Quilts are squared in order to prepare for binding or borders to be added. A squared quilt will lay more flat on your bed. Squaring a quilt will remove the extra batting and backing extending past the quilt top. It also prepares the quilt for the binding to be added.
Once your piece is quilted, you need to make the edges even and square before adding your binding. It is easier and more accurate to trim the quilt sandwich if the three layers are sewn together at the edge. Otherwise, the bottom layer can shift and you end up with edges that are not the same.
Most quilt blocks are made up of at least a couple pieces, meaning that every time there is a seam there is the possibility of getting off square. ZJ explains that one of the first steps in squaring up a quilt block is to accurately piece as best you can so that you won't have to trim the edges when you are done.
Spray starch for quilting can be your secret tool for award-winning quilts. Starch your fabric before you cut out your pieces to help stabilize the fabric and prevent it from stretching. This results in more accurate piecing.
Add a border
Perhaps your quilt rows aren't too badly out of line – adding a border is a great way to make those uneven edges disappear. Centre the rows and sew them together as best as you can, and then add a border or two. This is also a great way to make a quilt just that little bit bigger too!
Another way to see if your quilt is square is to fold the side edges into the center and compare. If the edges are within a 1/4" of each other and the center, you're pretty much good to go. Repeat with the top and bottom edges folded into the center.
Straight line quilting is the easiest way to finish a quilt and it's especially great for beginner quilters. After spending so much time making a quilt, you can confidently quilt it yourself in straight or wavy lines.
Pressing quilt seams to the side is faster than pressing open and makes it easier to lock seams in place, sort of like a puzzle. It gives you that little added help in a clean seam intersection. This occurs because seams are pressed to opposite directions when sewing sections together.
Straight Line Quilting is a series of straight lines, stitched across the surface of the quilt. The lines can be parallel to the edge of the quilt for vertical or horizontal lines, or sewn on the diagonal, usually at a 45 or 60 degree angle, sometimes creating a grid pattern across the quilt.
The best stitches to use are those with all forward movement like your straight stitch, which is the most commonly used stitch for machine quilting. Many of your fancy stitches (like the serpentine stitch) also have all forward movement and add a creative element to your quilting stitches.
If the border is too long, then the sides of the quilt will be puckered or wavy, and if the border is too short or tight, the middle of the quilt will bubble. If the border is not sewn evenly along the whole edge of the quilt, it will cause waviness in some places and tightness in others and just will not sit flat.
Feather and down quilts
Down is often mixed with feathers in a quilt - the more down there is, the softer, lighter and warmer your quilt or doona will be.
If your bobbin isn't properly wound, the thread can be too loose and this may cause your stitches to buckle and gather in the fabric. Make sure you use the sewing machine function to wind the bobbin rather than hand-winding, as this will keep the correct tension in the bobbin thread.
Slow and steady wins the race! Whether you are quilting top to bottom, left to right, or along the diagonal, always start at the same end and finish at the other end, sewing in the same direction each time.
The seams used to piece quilt backing can run vertical or horizontal depending on the size and shape of your project. Typically, to make the most of your fabric you want to use horizontal seams for 40″-60″ quilts (pictured above) and vertical seams for quilts that are 61″ or larger (pictured below).
The advantage of using spray starch (whether homemade or commercial) is that it adds stiffness to your fabric. This can be really helpful when you prepare your fabric for cutting and piecing. It will make your cuts more accurate and it will be easier to sew and match seams.
Mary Ellen's Best Press
Found at many local quilt shops and used by lots of quilters, Best Press is a starch alternative. This spray technically sizes your fabric, removing wrinkles and creating soil resistance, but doesn't add very much stiffness.
But do you need to backstitch when quilting? Backstitching is not necessary when piecing a quilt. Each piece of fabric is sewn together in a way that “locks” the stitches in, so you don't need to worry about your quilt unraveling. A backstitch isn't necessary when you are quilting your quilt either.