I've found that even pinning can give me wonky seams but since I've begun using Clover Clips, I'm more successful. I clip at each seam intersection. When I've sewn to the clip, I stab my seam ripper into the seam and slowly sew until at least one half of the seam is secure. As others have stated though, the more accurate my cutting, the more accurate my seams and the less I iron and the more I press the more accurate my seams.

If I'm having an especially difficult time, instead of sewing from one end of the blocks to the other, I will start by sewing over the seams first. I open it, and if it is lined up, I can finish it up. If it's not lined up I don't have too much to unsew.

I will tell you this, the more you practice, the better they get.

I love Clover Clips! Did you know they have a larger size now?

Jumbo Wonder Clips! 2-1/4" long Made to hold bigger bindings easier! A great alternative to pins, especially when working with heavy weight fabrics, piles, and vinyls. Wonder Clips can hold layered sections of sewing projects such as handle connectors to handbags and piping without distortion. It holds quilt binding while sewing and it is easy to see and easy to find when dropped on the floor. Clip base is flat for easy feeding to presser foot, and is marked with 3/16", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 3/4" and 1" seam allowances.

This is what helps me, in addition to the excellent tips I've read on this post (haven't read them all tho) - match your seams up and pin your fabric, except align the pins to where you will be sewing, so the pin acts as the seam. Now unfold your fabric and see how your seams match. It's a lot easier to unpin and repin than to unsew and resew! Good luck, welcome to the quilting world, and enjoy your journey!

I agree with the pinning to make it work.

I pin at the intersection and always use my walking foot.

A friend of mine told me a trick that she learned from a quilt teacher. Match up your intersections, pin, then sew about 5 stitches just over the intersection. Check. If its off, rip, and do over. This saves you from sewing the whole row and it coming out off. When you are happy with your intersections, sew the row.
Also, you will get better with time. It just takes practice, and one day you won't have to sew those 5 stitches, you will just have to pin, and sew the row. Keep at it.

It could be your feed dogs too. Some machines actually can pull enough to cause the material NOT to match up due to the feed dogs gradual pulling and stretching the material underneath so it doesn't match material on top.

I agree, I have her DVD and it's wonderful. I learned so much from her