Mailmanldy

I have heard of blocking quilts, but does any one ever block their blocks?? I'm asking because I pulled out an old UFO and it is comprised of QST, so every block has bias. This was started back when I first started quilting and so not all my blocks turned out the same size. At first I thought I would just trim them all down to the same size, but some of the blocks were off by as much as half an inch, and that would be a lot to trim on the ones that are closer to the correct size. And the blocks are from strip sets, so trimming the edges would really make some of the strips on the edge look a lot smaller than every other strip.

Then I thought, since they are bias, perhaps when I was sewing or pressing them, I just managed to get them off kilter, and perhaps if I block them I can get them all back to close to original size.

So far, the few blocks I have blocked is working, and I'm liking the results of the blocks being closer to the same size and what they should be, however, I started thinking what is going to happen to these blocks after the quilt is finished and it gets washed. I don't mind the crinkly look in my quilts, and this is a quilt I want to get used, not something to hang on a wall. But, are these blocks that are way off before I block them going to revert back to being way off and make the quilt go wonky, or do I need to have a lot of quilting to keep that from happening, and do more than just stitch in the ditch? I don't want to take the time to block all the blocks if the quilt is going to be all wonky after it's complete and washed.

If blocking the blocks isn't going to help after the quilt is done, is there anything else I could do to fix the problem other than trimming the blocks? I can't make more strip sets, this was from a Bali Pop and I don't have any more of that fabric, and I don't really want to start over. The quilt doesn't have to be perfect, but I don't want it so wonky that it looks terrible.

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

DOTTYMO

I would try two the largest and smallest. Try to keep largest as is and make the smallest larger by blocking. Don't think people generally block blocks but it seems a very good idea in this case.

ckcowl

The backing, batting and quilting should stabilize your quilt and make it OK.

ManiacQuilter2

Having dealt with numerous blocks that were various sizes (from a guild), this is what I would do:
Carefully press them using starch.
Then attach an oversize triangle on each size.
Trim then down to a consistent size.
You can create interesting sub patterns with using two colors or various colors for each QST.

Prism99

Sharon Schamber has some Youtube videos where she demonstrates blocking blocks. Here are some links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-3RIWhBvcA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6aplw_tVZc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQkF02vpVuw

She uses spray starch for the process.

You need just a moderate amount of quilting for the blocks to remain "blocked" in the quilt. Moderate quilting will secure the blocked squares to batting and backing, preventing them from reverting to wonky. You just wouldn't want to tie a quilt like this, or use Warm and Natural with quilting lines 10" apart.

Peckish

Yes, I do it occasionally, especially on blocks that other people make, or on blocks I made because I was a doorknob and didn't measure correctly.

You can sometimes shrink the larger blocks a bit with water and starch. I've taken apart small blocks and sewn them back together with a 1/8" seam allowance. It all depends on how much work you're willing to put into the project.

Mailmanldy

Thank you all for the replies. I got the idea about blocking my blocks from Sharon Schamber, as I remembered seeing her do it when I was watching her videos a few years back.

I did decide to go ahead and block them all, and have about 12 more to finish. They may not all be exactly 10 inches, but they are a lot closer, and I think the top will go together a lot better for having taken the time to block them.

It is good to know that the quilting will help keep them in shape, and they won't shrink back to original size when the quilt is laundered.