How to Square Up Quilt Blocks - with Secret "oops" tricks! 

Welcome! Glad it was helpful. ❤️

Awww! Thanks!! 😊🥰 I taught in-person quilting classes to large groups of quilters for years, so I have the benefit of learning from all of them as well as my own experiences. Having them come to me to help solve their challenges absolutely made me a better teacher! 🥰

So glad it was helpful! 🥰

I'm so glad it was helpful! I used to teach "Block of the Month" classes at my Local Quilt Shop. By month 12, people had improved their skills, so their first blocks were much less accurate than the last ones. One of my goals in teaching is to help people feel successful. And ripping out a block made 10 months ago or buying new fabric to remake it does not make me feel more successful, so I didn't want to suggest that to my students! So, I researched an figured out ways to make those early blocks work. 🥰

Yay! I'm glad it was helpful! I don't know why we skip lessons on squaring up when teaching quilting... but it is essential! ❤️

My pleasure! I used to teach Block of the Month classes, so going through the squaring up process at the end was essential! 🥰

So glad to have you here! Good luck with your quilt! I don't love squaring up, but it is SO important!! ❤

I'm so glad!!

I'm glad it was helpful! Feel free to come back and watch as many times as you need ... pause, rewind, re-watch, pause again... whatever helps! 🥰

This is *such* a lovely comment! Thank you so much! ❤❤❤ Let me know how it goes!

Where has this video been my whole quilting life?!? Thank you so much!

@drymtnbuckingbulls I don't know about your whole life, but it has been here on RU-vid for the last several years. ❤️ Glad it is helpful! ❤️

The spot on dot is pretty new. It came out right before Covid lockdowns, and so was never presented to shops at QuiltMarket. Also, Shop Hops haven't been a thing because of Covid ... which is a bummer because they are perfect for shop demos!

Thanks! I'm so glad it was helpful!! 🥰

You're welcome! Glad I could help! 🥰

I'm glad you found it helpful! 🥰

I'm so glad you enjoyed it! ❤️

I'm so glad!! Squaring up is one of those tricky things not often taught in classes because you're just taught to sew the block...

I'm so glad they're helpful! 🥰

Welcome! I'm glad it was helpful! 🥰

Oh yay!! I'm glad it was helpful!! And welcome to a new subscriber. I hope you'll love it here. 🥰

My pleasure!! I'm glad you enjoyed it. 🥰

I'm so glad it was helpful! There are so many tricks that we pick up along the way ... I love being able to share them! 🥰

My pleasure! 🥰

Yay!! I'm glad you found it helpful!! 🥰

Thanks! 🥰

You're welcome! These are the squaring-up tips I learned and shared while teaching Block of the Month classes. 🥰

I'm so glad it was helpful! 🥰🥰🥰

I'm glad you found it helpful! ❤

Welcome! Glad to have you here! Yes, a lot of the quilting tools out there are expensive. But, luckily, most of them are more "want to have" than "need to have." You can do most quilting with basic tools. ❤️

So glad it was helpful! 🥰

Yay! Welcome! And I'm glad the video was helpful. I used to teach year-long Block of the Month programs at a local quilt shop. Over the course of a year, so many of the quilters improved their skills, so their blocks at the end were more accurate than the ones at the beginning. It makes no sense to chop off the points on the accurate blocks so that the older, inaccurate blocks fit! So I taught different ways to work with the blocks that didn't include remaking the first 3-6 months of blocks. That is the basis for this video. It is so fun that through the magic of RU-vid I can share it beyond a single classroom at my local quilt shop. 🥰

What a fabulous comment!! Thanks so much - I'm glad you're enjoying the videos. 🥰

Thanks! There is a lot here... but I'm working on more!! 🥰

Yay! I'm so glad!! 🥰

Yay!! And good luck! ❤️

Thank you! ❤

Thanks! So many tips collected over the years... ❤

You're welcome. 🥰

Yay!!! Thanks so much for sharing! I just did a happy dance. 💃 💃 💃

I'm so glad it was helpful!! 🥰

I did it out of necessity! I taught Block of the Month classes at my local quilt shop, and I had so many students frustrated that over the course of 12 months of quilting, their 1/4" seam allowance got more accurate, and so their blocks were different sizes! I always want my students to feel successful! 🥰 And now I get to share what I learned with everyone. Super fun!

Yay!! So glad you found it helpful! 🥰

Oh yay!! And welcome!! 🥰

Yay! I'm so glad!

A lot of this information I've collected in various places over years and years of quilting... I'm glad it was helpful! ❤️

I'm so glad it was helpful!! 🥰

You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful. 🥰

Glad it helped!

