Fizzle

I am making a quilt out of a layer cake. I am struggling with stretch. Is there a trick to sewing with these squares? I am doing a D9P and the center square is wonky. I am wondering if i need to be more aware of the stretch and make sure they are all stretching the same direction? Or do i need to spray starch the pieces prior to sewing? I have had some issues in the past and i thought it was a fluke but today i am wondering.

Anyone have any thoughts?

WMUTeach

I have never had a problem with layer cakes stretching. Could it be the layer cake itself was not exactly on the straight of grain in the first place. Perhaps a light spray of starch or a similar substance might help. Give it a try on just one 9 patch.

This seems like the same old story but check you 1/4" seam allowance. Even a few threads off could make a wonky square after stitching pressing, cutting and restitching. Watch your ruler also so that it does not slide even just a little bit causing an inconsistent cut in your 9 patch.

Did you wash your squares? (I don't) That could make a difference.

Hoping someone else can give you more answers.

Fizzle

Thanks WMU
i was so careful with my 1/4”, mostly because i have not been quilting lately!
i did get up this morning and starch all the rest of the layer cake so well see if that helps

It is Moda so i thought it would all be good!

i maybe should have suspected something when i ran across 2 pieces that were short cut in the machine and a third that was off enough i had to replace it!
Maybe it was cut crooked at the factory.

when will i learn to check everything out before i get to sewing!!!!!

Snooze2978

I quit purchasing pre-cuts as they're rarely cut correctly or cut wonky as you're finding out. The pre-cuts I still have, I've starched heavily and then pressed them once dried. If they're say the 5" pre-cuts, I find a pattern asking for a smaller cut as I can normally cut them down to fit what I need. Otherwise I rather cut my own than go thru the trouble with the pre-cuts. The only pre-cuts I didn't have issues with came from Jenny Beyer and now she's closed up shop.

Onebyone

I buy a lot of layer cakes. I either steam or starch each square before use as all cotton fabric will shrink in only one direction when moist and then pressed. That is a fact. I won't all the shrinkage and wonky out of fabric before I cut it. I don't gently press, I iron fabric hard before cutting.

bearisgray

Most cottons shrink mostly in one direction. Although I would not bet ahead of time whether it will be crosswise or lengthwise.

A very few do shrink in both directions.

I measured hundreds of pieces before and after washing them - I started to measure after I was going to sell a piece of cat print - that I know was over 36 inches long when I purchased it - and it was only 35 inches long when I was going to sell it.

I remeasure all the fabric I buy when I get it home, too. I won't fuss if it is cut to the thread for length - but I am annoyed if it is cut crooked or short.

Macybaby

I've never had problems with layer cakes, but I've always prewashed them. Recently I've been sewing with jelly rolls that are not prewashed, and they are quite squirmy. I'm finding the sizing that isn't washed out makes them a lot slippery than I'm use to with prewashed fabric, and they also don't press well (not a firm crease) and that also caused problems. So far I've used about 6 jellyrolls for three different quilts. Unfortunaly I have about 10 more rolls to use up. It was bad enough that I pulled out 8 packs of charm squares and washed them all.

I am very use to sewing stretchy fabric (use to make custom lingerie) and bias and off grain give me no trouble at all. Sewing with unwashed quilting fabric has not been near the joy and ease that I normally experince.

SusieQOH

I wonder if there was something wrong with that layer cake. I've never had a problem with them and I don't pre-wash.

Fizzle

I have not pre-washed any of my precuts. But i will start starching them! I got heavily in to quilting when precuts hit with MSQC so i have a lot of all assorted ones. I did not think they could be cut slightly off.

i better get to using them up and get them out of here~!

thanks everyone for the input!

appreciate you guys!

quiltsfor

I watch what brands I buy. I've found some where the cuts were off differently through the pre-cuts, even with one batch.
Since then, I will only buy precuts from brands I have used and know that their pre-cuts are pretty much right on.