bearisgray

This is a spin-off from scant or full quarter inch seam thread -

Ruler placement - are your cut pieces "exact"? If cutting around a template, my pieces are a smidge larger than the template.
When cutting strips, they are also a "smidge" wider than what I think I am cutting.
Example: my 2-1/2 inch strips are probably 2-1/2 plus 1/32 inch.

I don't have a die cutter - so I don't know about how those work, nor have I used my strip cutting ruler. I also don't know how wide jelly rolls actually are.

Seam width - discussed a lot

Pressing - if using unwashed fabric and using steam to press - there can be shrinkage. Also, if there is a bit of a tuck/pleat left by the seams. I press the seam line so the stitches almost show. One can also stretch the fabric if one gets overly exuberant while ironing the piece. Ironing a piece like rolling out pie crust may not be recommended. Although I have done so and my pieces are fine.

All these things are cumulative.

I was aghast that Sharon Schamber was advocating stretching a block that was too small. What happens the next time it is washed?

So - most of us have learned what works for us. I will trim HST's to size. So far, if I cut the square +7/8 inch and sew with a VERY scant seam, they end up skimpy. So now I cut my squares + 1 inch and still sew scant 1/4 inch seams and they usually are barely okay.

Iceblossom

I think the important thing is that we figure out what works for us.

The tiny difference of whether a ruler is used to be cut on the line or next to line was discussed a lot back in the starting days of rotary rulers. The different ruler companies actually said whether the line was on or next to... It may seem like a tiny amount but when you duplicate it across oh, a hundred 2" squares, it can add up.

Likewise in terms of adding up, every seam variance is doubled (or halved) by virtual of being 2 pieces. So with one piece the seam is only 1/8" inch off -- but with two pieces that adds up to a 1/4" already!

I find my sewing seam variance to be more of an accuracy issue than my ruler...

I tried to be very precise in my early days of quilting, with cutting and seaming and so forth (grain line!) and spent many happy decades with those techniques. Starting a tiny bit around Y2K, and pretty constantly for the last 10 years, I've been a big believer in cutting large and trimming down as being equally as fast and more accurate for my work style.

That rounding up the HST is a big step in the cut big/trim down thing. For me it was also triangles, but tiny ones the last time I pieced them traditionally instead of the square with the line down the middle...

loisf

I was aghast that Sharon Schamber was advocating stretching a block that was too small. What happens the next time it is washed?[/QUOTE]

I always stretch my blocks to fit the larger block to which it is being sewn. I like my seams to match perfectly. I'm not advocating to stretch it 1/4", but once the quilt is quilted, I've never found there to be a problem with small stretches. The larger the block you're working with, the more you can stretch it.

bearisgray

I agree that easing in the longer side (or stretching the shorter side) to match the other side works okay for small differences.

I have also learned that there is usually more give/stretch on the cross grain of fabric than on the lengthwise grain.

Snooze2978

I don't know if this has been mentioned, but also using the same sewing machine for the entire project. If you use different machines, you could end up with different size finished blocks also. The only time I use a different machine is when I go to add the binding and maybe a larger than normal border but by then, you're at the end of the project and the main body has been put together with the same machine.

cashs_mom

I've always tried to use the same machine for the whole project because of this. I have used my 301 and FW on a project. I have the same 1/4" foot on both and they seem to give me the same result.

Stitchnripper

I agree with everything y'all said except I have been known to stretch a block or two (wink wink). Once the quilt is washed and dried it is unnoticeable. I am seriously lacking in precision as much as I try. I don't have any physical issues with my eyes or body that contributes to it. Just the way I am I guess. I try hard to keep the same ruler consistent when I cut, and I have a quarter inch foot on all my machines. I mostly make patchwork blocks and while I have made more complicated blocks with lots of seams converging, and may again, right now I am back to my favorite of scrappy patchwork. I do make a baby quilt now and then from a pattern and they come out fine. And while I love to FMQ on my domestic machine and am getting better at it, no one I have ever gifted a quilt to notices the actual quilting. So I do that for myself for fun even on a gifted quilt. It's all about the colors. And they wouldn't spot a small error anyway.

Iceblossom

I am a big believer in using the same machine for a project. Even if your end results are the same, the machines operate differently and even when I spend considerable time adjusting stitch length and all that, I can generally tell the seams apart by tiny differences. Can't tell the difference so much in the finished project but I can definitely tell my "scantness" is different on my different machines, even when using standard 1/4" quilter feet.

bearisgray

I've come to the conclusion that most people are not very observant.

And those that are, have probably learned to not make critical comments out loud to the maker.

Stitchnripper

true. My quilts go to people who don't quilt and don't have glaring errors and the quilting I do is nice if I do say so myself, haha. So for those folks they just like the colors. Other more discerning eyes might keep comments to themselves. I am not going for show quality quilts and in my quilting group we point out our own errors to try and get better.