msawicki64

I am making my first fence rail quilt. I cut my strips 2 1/2 inches,sewed them at 1/4 inch and when you lay them side by side you can see they are the same size which is 8x8 but when you turn the second block to start making the fence rail the size doesn't match. What am I doing wrong? When I watch tutorials on this the I do according to the instructions. Please help. Thanks

orangeroom

Maybe some of your seams weren't 1/4". They must have been just a smidge smaller. This is what's neat about this quilt. You can trim a smidge on each side to even them up.

If you were making a whole quilt of these fabric strips alone you can sew 2 1/2 x 44" strips together and then measure the width, then cut your blocks to match. Chain sewing like that can make the project go a lot quicker.

Good luck.

mcdaniel023

If I am doing the math correctly, your block should by 8 1/2x 8 1/2. That means you just cut your width wrong.

grammyj

I'm waiting to see what answers you get because I had the same problem.

donnajean

Strips should be 8 1/2 long if your making them 2 1/2" wide. You did not allow for seam allowance when cutting the length to get an 8" block.

piepatch

Wouldn't it have to be that the strips were not all cut the same, or the 1/4" seam is off on some? You can turn the blocks over and measure the strips, and the seams, and maybe find the problem. When I have had that problem, I have found either the cutting or the seam was off. I have never made the Rail Fence, but I think someone else on the forum had that same problem with it recently. http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-137785-1.htm By the way........I love your fabrics!

Retired GI Jo

Yep. Should be cut 8 1/2" to allow for seam allowance. Sometimes books and magazines have mistakes that haven't been caught before publication. Hope you haven't cut too many the wrong size.

Joyce

msawicki64

Thank you all for input. When I get home tonight I will measure them all to see where I messed up.

Painiacs

Hope u were able to fix problem!

karenpatrick

I agree. Also. It's easier to sew long strips together and then cut them to the size you want.