melissa Dove

How much will the block stretch ?( and what kind of spray starch do you use), the stuff in england seems sticky I don't think it will make the block damp.

MTS

Let's deal with the spell checker first. You need to turn on that option in your browser. It's not a function of the board.

I use Firefox. From the menu to:
>Tools >Options >Advanced> General
Check the "Check my spelling as I type" box.
Probably have close the browser and start it up again.
Now, each time you misspell a word, it should be underlined in red.
Easy.

I haven't used Explorer in years, so I have no idea on the process. Probably similar. There is, however, an IE add-on http://www.iespell.com/ so you can choose that option if you want.


Now on to your other problem:

If your blocks are not coming out to be the same/right size (and you want them to be - I'm not trying to be the quilt police here), it can be one or all or a combo of three things.
Cutting, Sewing or Pressing.

If any of those are off, it will result in your final units/blocks not being the correct size, which can result in lost points when sewing blocks together, among other mishaps.
And the smaller the block, and/or the more pieces it has, the more the evident the problem will be.

Rather than reprinting what I've written in a previous post ;-),
here's the link (which has another link in it). The OPs on those threads had the same problem you did and my advise was the same:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-113150-1.htm#2936996

Bottom line, if you want to perfect the technique, you have to learn the steps.
Sally Collins is the queen of precision. Here's the link to her book ($under 10 incl shipping used - a fabulous deal),

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Machine-Pi...2758662&sr=8-1

and Sally's segment on Simply Quilts (which I hope you can see if you're in the US).
http://www.hgtv.com/video/the-art-of...deo/index.html

Kitsie

I just use a diluted ( 1 cup water, 1 cup starch) cheap starch like Sta-Flo liquid and just spritz it on. Works well for me up to about 1/4".

Judith1005

oh yes, i am notorious for being off. no matter how careful i try to be when i cut the fabric i am always a bit off. i actually try to cut them a bit bigger just in case i have to square up. good luck. :-)

Just Jan

I had a neighbor and friend who was in her 80's or 90's when I was a kid. She was a beautiful quilter. She had an expression that I still use today... If she had a slight imperfection she would say, "Oh well, a blind man on a galloping horse won't even notice it!"
I love when my stuff comes out perfect but sometimes it just doesn't. I use the oversize method and the one mentioned using the spray starch, but sometimes I just gotta do the frog stitch... Rip it, rip it, rip it! But,if occasionally a star point gets the tip cut off I refuse to worry about it. Most times "it will quilt out," and my quilting is my stress buster and my fun.

wolfkitty

JustJan, you will fit right in here. We use those sayings, too! And quilting helps a lot of us relieve stress. (Of course for others, it may cause some stress - LOL!)

sammygirlqt

This delema haunted me when I first started quilting and still does on a bad quilting day. My problem was in my cutting. I was holding my ruler too tight on the edge of the fabric and then when I let a tiny bit of the edge show, my blocks were a better size. Another thing a friend taught me was to square up as you go. First it might be a HST, next into a 4 patch and so on. Square the block at each step and the end results are very good, often with no squaring up needed. Good pressing also helps, set the seams before pressing to one side and then press again. I don't believe in this scant 1/4" seam and I believe using the above suggestions will solve the problem.

I know you will find your own little thing that is throwing your size off.

kiffie2413

I sometimes will take the seams out on the smaller block and resew with like 1/8 inch seam...and, my quilting guild sisters would hate me saying this...but, I have been known to spray and stretch, and press with iron...finally when all else fails, and my type A takes over, I redo the whole thing! :shock: When I am making half square triangles, I have gotten to where I cut the square bigger, and trim the hst down, otherwise mine never do come out the right size, square, and with points intact...good luck to you!

sandilee

Relieved to hear that I am not the Lone Ranger here!

I am having this problem with the quilt I am working on now.
Its a 4 patch and I think I didn't "center" the 4 patch with the focus fabric when I trimmed it and my blocks were off and the 4 patch squares are not even.

Live and learn!

vivoaks

Oh yes! Been there, still do that! Make sure your cutting is as accurate as possible. Then take a small pile of post-it notes, and line it up so when you sew, you get a SCANT quarter of an inch. If you do a perfect 1/4" seam, the block will be too small. Try for 1 thread-width smaller than 1/4" on each seam. The more pieces in the block, the easier it is to screw it up! Ask me how I know??? :oops: