This group has given me some great advice on starting a flannel quilt, but I still have a question. My blocks are very simple, large HST's, 8" wide. Usually I square up HST's but the flannel seems like it needs less handling. Or maybe since the block is so bit, but so simple that they are already accurate enough.
What do you think? Should I go back and square them up or trim them? TIA
-- Loren in Seattle
Hullo Loren I saw a tip somewhere (?!) If you are not sure whether something is: square, the right size, whatever, try sewing two together, as you normally would, the measure the resulting rectangle/whatever. If the blocks aren't square, it would show up much more on a sewn pair. It is probably because they are relatively large, that the exact 'squareness' is not immediately obvious. Our eyes are more attuned to checking squareness in smaller things. With all that bias, on flannel, I think it would definitely be worth checking. . In article , Loren in Seattle writes
I guess I'm curious why you need to square them up in the first place. Is it that you do the "make it bigger then trim it to size" method? If so, and if I understand correctly that these are the only blocks in the quilt then they should all be the same size. They should still be nicely square. If it's that they are not square because of sewing weirdness or because they are being combined with other blocks of a different size then I would think you'd need to trim them. I like to use Magic Sizing on stretchy, fluid fabrics that like to change shape on their own. I find it at my local Safeway next to the starch way down on the bottom shelf in the laundry aisle.
marcella
My sewing is pretty accurate, but flannel is so stretchy, and with such a large block it seemed like it might get off kilter more easily.
I think I knew before I posted that I had to trim these puppies but was tired and avoiding the question. Glad I did trip, found almost 1/4" variance between the smallest and largest. Not only do flannels shrink at different rates but they stretch differently also.
Loren in Seattle
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