How do I keep my quilt square

thanks for that info, Lorraine.
i've copy/pasted/given-you-full-credit into notepad and saved to my puter
for reference.
brain isnt up to fully understanding it right now without a quilt at the
ready.
cheers,
jeanne
--
Vote B'fly for President '08
san-fran at ihug dot co dot nz
nzlstar on webshots

"TwinMom" wrote...
Oooo, this in one of my favorite classes to teach because I know some
secret tricks! LOL! Even my beginning students get excellent results with
this method. Let me see if I can summarize it for you.
1) Before even trying to attach the borders, I fold the pressed quilt top
NEATLY in quarters, raw seams inside, checking that intended center spots
are really in the center. Then I line up the folded seams to both the
top/bottom and then to the sides. This gives me a quick check that my
edges are (within reason) roughly the same size as the center seams. I
used to do this with the quilt unfolded and they were just too big. The
weight of the big tops alone would skew the fabric too much to accurately
check without a table to lay the monster flat! The results I get with the
1/4 fold are just as accurate. If the centers and edges are more than
about 1/2" different
net, I go back and look at the piecing to see if something is off
somewhere.
I do NOT proceed with the following steps if I am not happy with the
overall squareness of the top itself!
2) To attach the borders, I fold the quilt in 1/2 only, raw seams inside
again, and lay it across a flat surface so I can get to the center area.
Lets start with the sides, so fold the top to the bottom. This exposes 1/2
of the length of the sides. I fold each border strip in 1/2 also, wrong
side OUT and gently finger press to mark the center. (Note: Do each border
strip separately.) I lay the folded in half border on top and down the
center of the folded in half quilt top, carefully matching the center
folds and gently smoothing the border out to the edge of the quilt. You
should now have the folded smooth straight border, wrong side out, laying
on top of and down the center of half of the folded quilt top. (Tough to
describe! Hope I was clear enough.)
3) With the folded border on top of the folded quilt, turn back the ends
of the border where they meet the raw edge of the quilt top. Again, gently
finger press to mark these ends of the border. Do NOT trim the excess at
this point. Fold each border edge back separately, not as a nested group.
You have now marked the ends of your border.
4) Now take your border, with the folded 1/2 and folded back edges, and
bring each edge fold up to the center fold and gently press these 1/4 and
3/4 marks. Do each side independently again, not nested or wrapped around
each other! Your unattached border should now be shaped like a "W" or "M",
not a "U". You should now have a total of five folds in the border,
marking both ends, and the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 marks, measured exactly to of
the center of your quilt top! Set your two border pieces aside.
5) Do the same folding techiniques on your quilt top, starting right side
out and bringing the edges to the center. Don't forget to do the "M" or
"W" folding, each side back to the center. Your quilt top will have three
folds at the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 marks, and your raw edges are your edges! By
folding the quilt top RST and the border WST, your folds will
automatically nestle when you go to line them up for sewing.
6) To actually attach the border, place the quilt top and each border,
RST, line up the folds and pin as necessary. Ease in any minor size
difference between each set of 1/4 marks. There should not be many. You
will find that by leaving the excess fabric on the ends, it gives you a
nice straight fold to line up the edge of your quilt top to, which gives a
more square result at the corners as well. Sew with your usual 1/4" seam
allowance. Make sure to press your side borders as needed after attaching
and then you can remove any excess on the edges using a nice square up
ruler.
7) To repeat for the top and bottom borders, repeat from #2 above, but
fold the sides together, including the newly attached side borders.

Where is the tape measuring you ask? Ha, silly boy! I don't need no
stinking measurements! LOL, Sorry, a little punchy here. Personally, I
have found that actually taking ruler measurements, writing them down,
trying to divide them, etc., was just a bunch of wasted time I didn't need
to spend. Does anyone really care if your top measures 37 and 3/16?
Basically, if your quilt top edges are within reason to the size of your
centers, both horizontally and vertically, and you have marked the
individual 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 locations on all of the sides to be attached,
all will be fine. Your borders will lie flat and your top will be square.

HOWEVER, you still need to follow the basic principles of matching your
center dimensions and evenly distributing any excesses. The above method
covers those critical points. Some of the worst problems I have seen with
borders is when they are not probably measured or marked. Even when you
think that the edges are the same length as each other, if they don't
match the center, (within reason) the borders will be wavy; if one quarter
or worse one half of the border fabric shifts while being sewn, moving
more fabric to one end or the other, your borders will be wavy. Once you
try the method I have outlined above, I think you'll be flying through
those borders.

Good luck
Lorraine in La Center

I hope that you mis-typed the next to the last paragraph here.....
We are talking borders, not binding....G

I always measure the borders to the quilt, and mark centers and quarter
points, by folding both quilt and borders. Always fold borders single
layer, but I do cut them both at the same time-- to make sure they are
exactly the same length. G Often I fold the quilt top in half, fold
the borders in half (singly), line up folds, then lay the border along
the center, and then mark/cut the ends even.

If you keep everything square as you go, then the finished top should be
square. Remember when you sew the unpieced border to the pieced top,
every one of those seams is a chance for "stretching" of the top. For
that reason, I usually cut borders on the lengthwise (non-stretchy)
grain, and sew with the border on the top, the pieced edge on the
bottom. VBG

Works for me.

