MO74

So I've realized that I should be blocking my blocks before connecting them -

My husband made me a great "big board" for my sewing room, about 60 X 30 inches on top of 2
utility cabinets with drawers for storage - it is great and I use it for cutting and pressing.

I would like to add a heat proof grid to it for blocking - but I don't trust myself to "DIY" with accurate
measurements.

Have seen the "Sew EZ" board online and wondering if any of you use that?

Or other suggestions ?

I have a gridded pad with pockets under my machine and don't want to have to pull it out and put it back everytime I want to block - or I may just buy another one, it is pretty handy.


Thank you - I am loving reading all the ideas in this forum !

Scissor Queen

Who told you you need to block a block before you sew them together? I square mine up with a big square ruler and a rotary cutter. I personally don't think blocking will get them any more square and accurate than just trimming them.

amandasgramma

Ditto what Scissor Queen says -- I wonder if someone that told you to do that meant "square up" the blocks.

ckcowl

i've never heard of anyone blocking their blocks- if a quilt is going into a show someone may want/need to block the finished quilt to make sure it hangs perfectly straight- but individual blocks should be just fine being squared- simply use a square ruler & trim the edges so the square is a square.

BellaBoo

That sounds like a waste of time unless you are are a perfectionist. Which I am so glad I'm not.

dunster

Okay, I have a slightly different opinion. I seldom square up my blocks. Instead I *try* to check measurements as I sew, to be sure that the block is at all times the right size. It seems to me that slicing off parts of the block after it is finished will mean that (1) I didn't sew it very carefully to begin with and (2) I will be removing bits that are necessary to keep points at the proper places. The exception is that some methods of sewing (e.g. for HST's) call for cutting a little large and then trimming to size for that unit only. As for blocking, I think careful pressing at each step will mean that blocking is unnecessary. (And no, I don't sew perfectly, but I'd rather rip and fix an area as soon as I've done it wrong than try to fix it when the block is finished.)

MO74

Thanks for the replies - I had read in several quilting books that squaring, although not necessary, is helpful.

I have been just trimmimg my finished blocks to almost perfect and that has helped a lot also. Guess I'll just continue doing it that way !