Fabricnut

I'm almost done with the top of this Halloween tabletopper. My sashing doesn't line up right for some reason. I ripped it out and tried to realign it better but it is still "off". I sewed the sashing to the horizontal blocks first then made one long vertical sashing between the rows. I don't know if I stretched the fabric, if I ironed too much, or if I cut off too much when I tried to square up each block, (The first time I really tried the squaring up thing.) Any suggestions will be appreciated.
I saw Bonnie Hunter talk about using scraps up so thought this would be a good time to try it. It sure did take longer than I expected for just a tabletopper. I just have 2 more borders to finish.

grann of 6

I can't see the problem, myself. Looks good to me. But I know what you mean, have had the problem. When you are sewing all those squares together, all you have to be off in each seam is just a thread or two and will end up being off by 1/16" or more. That is when your 1/4" seam guide comes in handy. I always pin the intersections so that I can ease any differences in between. When you get it all together, you are the only one to know there is anything off.

quiltbugs

I'm looking & looking, and I don't see anything wrong.

Lindsey

I always mark where the seams should line up before i sew. Or, use a corner stone.. The corner stone can be the same fabric the strip is.

PaperPrincess

It looks pretty good to me. My solution with sashing is cornerstones. They really help to keep everything aligned and you can always make them out of the same fabric as the sashing if you don't want to introduce another fabric.

sewnsewer2

Personally, I think it is adorable! It looks fine, and I see your furbaby's tail. LOL

Freddie

Can't see anything in the picture that is not lined up in the sashing. Are you talking about the line up of the squares in each section? In the first picture, the blocks on the left and the right of the sashing are not even at the bottom of the blocks? That is so minor and not all the blocks are the same size anyway. I know you want it to be perfect, I am the same way. But everyone else is going to love it and they won't see the slight imperfections of a quilt. Don't point them out (I always do that and everyone thinks I am nuts!)Even quilters don't see some of the imperfections, even when I do point them out. We look at our work with a very critical eye, while everyone else looks at the overall picture. I think it is beautiful.

susie-susie-susie

It looks fine to me. Maybe you are being to critical of yourself. If the quilters here can't see anything off, no one else will. Very cute table topper by the way. I see your fur baby likes it too.
Sue

mpspeedy

Sashing can be a problem. Fabric is not a stable medium and can stretch or shrink no matter how carefully we handle it. I was taught to measure all sides of the piece and then use an average of all of the measurements. Pin the sashing at the middle and the two ends and then ease the rest together. Always remember to "press" rather than iron. Fabric especially under steam, stretches and or shrinks.
From the pictures it looks like you did an excellant job.

BKrenning

This is what I do, too. If my blocks are supposed to be 12" finished then I measure & mark all down the sashing and I use pins on those lines when sewing it on to make sure it stays where I want it. I don't usually square up my blocks if they look pretty good. The sashing can help pull them back into square if they are a little off and you mark it exactly where you want your block to be.