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Tips for Accurate Piecing

Hi quilters! This week, I want to cover all the things that go into accurate piecing. You would be surprised what can contribute to your unit or block not measuring accurately when you are finished piecing. That is the most frustrating thing after you have worked really hard on it! I have also received a request from a reader to cover how to get an accurate 1/4″ seam if you don’t have a 1/4″ foot for your machine. So let’s get started with all the tips I think are important for accuracy.

Tip #1 – Cutting Your Pieces

Yes, you saw that right. Accurate piecing starts with accurate cutting! I you are cutting a lot of strips for a project and they all need to be the same width, my first recommendation is to use the same ruler or rulers from the same company. I like Creative Grid rulers.

These rulers have really clear markings in both directions so no matter which side of the ruler you are using, you can find the measurement you want. They also have a slip resistant back.

If you have to cut a lot of strips the same width, I recommend using painter’s tape to mark the width on your ruler for a guide. That way if you are cutting a lot of 2 1/2″ strips, you won’t accidentally cut one 2 1/4″.

See how that bright line of tape makes it easier to find your mark? Also, painter’s tape will not leave any residue on your ruler. We all know how expensive fabric is… so keeping cutting mistakes to a minimum is a good thing.

Finally, make sure you are using your rotary cutter correctly to get an accurate strip. The photos below illustrate the difference. If you hold it wrong like in the photo on the left, you will end up with a strip not measuring correctly. And you may also have a cutting accident.

 

Tip #2 – Always Pin!

I know you are tempted to stitch together two small pieces without using pins. However, it’s important to pin to keep the fabric pieces from shifting. One little shift by the top or bottom piece while it is feeding through your machine can cause the unit to not measure correctly because your seam won’t be accurate.

Even if you are chain piecing, it only takes a few seconds to line up raw edges and quickly pin pieces. It’s better than having to “un-sew” a whole stack of units!

Tip #3 – Use an Accurate 1/4″ Seam Allowance

This is an important step in accurate piecing.  I recommend a 1/4″ quilting foot for your machine, like mine below:

If you have this foot, it’s still a good idea to test it. To do this, take 2 scrap pieces of fabric and stitch them together. When stitching, the edge of the 1/4″ foot should line up with the raw edge of the pieces you are stitching. Once you’ve stitched the pieces, use a ruler (as shown below) to measure the seam to determine if your 1/4″ foot is accurate.

If it measures correctly, great! If it does not OR you do not have a 1/4″ foot, you can actually use markings on your machine’s throat plate or use tape to mark where you should line up your piece for a 1/4″ seam. The following steps will show how to do this.

Throat Plate Option: Check to see if your machine’s throat plate has a 1/4″ mark like mine (below left). To use this marking, you line up the edge of your fabric with the 1/4″ mark when stitching. After the seam is stitched, measure it like I showed above to determine accuracy.

Measuring & Taping Option: If you have no markings on your throat plate, here are the steps for measuring with a tape measure and marking with a piece of painter’s tape on your machine to indicate the 1/4″ point. Start by laying the measuring tape under your needle at the “0” line.

This will also help you to measure if the marking on your throat plate is accurate if you have one. (See my little white arrow in the photo above.) Lower the needle by hand to make sure the needle matches up with the “0” line. Then, find the 1/4″ line on the measuring tape. Use this as a guide to place a piece of tape (or determine the accuracy of the mark) on your throat plate.

When stitching a seam, you can now line up the edge of your fabric with the edge of the tape to give you an accurate 1/4″ seam. Once again, use scrap fabric to test your seam. Hopefully by following one of these tips above, you will get an accurate seam.

Tip #4 – Measure, Measure, Measure!

Now that you are stitching with an accurate seam, the final step in having your blocks measure accurately is to measure each unit as you stitch it to make sure it’s the correct size before continuing. For example, if I am making several flying geese units for a block and they need to measure 2 x 3 1/2″ for the block to come out the correct size, I measure all the geese units for the block (like below). That way, when I am ready to piece the block, I know all the geese units measure accurately. That, along with accurate 1/4″ seams guarantee my blocks will be the right size!

So that’s it! These are what I think are the most important tips to help you piece your units or blocks so they measure the size they should be. If you start by cutting your pieces accurately and then use an accurate 1/4″ seam while stitching them, you are guaranteed to get accurate sized units. Because of that, your blocks and ultimately your quilt will go together smoothly! No headaches matching up seams or creating the intended design.