Pati, in Phx
http://community.webshots.com/user/PatiCooks


MaleQuilter wrote:

On Jul 5, Kate in MI said, "How do you add borders? Chop off a
piece... sew it on... then trim to fit?
Sure hope NOT! "

I sounds worse when you say it that way. (LOL)

I thought that if I cut my borders "over length" that I would have
extra in case sewing it on changed its length. I was careful to make
sure that opposite sides of the quilt center were the same length
before I started, and tried to sew the binding on with about the same
level of tension (making sure I did not stretch the fabric as I sewed
the binding on).

It sounds like that was all wrong.

Are you saying that I should cut the binding the average length based
on three or four measurements, match the ends of the binding to each
end of the quilt side, and then stretch or ease the quilt center or
binding evenly over the distance between the matching ends?

I know that was a long question. It's amazing the number of things
you do not know when you are a real beginner.

Jerry in North Alabama
http://community.webshots.com/user/MaleQuilter

Pati,
why put the border on top and pieced top on the bottom when sewn?
i'm sure this is clear as could be but my coffee is too hot to drink it and
thus wake up the grey matter.
jeanne
--
Vote B'fly for President '08
san-fran at ihug dot co dot nz
nzlstar on webshots


"Pati Cook" wrote...
I hope that you mis-typed the next to the last paragraph here.....
We are talking borders, not binding....G

I always measure the borders to the quilt, and mark centers and quarter
points, by folding both quilt and borders. Always fold borders single
layer, but I do cut them both at the same time-- to make sure they are
exactly the same length. G Often I fold the quilt top in half, fold the
borders in half (singly), line up folds, then lay the border along the
center, and then mark/cut the ends even.

If you keep everything square as you go, then the finished top should be
square. Remember when you sew the unpieced border to the pieced top,
every one of those seams is a chance for "stretching" of the top. For that
reason, I usually cut borders on the lengthwise (non-stretchy) grain, and
sew with the border on the top, the pieced edge on the bottom. VBG

Works for me.

Pati, in Phx
http://community.webshots.com/user/PatiCooks


MaleQuilter wrote:

On Jul 5, Kate in MI said, "How do you add borders? Chop off a
piece... sew it on... then trim to fit?
Sure hope NOT! "

I sounds worse when you say it that way. (LOL)

I thought that if I cut my borders "over length" that I would have
extra in case sewing it on changed its length. I was careful to make
sure that opposite sides of the quilt center were the same length
before I started, and tried to sew the binding on with about the same
level of tension (making sure I did not stretch the fabric as I sewed
the binding on).

It sounds like that was all wrong.

Are you saying that I should cut the binding the average length based
on three or four measurements, match the ends of the binding to each
end of the quilt side, and then stretch or ease the quilt center or
binding evenly over the distance between the matching ends?

I know that was a long question. It's amazing the number of things
you do not know when you are a real beginner.

Jerry in North Alabama
http://community.webshots.com/user/MaleQuilter

Because, whenever you are sewing the pressure foot will push the fabric
and the feeddogs will pull the fabric. If there is any chance at all of
stretching it is best to put that fabric against the feeddogs. G Same
reason that if you need to ease one fabric to another you put the
slightly longer fabric against the feeddogs.
Hope that makes sense. G
It is hot, and has been a long day. VBG

Pati,in Phx
http://community.webshots.com/user/PatiCooks

nzlstar* wrote:

Pati,
why put the border on top and pieced top on the bottom when sewn?
i'm sure this is clear as could be but my coffee is too hot to drink it and
thus wake up the grey matter.
jeanne

That is why I always engage the Integrated Dual Feed
that Pfilomina Pfaff includes. Other SM may need
walking foot to keep the top and bottom feeding evenly.
then one can put the pieced layer on top, to keep those
seam allowances under control. Clear as mud?
PAT in VA/USA
Pati Cook wrote:

Because, whenever you are sewing the pressure foot will push the fabric
and the feeddogs will pull the fabric. If there is any chance at all of
stretching it is best to put that fabric against the feeddogs. G Same
reason that if you need to ease one fabric to another you put the
slightly longer fabric against the feeddogs.

nzlstar* wrote:

Pati,
why put the border on top and pieced top on the bottom when sewn?

Jerry: So many good tips in this thread! I have this to
add: be sure to pin well! When you pin the borders, be
sure to SUPPORT the weight of the top fully. Place it
on a surface, then pin the border. Do not just drape it
over your lap while pinning, which IME will lead to
ripples in the borders.
PAT in VA/USA

MaleQuilter wrote:

My first few quilt projects have not hung straight and I am trying to
make sure my current project stays square. I have just now started
attaching the borders and so far everything is square and all of
measurements match up like they should.

What tips do you have for keeping everthing square during attaching
boders and quilting?

I think somehow the quilting on my last project caused the wavy way
the quilt hung. Is there a way to keep the quilting from causing a
warp in the quilt?

Jerry in North Alabama
http://community.webshots.com/user/MaleQuilter

Beats me, Jerry. My quilts are for beds so I don't worry about a
little waviness. Besides, if someone looks at the quilt on the bed,
the 3 kitties laying on it will distract 'em from noticing the quilt's
wonkiness by going into their "I'm a cute kitty" rub begging routines.
I'm glad you got lots of tips from other people though.
Debra in VA
See my quilts at
http://community.webshots.com/user/debplayshere

I'm now ready to machine quilt my project. Thanks to all of you for
providing very usefull tips here and in the discussion about sewing
straight seams.

My quilt is far from perfect but it is almost exactly square (within a
quarter of an inch), the seams are even and pressed flat and it even
looks good on the back side. I will post picture after I get it
quilted, bound, and name tagged.

Thank you for answering all of my "beginner" questions.

Jerry in North Alabama
http://community.webshots.com/user/MaleQuilter