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#1
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How do I keep my quilt square
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 |
#2
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How do I keep my quilt square
Do you measure frequently along the way -- to make sure you stay square from
the get-go? How do you add borders? Chop off a piece... sew it on... then trim to fit? Sure hope NOT! This is one of the easiest ways to end up with a quilt that is very wonky (hee hee... a techincal term!). You should measure at at least 2 (and 3 or 4 is better) spots on your quilt, then average the measurements together (Hopefully they are the same... but rarely are they!). Cut THAT length for your border... easing as needed. My only advice is to measure.... measure... measure. Make sure each block is square and accurate. Make sure each row is square and accurate. Cut carefully and straight. Sorry I don't have any magic answers. -- Kate in MI http://community.webshots.com/user/K_Groves * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "MaleQuilter" wrote in message oups.com... 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 |
#3
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How do I keep my quilt square
One little trick that I use is to cut your binding on the crosswise grain so
it will have a bit of stretch. Lay the quilt out flat and- using small safety pins- mark any areas that don't lay flat starting and ending about 2 inches from the wobble. When you sew on the binding (sewing the first round by machine- not the final stitching) you can stretch the binding a bit and it will make the tiniest of gathers and flatten out those wobbles. This only works for small boo-boos.... large waves will need more intensive treatment. Leslie & The Furbabies in MO. "Kate G." wrote in message . .. Do you measure frequently along the way -- to make sure you stay square from the get-go? How do you add borders? Chop off a piece... sew it on... then trim to fit? Sure hope NOT! This is one of the easiest ways to end up with a quilt that is very wonky (hee hee... a techincal term!). You should measure at at least 2 (and 3 or 4 is better) spots on your quilt, then average the measurements together (Hopefully they are the same... but rarely are they!). Cut THAT length for your border... easing as needed. My only advice is to measure.... measure... measure. Make sure each block is square and accurate. Make sure each row is square and accurate. Cut carefully and straight. Sorry I don't have any magic answers. -- Kate in MI http://community.webshots.com/user/K_Groves * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "MaleQuilter" wrote in message oups.com... 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 |
#4
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How do I keep my quilt square
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 |
#5
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How do I keep my quilt square
Yes -- measure in 2 or 3 spots across the quilt (both length & width) and
then cut your border strip to the exact measurement (average the 2 or 3 if they are different.) Then ease or stretch a bit so that you have your opposite sides the exact same size. Otherwise... you could end up with opposite sides different (even an inch or more) and if you are hanging the quilt... it will definitely show. On a bed... not quite as apparent. Good luck! -- Kate in MI http://community.webshots.com/user/K_Groves * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * "MaleQuilter" wrote in message oups.com... 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 |
#6
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How do I keep my quilt square
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? unfortunately that's not the way it works, if you cut the borders to a fixed size, determined by the quilt top so far, not the pattern, then make the ends match, you should get a better result. You've not mentioned whether or not you square up after quilting. I was taught to do it this way, though I've seen many instructions that say trim backing and batting level with top. I've not made many quilts, but so far they've all been flat and this is what I've done. cheers Anne |
#7
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How do I keep my quilt square
Howdy!
First I square up the quilt top, then I measure for the borders (if any), kinda' like this at the bottom half of the page: http://www.dummies.com/WileyCDA/Dumm...e/id-1791.html Then I square it up again. To help it Finish as a "squared" quilted quilt, I pin baste, a lot, closely, carefully. Lots of basting, I don't want this thing shifting. Baste, baste, baste. I quilt from the center towards the outer edges in a spiral. When I get to the borders I try to be very careful to not stretch that part of the quilt when adjusting the quilt hoop (I hand quilt); if I'm being extra careful I add an extra (wide) border to the real border so my hoop hangs onto that extra fabric, less stress & stretching on the quilt body. After the quilting (& removing that extra wide border strip) I sew a line all the way around the quilt to lock in my quilting stitches. Kinda' like this, except I use the regular machine foot: http://www.quiltuniversity.com/squaring_up.htm Then I square it up again, just like this lesson at Qlt. Univ., sliding a long ruler along the edge, with the table supporting the quilt body so it doesn't stretch or pull off true. I make plenty of binding, not measuring it too closely to the quilt because I've already squared up the quilt before the binding stage. As I sew on the binding I keep it a tiny bit tight, just to make sure the quilt sandwich stays the same size/dimension, squared up. This is what works for me. YMMV It's that basting to keep the quilting even that makes a big difference for me to have a "squared up" Finished quilt. Good luck! R/Sandy-- watching it try to rain, again, in n.Tx. -- glub-glub On 7/5/07 5:20 PM, in article , "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 |
#8
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How do I keep my quilt square
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 |
#9
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How do I keep my quilt square
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 |
#10
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How do I keep my quilt square
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 |
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