Comment or ask questions about accurate piecing and I will enter you into a drawing for my pattern, Twinkle Twinkle:

This pattern will give you a lot of practice with accurate piecing with all of those flying geese units that make up the stars and borders! The drawing will be on Monday, August 9th.

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Quilting Tips for the Beginner and Experienced

Every once in a while, I like to compile quilting tips I have shared in the past in an updated post. I think we all can benefit from these tips whether we are beginners or experienced quilters. Some of the tips I share are time savers and some are on technique. Let’s have some fun this week by sharing some of your favorite tips in the comments. We all learn something new everyday and we may here!

Tip #1

Here’s an example of a cutting instructions page from one of my patterns:

Notice how the largest pieces to be cut from a specific fabric are listed first. I recommend always cutting the largest, longest or widest pieces first and work down from there. Some patterns may not have the cutting instructions listed like this. If they don’t, I recommend you write out the pieces you need to cut from largest to smallest on your own.

I also recommend that you add at least 1/8 yard onto the fabric required by the pattern, unless the pattern maker indicates they’ve already added in additional fabric. I like to do this for my patterns to account for shrinkage if you wash your fabric or for cutting mistakes…. and we all know those happen!

Tip #2

As you are piecing units, measure your completed units to make sure it measures as it should according to the pattern. If you measure units before piecing them into the blocks, you can be assured that your finished block will measure correctly.

To be able to measure by my machine, I like to keep a wood pressing stick and small rulers close by.

The pressing stick lets me press seams on the unit while sitting at the machine so I can measure them right there. Here’s how the pressing stick works:

If your units don’t measure correctly, then you will have a lot of difficulty piecing the block and your block will not measure correctly. So, this is actually a time saver!

Tip #3

Well, if your unit or block does not measure correctly or you make a mistake, you’ll need to rip out stitches. One of my least favorite thing to do is to “un-sew”. But if it needs to be done, do it carefully so you don’t damage the fabric pieces. Here’s how I do it:

I cut a stitch every 4 or 5 stitches in the middle of the seam and then gently pull apart the pieces.

The seam comes apart fairly easy and then all you have to do is finish cutting the threads on each end of the unit.

It’s important to be gentle when ripping seams out so the fabric is not stretched and the seam allowance isn’t frayed. Especially when you are ripping out seams on the bias.

Tip #4

This may seem like a simple tip, but you’d be surprised how many people skip it. Back stitch to lock your stitched seam at the beginning and end of a seam. 

The unit on the left has back stitching at the beginning and end of the seam. The one on the right does not. The next photo shows how the seam can easily separate, which can cause your quilt to come apart at the seams … literally!

The unit that has the back stitching is nice and secure, even with seams pressed open.

This can be done whether you are just stitching one unit at a time or you are stitching a chain of units. It only takes a brief second to backstitch at the beginning and end of each unit in a chain.

Tip #5

Finally, here’s a time saving tip when you are making HSTs using the method where you get two at a time. Instead of having to draw lines on the back of all your top squares, try the “crease” method. This keeps you at your machine and you can use the pressing stick (shown above) to make crisp creases.

 

Use the crease at the guide and sew a scant 1/4″ on each side. Then cut them apart and press open for two HSTs!

So that’s it for this week. Share in the comments below some of your favorite tips. I may just feature you in an upcoming tips blog post! I will also enter you into the drawing for a Clover Finger Presser (I don’t think they make the wood ones anymore!)

The drawing will be next Monday, October 12…. so you only have this week to comment. Until next week, ***We have a winner. Congrats, Donna Reeves!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

Stitching Hacks to Keep You Quilting!

There are many stitching tips and hacks that I have shared over the years and hope they have helped you enjoy quilting more. It never hurts to review some of these! Here’s some of my favorites:

Tip #1 – Always use a 1/4″ seam!

You can not piece and enjoy quilting without an accurate 1/4″ seam. The best way to accomplish that is to use a 1/4″ foot on your machine.

To use the foot, line up the edge of piece you want to stitch with the right edge of the foot. However, don’t just assume that it’s a perfect 1/4″. Needle position and thickness of thread can effect the width of your seam. The best thing to do is test it. Sew a seam and then get your ruler out to measure.

If it measures correctly, your ready to sew to your heart’s content! If it doesn’t, sew a few more practice seams on scrap fabric moving the fabric a bit left or right depending on if your seam was too wide or not wide enough. Once you know where you should like up your fabric for piecing, you can mark it on your machine using a strip of painters tape as a guide.

Tip #2 – Another way to make half-square triangle (HST) squares!

