure the corners are squared/right angles.
Alas ........ the crowning glory. The binding!
Precision again with even stitching/seamline all round.
Good cornering methods so they can be nice and sharp and pointy!
After the machine stitching and before the hand stitching starts,
I then stitch close to the edge of the inside of the binding seam to
holds it all nicely together to give a crisp edge to the finished binding.
Again, careful hand stitching (ladder stitch) and cornering
to ensure that crowning glory, is just that!
Sounds like a lot of work and attention, but not really.
Whether a quilt for my bed, or an every day placemat, or one for charity,
I figure they all deserve the best efforts, I can give.
It really is worth it!!
Last edited by QuiltE; 02-28-2022 at 11:34 AM.
02-28-2022, 11:53 AM
#8
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Alberta, Canada
Posts: 1,042
Originally Posted by QuiltE
As already said ...... squaring up is not an end thing, but a before you begin thing!
To me the fabric preparation is as important as every step along the way.
Then precision cutting of the pieces.
Precision stitching and checking at each stage.
Pressing after every seam is vital (not ironing and stretching).
For example, is that 6-1/2" completed block, really 6-1/2" all around the block?
If not, best to fix the problem now, before making 49 of those!
And so on .... til you put on the borders.
Ditto to borders a bit wider, to allow you some trimming room at the end.
Quilt as desired, staying within the final seam/binding edge,
so that your quilt design shows when complete.
Then a long stitch around the outer edge, holding all layers of the sandwich together.
For the final trimming and squaring, a nice large table to work on.
I usually find a common seam and measure out 8" or WHY, and then trim,
making sure the corners are squared/right angles.
Alas ........ the crowning glory. The binding!
Precision again with even stitching/seamline all round.
Good cornering methods so they can be nice and sharp and pointy!
After the machine stitching and before the hand stitching starts,
I then stitch close to the edge of the inside of the binding seam to
holds it all nicely together to give a crisp edge to the finished binding.
Again, careful hand stitching (ladder stitch) and cornering
to ensure that crowning glory, is just that!
Sounds like a lot of work and attention, but not really.
Whether a quilt for my bed, or an every day placemat, or one for charity,
I figure they all deserve the best efforts, I can give.
It really is worth it!!
To me the fabric preparation is as important as every step along the way.
Then precision cutting of the pieces.
Precision stitching and checking at each stage.
Pressing after every seam is vital (not ironing and stretching).
For example, is that 6-1/2" completed block, really 6-1/2" all around the block?
If not, best to fix the problem now, before making 49 of those!
And so on .... til you put on the borders.
Ditto to borders a bit wider, to allow you some trimming room at the end.
Quilt as desired, staying within the final seam/binding edge,
so that your quilt design shows when complete.
Then a long stitch around the outer edge, holding all layers of the sandwich together.
For the final trimming and squaring, a nice large table to work on.
I usually find a common seam and measure out 8" or WHY, and then trim,
making sure the corners are squared/right angles.
Alas ........ the crowning glory. The binding!
Precision again with even stitching/seamline all round.
Good cornering methods so they can be nice and sharp and pointy!
After the machine stitching and before the hand stitching starts,
I then stitch close to the edge of the inside of the binding seam to
holds it all nicely together to give a crisp edge to the finished binding.
Again, careful hand stitching (ladder stitch) and cornering
to ensure that crowning glory, is just that!
Sounds like a lot of work and attention, but not really.
Whether a quilt for my bed, or an every day placemat, or one for charity,
I figure they all deserve the best efforts, I can give.
It really is worth it!!
02-28-2022, 01:00 PM
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Dallas area, Texas, USA
Posts: 3,042
I check and square every step along the way, and after it's quilted, before the binding, I use a large square ruler and double check that the sides are reasonably the same as their opposites and corners are square. But sometimes they're a little out of whack after the quilting, and if trimming it would mess up the design, I opt for it not to be perfectly squared. I like wide borders because there's more leeway for the final squaring.
02-28-2022, 01:46 PM
#10
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Ohio
Posts: 2,932
Like others
I starch and square up fabric before cutting it.
I square up each block component of a block before making the block and starch
I square up every block and starch
I square up the top prior to putting it on the longarm
I square up the top prior to sewing on the binding
Yes, I use a lot of starch, but I can fold a top and it will remain wrinkle free when unfolded. At the end of the day I have only achieved a perfectly square quilt on a few occasions and I am fine with that. As long as it is not totally off I am happy, but I still search out tutorials and tidbits from others for all things quilty.
I starch and square up fabric before cutting it.
I square up each block component of a block before making the block and starch
I square up every block and starch
I square up the top prior to putting it on the longarm
I square up the top prior to sewing on the binding
Yes, I use a lot of starch, but I can fold a top and it will remain wrinkle free when unfolded. At the end of the day I have only achieved a perfectly square quilt on a few occasions and I am fine with that. As long as it is not totally off I am happy, but I still search out tutorials and tidbits from others for all things quilty.