You're welcome! 🥰

I am so glad it helped!! It is so frustrating when things don't line up... I'm glad you were able to save all that hard work and gorgeous fabric! 🥰

I'm glad it was helpful. ❤️

I'm so glad it was helpful! For blocks that come out perfect, most people focus on the 1/4" seam and precision cutting. And those are absolutely important. But when you combine those with the *secret sauce* you'll have so much better accuracy, especially with bias. And that secret sauce is starch. I have a video here where I show my starching method. It is super inexpensive, and works SO WELL. ❤

I will now use a walking foot for piecing I made 7 quilts years ago. I used the walking foot for quilting and unsure about piecing. With the walking foot on my blocks were much improved. Also just had my machine serviced for a tension issue which possibly contributed. And I have heard people say that sewing slower helps the seam allowance be straighter so more accurate.

Some people prefer piecing with a walking foot. I don't, but the people who do really love it. If it works for you and gets you great results, then I think it is awesome! 🥰

Yay! I'm so glad it was helpful! 🥰

@@CarolinaMoore ☺️

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Welcome! I'm so glad you found me, too! 🥰

Oh yikes!! I had a friend who was sewing at my house cut her finger tip off several years ago. She was using a rotary blade that was dull, so she was pressing too hard, lost control, and ... oops! I was the one who taped her finger tip back on until she could go to the doctor. 🥴 Not an experience I'm eager to repeat.

Yay!! I am so glad it was helpful. 🥰🥰🥰

These were just some leftover blocks - I made them with the Creative Grids Straight Out of Line ruler.

That is called the Stripology Ruler

Thanks!! I put all my best tips in there! 🥰

I actually invented it! It is now available at quilt shops worldwide. And I sell them in my online shop: carolinamoorepatterns.com/collections/notions/products/spot-on-dot-magnifying-lens-set

Oh no! Sorry you had issues!! A good rule of thumb when worried about quilt math is to make it bigger and then just trim down. 🥰

@@CarolinaMoore I'll try to remember that great advice!

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It is called the Spot on Dot. Find it here: carolinamoorepatterns.com/collections/notions/products/spot-on-dot-magnifying-lens-set

Most rulers are solid, so you can't cut in the middle. This is a special ruler called the Stripology ruler. It has slits in it that allow you to make the parallel cuts.

This mat is actually one from Cricut. I'm not sure if they make them anymore? I liked the neutral color for my videos ... my everyday mat is bright pink! 😆

I'm so glad it was helpful! Yes, getting those sashing strips right can be tricky... I should do a video on it! I don't have time today, but here are the steps, let me know if it helps: 1. Cut the small sashing strips to the size of your blocks. Sew one to each block to make rows.press towards rhe sashing strips. 2. Measure the length of the rows. Take the average. This is how long your long sashing strips should be. Cut to length. You'll need as many strips as you have rows, plus one (because you'll want to add this sashing to the top and bottom of the rows). 3. Stitch a long sashing strip to the top of each block. You'll have one left over. Press towards rhe sashing. 4. Using a chalk or water solube pen (not a heat-removable pen), make lines on the long sashing strips. These lines are going to be extensions of the seam lines from the short sashing strips. Let me explain that in a second way to make sure it makes sense: each vertical seam line between the block and short sashing strip, draw an extension of that line across the long sashing strip. You should have a bunch of lines across.the long sashing strips. Pin together 2 rows. You'll be sewing the other side of the long sashing strip to the un-sashed side of the next row. Match up the lines on the sashing strips to the seams on the row, and put a pin in each. This will ease the two together, so your blocks make pretty columns when the quilt is put together. Sew all the rows in this way. Press towards the sashing. 5. Now measure the length of both sides. Take the average. This is the size to cut your long sashing strips for the sides. Pin and stitch. 6. Add more borders as needed. Quilt as desired. Bind. Enjoy!! I hope that helps! 🥰

@@CarolinaMoore OMG! How timely I found this video and your response to sashing. Making my first quilt and it has sashing. Also, wish I had found this sooner as some of my blocks were a bit shy of the needed size. I just adjusted my seam allowance, but your techniques would have been better. I call this my "practice" quilt so a lot of learning going into it. (And yes lots of time with 'Jack the Ripper'). One question though, I found my blocks did not come out right with using a triangle ruler (with slots to cut off dog ears) to square up a HST. Have you used this? What are your thoughts?

Hi! I'm so glad it was helpful. The triangle ruler will work best on starched fabric. The reason is because, as you saw in this video, squaring up is usually the last step. But with a triangle ruler, we are squaring up and then pressing open. This last step of pressing can pull the block out of square. Starching will help. Especially on bias edges (edges cut diagonally across the fabric, rather than in the same direction as the woven threads). Another thing that can help is a pressing mat that has a grid printed on it. That will allow you to keep an eye on how square your block is while pressing.

