World Wide Quilting Page
Question of the Week
Question for the week of September 25, 2000:
Our question this week comes from S Greaby
I cut my blocks all the same size, I sew them all the same width and they
still don't come out the same!! I hate having to trim them down to the
smallest block but don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?
Liz Vavra :
You may be pressing the blocks too hard and thereby stretching them. Also, we often think we are sewing the same seam allowance all of the time, but even small errors can add up. I bought a sewing foot that has a 1/4 inch guide and it has made all the difference in the world. Best of luck,
MARILYN :
I purchased one of those clear plastic squares about 6" square which is marked with a 1/4" line. It is taped over the sewing machine after lining the needle up with a little dot. it has greatly improvrd my accuracy. i also fins that wheather I place my chair dead-on or to the left or right of my machone also makes a big difference.
Bea :
Do you have a 1/4 inch guide on your machine? I bought a special presser foot with 1/4 inch guide & have no trouble at all keeping all the blocks the same size.
Christine Rich :
Are you working on the bias? Maybe you are stretching some of the block and distorting it?
Gerri :
I have two comments in addition to the great advice given by others. I agree with Gail that it's very important to "press," not "iron." I find that if I "set" the seams by first pressing the seam, THEN flipping the fabric to one side so that the seam is being pressed into position I am less likely to fabric fold in such a way that it looks right, but actually isn't. (This is hard to describe, but if you've had it happen, you know what I mean!)
I also agree with Valerie, some rulers seem to slip at the very end. I've used a lot of brands in my classrooms, but remain very happy with the one I purchased years ago that has a lip that fits up against the edge of the mat. It doesn't slip! Good Luck!
Gail :
You need to check your sewing machine gauge to see if it is really being sewn at 1/4". If you don't have a mark on your sewing plate and are guessing where the 1/4" seem is, there could be alot of variation. Sew a sample seam and measure it. Also you might be stretching the fabric out when you iron (which is what I did for years!). Instead of running the iron along the fabric, stretching it, lift the iron up and then down on the next section. I hope I'm explaining this adequately. I used to have alot of trouble with triangles, in particular.
Valerie :
I know your frustration! I've noticed that when I'm rotary cutting the ruler always slips towards the end of the cut, despite having tried three different products glued to the underside which are supposed to prevent this. I also notice that sometimes I bevel the cutter in, sometimes out, sometimes it's straight up. As for sewing machines, we have a mutual hatred of each other. I've decided to use these quick methods only for utility quilts (i.e. beds and children) and go back to piecing by hand for "heirlooms" - cut the templates to the exact finished size, draw around them on the fabric then cut about 1/4" from the line - it doesn't have to be exact. Then place the lines together and sew by hand - this way you can get your needle in exactly the right place, between the exact threads of the fabric. Yes, it takes time, but you have to choose - frustration and inaccuracy vs. relaxation and perfection! And if Jinny Beyer can still piece by hand, so can I!
Leslie :
I attended a very good class that addressed that problem. The teacher pointed out that just a 16th of an inch off when multiplied by 4 seams in a block equals a quarter inch when the block is finished. So even when things look "the same size" a little difference can make a big difference in the end. That said, and I still battle this problem myself, I find I do best when I try to cut slightly large (that 1/16") and measure each unit as I press. It's slower that way, but I'm less frustrated in the end since my blocks come out closer to the size they should be. Another thing could be your machine. I have an older Viking that does a lot of "sewing" stitches. When I turn it on, I have to make sure the needle is exactly in the center or my quarter inch mark does no good.
Kathy S in so. central WA :
If your patterns are drafted at an accurate size and your seam allowances are consistent and a scant 1/4 inch then they should come out the same size. However, since you have blocks that vary slightly in size, try using your sashing to even them out. Measure the blocks and cut sashing strips to the width for the smallest of the blocks. Then trim enough off to adjust for the ones that are slightly larger. It's not perfect, but it can help when setting blocks that vary slightly in size.
Kathy
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