Yes! There’s another way to make multiple HSTs. I covered the way to make 8 at a time in this blog post: Piecing Techniques – Half-square Triangle Squares. Now here’s a way to make four at a time if you want more variety in colors or if you don’t need quite so many HSTs. Start with two different color squares that are 1 1/2″ larger than the size HST you want. For example, if you want 2 1/2″ HSTs, you need to start with two 4″ squares. Place those squares right sides together and stitch 1/4″ in on all 4 sides.

Now, cut the sewn square diagonally in both directions as shown in the photos below.

Now press them open for four half-square triangle squares!

Tip #3 – We all have to do it… the dreaded unsewing!

So I know you probably don’t like stitch ripping or “unsewing” as we quilters like to say. Here’s a tip to help that go more smoothly and also save you from shredding precious fabric in the process. What I do is cut a stitch every 4 or 5 stitches in the middle of the seam and then gently pull apart the pieces.

The seam comes apart fairly easy and then all you have to do is finish the cutting the threads on each end of the unit.

It’s also important to be gentle when ripping seams out so the fabric is not stretched. Especially when you are ripping out seams on the bias.

Tip #4  – Measure block units for smooth piecing!

Finally, one of the most important tips I can give you is to measure block units as you go to make sure your block fits together smoothly and measures correctly when you are done. For example, an evening star block that is made up of a large center square, four flying geese units and 4 smaller squares could come our wonky if you do not measure your geese units when you are done.

Most patterns will tell you how each unit should measure when you are finished piecing it. Use this to verify your units measure correctly. That way, your blocks will always come out the correct size. It’s better to measure units as you go than having to rip the entire block apart… wouldn’t you agree?

Well, that’s all for now. Share in the comments tips you use or if there’s anything you’d like me to cover in an upcoming post. I’m always up for suggestions!

Happy Quilting!
Deanne

The Boss Lady Says: Time for Some Quilting Tips!

The Boss

Hi and welcome! I don’t profess to know everything about quilting, but I like to share tips from time to time. Sometimes it’s a tip I’ve just learned about or its a tip for a technique I happen to be working on at the time. Some of these may be new to you or they might not be. Learning is always a good thing and something we’re always doing through our quilting life.

Tip #1: Reading all the pattern directions is very important before beginning a project. Doing this will familiarize you with all the steps involved and you can get questions answered before you begin.

This also comes in handy when cutting out your fabric pieces. Most patterns will have you cut all your pieces up front, but some won’t. Reading the pattern all the way through will guarantee you don’t miss anything.

Above is a look at one of my patterns. As you can see, I have you cut the largest pieces from a piece of fabric and then have you work your way down to the smallest pieces. That is the most efficient way to cut.

I also recommend purchasing a little extra fabric than is listed on the pattern. This will allow for shrinkage, if you are a fabric washer, or for cutting errors. The last thing you want is to run out of fabric!

Tip #2: Measure, measure, measure! Measuring in quilting is not just important when you are cutting out the pieces for your quilt. It’s important through out the piecing process. If you have quilt blocks made up of many different units, I recommend measuring each unit when it’s completed before piecing them into a block.

By doing this, you guarantee that your quilt block will be the accurate size. If the units making up the block are off even by a tiny bit, that mistake will multiply while piecing and you will end up with blocks that do not measure correctly. That will result in your quilt blocks not fitting together smoothly.

Tip #3: This may seem like a simple tip, but you’d be surprised how many people skip it. Back stitch to lock your stitched seam at the beginning and end of a seam.

As you can see, the unit on the left has back stitching at the beginning and end of the seam. The one on the right does not. The next photo shows how the seam can separate, which can cause your quilt to come apart at the seams … literally!

The unit that has the back stitching is nice and secure, even with seams pressed open.

Even if you are chain piecing, it’s a good idea to do a quick back stitch as you move from one unit to the other. It takes a little bit more time, but it will be worth it when your quilt stays together!

Tip #4: Pressing versus ironing. Do you know the difference? There is a big difference! Pressing is when you use the weight of the iron along with the heat to flatten a piece of fabric or seams in a unit or block, basically going up and down. Ironing is moving the iron back and forth over something to smooth out wrinkles. Guess which you should do when your quilting? You want to “press” units and blocks so you do not distort seams or weaken stitching. I did a mini-tutorial on this earlier this year:

So that’s it for this week. Join me next week for some more handy tips! 

Share a tip in the comments below and be entered in a drawing to win my newest pattern: Stack O’ Sheep!

The drawing will be held on Monday, July 29th. ***We have a winner! Congrats, Rebekah!***

Happy Quilting!
Deanne