Unfortunately, I don't know a trick for every situation. Sometimes you have to choose between trimming off the points or re-making the block.

The only thing i can think of is to mark the center before sewing it so you have a landmark once it’s pieces. Finger press fold to find the middle and mark with a Frixion pen.

I always recommend that folks check with their local quilt shop first. If you don't have a local shop, or they don't carry/special order what you need, let me know which items, and I can send you a link. 🥰

They are called the Spot on Dot, and you can buy them at many local quilt shops. If you don't have a local quilt shop, there are some places online that have them - I know The Fat Quarter Shop does.

It is called the "Spot on Dot" and you can find them at quilt shops. I also sell them in my shop here: carolinamoorepatterns.com/collections/notions/products/spot-on-dot-magnifying-lens-set

A crazy quilt block doesn't have a defined center. So, you can decide for yourself what the center is. ❤

With a plain block, you don't need to worry about the middle - just the edges. 🥰

That is hard! If there is enough seam allowance to make a sturdy seam, you can add a border on all of them, and then cut them to 14.5". The border may end up wonky, but if you make it look intentional it will just add charm. Otherwise, you can try to unpick those seams and re-sew them so that you're not cutting off points...

@@CarolinaMoore thank you, the colors and pattern are very pretty thank you for the advice.

My pleasure. Good luck!

It holds the fabric in place to prevent shifting, and identifies where the 1/4" seam allowance is on blocks that don't have a full 1/4" seam allowance.

I don't know? Is there a quilt shop you can ask at? If they carry Creative Grids rulers, they should be able to get this one...

I use a couple different rulers in this video. The first one is the Creative Grids Quick Trim Ruler. The second one is a 12.5" square ruler. The last one is the Stripology Squared Mini (it comes in larger sizes as well). Hope that helps!

A rectangular block would be squared up very similar to a square block. The biggest difference is that instead of looking at any diagonal lines on the ruler, you'll be looking at where the vertical center of the block is when trimming the vertical sides, and the horizontal center when trimming the horizontal sides. Hopefully that makes sense.

Great question! For non-square sizes, I like to mark the size on my ruler with glow-line tape first. From there, the rest of the process is really similar.

The first ruler is rhe Creative Grids Quick Trim ruler. It is 3.5" x 12.5" and one of my favorite rulers! So handy!

This is the lazy angle block, made with the lazy angle ruler.

I think this is a block made with the Creative Grids "Out of Line" ruler.

Oh... you may be right! It has been a while...

Great question! I start by figuring out the middle, and the sides, and marking those on my ruler. So, for 9.5x11.5 the middle would be at 4.75 and 5.75. I then line it up under my ruler, and double-check the seam allowances before cutting. If I'm nervous, I'll mark it with a water soluble quilting pen instead of cutting so I can double-check everything before cutting into the fabric. Hope that helps! 🥰

It is a magnifying lens. Hepls you see the line you're lining the fabric up to. 🥰

I hear you. Not all of these solutions will work for every project. Adding coping strips will work for some quilts, but will destroy the illusion in a quilt with a secondary design. I have another video on starching fabrics. Starching fabric can help a lot with accuracy. It can take practice to get to a point where your blocks end up the right size every time.

@@CarolinaMoore thanks!!!

@@mamakaka73 you're welcome! 🥰

Hmmm... I am pretty big on rotary cutter safety. I didn't go back and watch the whole video, but I did watch the first block again. You can hear an audible "click" each time just before I put down the rotary cutter, and a "click" right after I pick it back up again. That is the safety shield being engaged and disengaged. And when the rotary cutter is laying on the mat, you can see the switch has been pushed up, meaning that the safety shield is in place. Different brands of rotary cutters can look very different. This one it can be hard to see that safety shield over the top edge of the blade ... but it is there. ❤ I have been quilting for over 25 years. And haven't needed stitches for all but that first quilt. I learned my lesson early... 😆

Yes ... the Stripology rulers are *not* cheap. Generally I try to share rulers that are less than $25. Sometimes there are rulers that are a touch above that, because I've done a lot of ruler demos! Quilting is already an expensive hobby - fabric and sewing machines and all the things add up. So, I try to be budget conscious when I share new things. But also, I want to share the cool tools that you might want to play with (even if you have to save up for them).

Yes! And I appreciated Carolina's reply! Also, this would be a perfect gift list item! Birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day! :D

I agree! This is a great wishlist item or splurge item. You never know who might want to treat you to a fabulous quilting tool! I put a Sashiko machine on my Christmas wish list one year not at all thinking I'd actually get one ... and my husband surprised me with it!

Can you let me know what needs clarification? If you read the comments, most folks find this video very hellpful...