still a little off (seams)
 

I have watched Missouri Star quilter Jeannie make a quilt that looks so nice and easy. When I follow her instructions on a "bear paw quilt" it's always a little off. My seams or my cutting must be off a bit. She just makes it look so easy and it looks so perfect. Do you all have a good way to insure the 1/4 inch seam and the cutting is exact. I am not a new quilter either but my quilts are always off a bit. Thanks:o Do you all think "I'm a little off too, giggle".

It's not as much about your perfect 1/4" seam allowance as it is about the ending result. If you cut correctly and sew a full 1/4", your are going to be too small for your end result. I was told to cut 2 strips, 2" x 4". Sew them together on the 4 inch side and iron the seam to the side. Do you have a strip that is 3 1/2" x 4"? If you don't have 3 1/2 inches then you need to sew a scant quarter, which is one or two threads less than your original seam. Hope this helps.

She uses pre cuts. Any precuts should be measured for accuracy. When the pieces are sewed together should measure again to make sure the finished block is correct. We don’t know what adjustments may be necessary because the video is not long enough to see the rest of the piecing into the full top. Accurate cutting and piecing is important. Don’t assume the precuts are accurate.

I was told that Jenny, when she is being filmed, works faster and perhaps less accurate than in actuality--cause no one wants to watch while someone tediously aligns their ruler, etc.

That 1/4" seam sometimes eludes me too--I don't always do the best test of using a couple of accurately cute squares and once sewn together minus 1/2" (for the two seams) that it measures what it should (i.e. 2.5" sq, sewn together should be exactly 4.5" once sewn). when I do I find that even the wt. of the thread can make a difference on that seam. Also, I'm trying to break the steam habit since as a long arm quilter I know that some spray starch and a lot of steam can shrink down wavey borders--so stands to reason that steam would shrink a block too, right?

A tip I use sometimes when cutting - put a sticky note or piece of tape on the top side of the ruler so you are using the same cut line each time. Otherwise I tend to cut over/under/on the line when doing the same repeated width - particularly if I get distracted or have to stop cutting for a period.

Sewing those seams...a whole different issue, lol!

she has done it 1,000 times.
they don't usually show really close-up views of anything.

and

videos can be edited before posting. ;):p:D

I've been making quilts for years and still have times where things are "off." In my case I think I need to slow down.
I'm "off" in other areas too! :D

Nesting the seams helps a lot. So does putting the piece that is slightly longer on the bottom when sewing two pieces together. There are so many variables and in all honesty if the small discrepancy does not affect the finished product, then finished is better than perfect.

I have tried to make a perfect quilt. I haven't made one yet. I have been trying for eight years. I think I try too hard. I have only made about 450 -500 quilts, crib to the king I am working on now. I feel everything should be perfect, it isn't.