There are several things that can impact the accuracy of our 1/4" seam allowance. Things like:
- the sewing machine you are sewing on, where you are switching between machines
- the accuracy of your pressing and
- the type of thread you are using.
As I have already posted about differences between sewing machines, let's move on to accuracy of your pressing.
In Step 4 you will be pressing your seam allowances open to eliminate the bulk when sewing the rows together.
It is far easier to press the seams open on this row than to force the seam allowances in another direction on the other rows where you have the HST's.
I use a pressing stick when I am pressing seam allowances open. The stick's curved surface ensures there are no extra folds of fabric on the right side of the fabric on either side of the seam.
I don't press with out a stick. I carry a smaller 10" in my notions bag for when I am away from my studio.
The weight of your thread when piecing can also impact the size of your blocks. I use So Fine by Superior Threads to piece. This thread is a 50 wt polyester thread. The heavier your thread (ie: a smaller number) the more fabric will be taken up when it passes over top of the seam, making the block smaller.
Recently when I was in Mesa, I was using Bottom Line, another Superior Thread. It is a 60 wt polyester. With this finer thread I noticed a difference; there was less fabric being taken up when it passed over top of the seam, making my blocks larger.
My words of advice this week, take the time to follow the process of checking the size of the joined 2 1/2" squares in this step. You don't want to get to the end of piecing a row with 32 squares only to find the row measures 1/2 - 1" longer or shorter than 64 1/2".
Trust me on this one.
Enjoy this step and don't forget to post your Step 4 on the Facebook Group - Modern Blended Quilts - Virtual Show and Tell or on Instagram using the hashtag #scrapbasketquiltalong.
Download the instructions for Step 4 from the link below:
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