How do you square up a quilt top?

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Squaring up after it's quilted makes a lot of sense for the reasons stated in the thread, i.e., quilting changes the shape and size of the item being quilted. Thank you so much!

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Thanks for pointing me in that direction, Kenz. The Crafty Gemini has some of the best tutorials!

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Rock, it makes perfect sense. I'll just bet that, after quilting and using the laser suggested in another post (I like using electronics when I can because they're so accurate), I could get it pretty squared up. Thank you so much for the advice!

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Grammaterry, I totally agree with you! In fact, you can't see it in the picture, but I deliberately made one of the "envelopes" of all different pieces (instead of as the pattern directed) because it satisfies my "where's Waldo?" sense of humor! (I wonder if my son or daughter-in-law will notice!)

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Thank you so much, Grayjay! I'm planning to send it out or taking to a local LA quilter. One of our local LA quilters has classes in LA quilting, which I'm planning to take (sometime). Right now, it's the thrill of making the quilt top that has my interest.

I really appreciate the information about the loss of size due to quilting. For this particular quilt, I'm not too worried about size loss since it's already so big, but this may certainly make a significant difference in smaller quilts.

I'm planning to ask the quilter to use a heart motif for the quilting, and I'll definitely post a picture of the finished product. Thanks so much for your kind words!

[Kgrammiecaz]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

I use a laser level to square up my quilt. Get one that makes two lines at a ninety degree angle. Works on any size.

http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/?p=5993

Using lasers is am awesome idea. Thanks for the information. I see a Lowes purchase in my near future.

[seaturtle]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

I use a laser level to square up my quilt. Get one that makes two lines at a ninety degree angle. Works on any size.

http://blog.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/?p=5993

Great idea for the borderless quilt. Thanks for sharing.

[Preeti]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

I do not square my quilt tops.
Only after it is quilted, I will square the quilted sandwich before binding.

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Thank you so much for your advice, Preeti. It seems to be the general consensus to square up as you described since there is so much "movement" during the quilting process.

[Bernina2]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

The blocks should be squared up as you go,
When rows are sewn together the quilt top
will be square. On blocks with many pieces,
I squares up sections of the block as I piece
to make sure my blocks will be square.
Thus my quilt top will be squared so to speak.
I never make a square top, always 12-15 inches
longer for crib/lap quilts.
Welcome to the forum.

[JaneMarieS]

Re: How do you square up a quilt top?

Since this was my first quilt, what you describe is one of the first (and probably most important, besides accurate cutting) lesson I learned. On my second project, which I started the same time as this one, I started out not squaring up my blocks but realized somewhere along the line that it was an important step, so I began squaring them up - what a difference! The blocks fit together more easily and the points matched! All of that to say, thank you for emphasizing the importance of squaring from the beginning!