Is there anything about quilting that you hate to do?
I have said that I love every aspect of quilting and I’d be hard pressed to say I “hated” anything about it. But I have found that there is one step in the quilting process that I truly dread.
It’s squaring up the blocks.
You’re probably saying, “Yes! I hate that part, too!” Well, I guess I’m not alone. What I dislike so much about it is that even after you square up all the blocks, you’re right back where you started: a stack of finished blocks lying in front of you that need to be sewn together. Like you didn’t really accomplish anything. It’s how I feel about emptying the dishwasher. All that work and you still have a pile of dirty dishes that need to be loaded for wash! Sheesh! S
o why do I have to do this? I try my hardest to sew an exact 1/4″ seam so I don’t have to square up when I’m done, but, it never fails; the blocks are never exact and they don’t all measure the same. This step is what I call a “necessary evil”. It has to be done, but nobody likes to do it. It is so important to do this in order to make sure your seams line up neatly in your
rows and the quilt measures even from top to bottom. Believe me, I’ve tried to skip this step only to have to take out some rows and restitch them so they will “fit” in the quilt. If you see a quilt with puckers or pulled seems, that’s probably what happened. It makes for a much more clean and professional look to the final product. So next time you get a stack of blocks done and you are ready to sew your rows, don’t forget to “square up”! It’s hip to be square!
Is there something else about quilting that is less than your favorite part of quilting? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and share your experiences!
Happy quilting!
For me it is basting. I have tried several different methods and I always seem to have some trouble with the back getting wrinkles, which then doesn’t make my quilting look as pretty. I love piecing and I love quilting, but I’m not so fond of the step in between.
Melody, are you making small quilts on your home machine? If so, have you tried using a spray adhesive to hold your quilt together? I use “505 Spray and Stick”. It is a temporary adhesive, is completely invisible, and won’t gum up your needle, whether hand quilting or machine quilting. It washes away or simply evaporates over time. Cut the size of batting you need and spray with the adhesive, then place the quilt top on it and smooth it out. Then turn it over and spray the back side of the batting and smooth out the backing on top of that. You are ready to quilt! Hope it works for you. I love it! It’s perfect for small projects like baby quilts or doll quilts. I do all my bed size quilts on a long arm machine so no need for basting. But when I’m doing smaller quilts I really love using the spray adhesive.
I am working on my nieces memory quilt. Between the knit fabric and the interfacing, I am having trouble with the seams being very thick. Would you suggest pressing to one side or pressing the seams open to lie flat? I won’t be quilting the top, I plan to tie the quilt.
Debbie, you can certainly press the seams open, but since you are using the interfacing it will be somewhat stiff no matter what. Did you use the interfacing because you were sewing with knit fabrics and needed the stability? I know they make stabilizers for just such things (like tee shirt quilts) that are very thin and create very little bulk. Some are fusible and some not. Next time maybe give it a try. I’m sure your neice will love the quilt regardless since you made it special for her. ?
Yes, I used interfacing that the lady at JoAnns fabrics recommended. It just seems to be really thick when I sewed the first row together. I want to make sure it will not be a problem when I get ready to tie it.
It was iron on and featherweight.