Squares not lining up evenly?

This is super frustrating to me because i spent quite a few long hours trying to get my squares perfectly square and actually had to cut each and everyone of them down a bit smaller than what I had started out with. So now i'm sewing the rows together and they're not lining up. some do but some are staggered...? The ones that are staggered are at least an inch staggered. I measured them and they're what they are supposed to be but it's not coming out even. i've only sewn two rows together.
What should I do? Rip out all the seams and cut again?

I would rip it all apart, including all squares. Make sure they are all the exact same size. Once you have them all the same size, try again, and make sure you are using 1/4" seam on all of them. Being off a little is one thing, but having them off by an inch is a major problem. If you could post a pic, it would be a little more helpful to determine what the problem is. It is not easy to figure out the problem if we can't see your block or blocks.

How are you measuring the size of your squares? Are you using a square ruler, lining up a vertical line on the ruler with the centre of your block and making sure that you have the same amount of block to the right and to the left of that centre? Mmm odd that it would be an inch out, that's a lot. I have a devil of a time too, lining up blocks so understand your frustration...Photos would sure help....

I say rip them out and keep trying....I am getting better at getting them to match up. I iron all my seams to one side on one row and to the other side on the next row then nest and pin each seam....that seems to help me.

Pinning is great idea. push pin thru seam on top fabric and then thru seam on bottom fabric, It will line up perfectly that way, even if your seams are off a little.

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Originally Posted by ShirleyPickett

I say rip them out and keep trying....I am getting better at getting them to match up. I iron all my seams to one side on one row and to the other side on the next row then nest and pin each seam....that seems to help me.

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I decided to rip seams. I think where I really went wrong is not having a square template to cut along. i was measuring, marking and then cutting with scissors. I now have a rotary cutter, a self healing mat and now as of 20 min ago a square template. :) here's to hoping I get this right.

That should make everything work out much better, good luck.

Ahhh!!!! problem solved :)

There you go! Watch your press, too. When I first started, not that long ago, I realized a bad press can make points go amok....
I learned watching tutorials from Jenny Doan (MSQC) and Amy Gibbs (Crafty.com). Two left-handers! Cutting is still a work in progress and a challenge for me. I do best with pre-cuts.
Good luck! Seems you're on the right road. ;)

Sorry, that's Amy Gibson and Craftsy.com - not to be rude - just sayin'

As someone above said about the ironing (pressing), it's really easy to stretch some of the fabrics and then they won't line up with the others. Also one of the tutorial, advice ladies said that she sewed some blocks together in fours instead of long rows to avoid what you are experiencing. Then sew the four blocks to the next of four, etc. Is that clear as mud?

Oops! I stand corrected...
Amy Gibson

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ShirleyPickett

I say rip them out and keep trying....I am getting better at getting them to match up. I iron all my seams to one side on one row and to the other side on the next row then nest and pin each seam....that seems to help me.

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This is exactly what I do too...and for whatever reason i have found that when you get ready to pin the rows I start in the middle and work my way out to each side that they seem to line up better. But definitely make sure your blocks are all the same size.