Squaring up a quilt after FMQ'ing but before binding
10-09-2011, 08:21 AM
#1
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Do you square your quilt top before or after?
I was just reading on Leah Day's blog that she FMQs then puts the quilt in the bath tub with hot water...dries and then squares it off...then binds. Never heard of that...does anyone else do that?
I was just reading on Leah Day's blog that she FMQs then puts the quilt in the bath tub with hot water...dries and then squares it off...then binds. Never heard of that...does anyone else do that?
10-09-2011, 08:53 AM
#3
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i always square my quilt up- trim it straight before adding my binding- it's just the way i was taught- to add a nice straight binding- i need a nice straight edge. i lay the quilt out on the floor-(only space large enough) and start at one corner- i line my ruler up with a straight line on the quilt- and trim with a rotory cutter (or sometimes it is better for me to draw the straight line with a pencil- then cut with scissors after all 4 sides are marked)
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
10-09-2011, 08:58 AM
#4
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Do you wash it though prior to binding?
Originally Posted by ckcowl
i always square my quilt up- trim it straight before adding my binding- it's just the way i was taught- to add a nice straight binding- i need a nice straight edge. i lay the quilt out on the floor-(only space large enough) and start at one corner- i line my ruler up with a straight line on the quilt- and trim with a rotory cutter (or sometimes it is better for me to draw the straight line with a pencil- then cut with scissors after all 4 sides are marked)
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
10-09-2011, 09:09 AM
#6
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Hudson Valley, NY
Posts: 939
If you wash it, you can block it square before you add the binding. The quilt will hang flatter and it's easier to get the binding even.
I square my quilts up and bind them. I usually wash quilt show entries after binding and block them. If it's for my bed, I just wash it.
Janet
I square my quilts up and bind them. I usually wash quilt show entries after binding and block them. If it's for my bed, I just wash it.
Janet
10-09-2011, 09:44 AM
#7
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Originally Posted by Hinterland
If you wash it, you can block it square before you add the binding. The quilt will hang flatter and it's easier to get the binding even.
I square my quilts up and bind them. I usually wash quilt show entries after binding and block them. If it's for my bed, I just wash it.
Janet
I square my quilts up and bind them. I usually wash quilt show entries after binding and block them. If it's for my bed, I just wash it.
Janet
10-09-2011, 09:50 AM
#8
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Here not there
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Same here
Originally Posted by ckcowl
i always square my quilt up- trim it straight before adding my binding- it's just the way i was taught- to add a nice straight binding- i need a nice straight edge. i lay the quilt out on the floor-(only space large enough) and start at one corner- i line my ruler up with a straight line on the quilt- and trim with a rotory cutter (or sometimes it is better for me to draw the straight line with a pencil- then cut with scissors after all 4 sides are marked)
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
10-09-2011, 10:10 AM
#10
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ontario, Canada
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Originally Posted by loves_2_quilt
Same here
Originally Posted by ckcowl
i always square my quilt up- trim it straight before adding my binding- it's just the way i was taught- to add a nice straight binding- i need a nice straight edge. i lay the quilt out on the floor-(only space large enough) and start at one corner- i line my ruler up with a straight line on the quilt- and trim with a rotory cutter (or sometimes it is better for me to draw the straight line with a pencil- then cut with scissors after all 4 sides are marked)
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
i continue up the side of the quilt- with ruler- getting one side straight/even- then i turn it - line up with the straight edge i just cut or marked- and do the next side- continueing around the quilt until all 4 sides are either cut or marked-
then when it is all done i add my binding.
if doing a quilt that needs to be perfectly squared i measure it diagonally to make sure both diagonal measurements are equal- if they are not then one side is (off) and i need to square it up- but for most of my quilts just having a straight edge all the way around is all i need to add the binding.
Not said, though I'm sure CKCowl subliminally ment so .... when I get to the corners, I make sure they are squared up to be crisp 90° corners!
As for the washing .... I'm a pre-washer, before I even start to cut and sew ... so no further washing at the end of the quilt-making process.
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