We’re back with the second part in our series to help you achieve accurate piecing. From the basics, tricks for accurate curves, borders, and cutting to if you should steam, iron, or press, let the Jukebox Quilts team help!

If you didn’t catch our first in the series, make sure you go back and read the first part about accurate piecing and accurate seam allowances.

Like what you’re learning through our blog? We offer quilting classes and other quilting events so you can learn even more. Just call us or sign up when you stop by Jukebox Quilts in Fort Collins. While you’re there, you can grab everything you need from quilting fabric to sewing machines and quilting patterns.

Just the Basics

First, we want to start with the basics! Read through the basics about piecing and expertly tackle your next quilting project.

Thread for Piecing

The finer the thread, the more accurate your piecing. DO NOT use cotton wrapped poly, any shiny polyester, or any thread that stretches when you pull on it. Shiny or slippery threads will cause your seams to come undone.

Not Ideal: 2-ply 60 wt cotton (says 60/2 on label), can be delicate, prone to breakage, generally

pricey.

Ideal: 80 or 100 wt cottonized polyester — Decobob or Invisifil by Wonderfil threads. Strong, super fine, textured with “teeth” like cotton (does not slip), does not stretch, and takes up minimal space in the seam allowance.

Use a Thread Stand for All Threads

Dragging the thread off a spool increases tension in your thread path and can contribute to your block shrinking after you piece it. Cone threads are far less expensive than spools. Neutral colors like white, off white, gray and black are all you’ll need. Center the thread guide directly above the center of the spool.

Machines

Make sure you pick the right sewing machine (with the right features) for any quilting project you have.

Not Ideal: Elliptical feed dogs found on many inexpensive machines. These are designed to ease in extra fabric (useful in clothing construction, but wrecks havoc in quilt construction).

Ideal: Box feed dogs. The Juki 2010QL is a great piecing machine with a box feed and ⅕-inch foot, straight stitch only. High speed, all-metal, knee lift and tie off/thread cutting feature, for less than $1000.

Ideal: Scant quarter inch foot or Juki’s ⅕-inch foot, see above, single hole needle plate and feed dogs the same width as the presser foot (also on the Juki 2010).

Pinning vs. Glues

While it depends on the type of piecing you are doing, all of the items below are useful:

  • Glass head fine (silk) pins
  • Forked pins
  • Quilter’s Choice or Roxanne’s Glue (needle tip applicator)
  • Sewline or water-soluble children’s glue stick

Iron and Pressing Surface

The best surface is a 2×4-foot sheet of MDF board with a single layer of cotton batting covered by a tight canvas. Excess padding or stretchy iron board covers contribute to inaccuracy in piecing. The angled point on an ironing board makes it impossible to easily press yardage.

Spray Starch

Don’t use spray sizing. Only use on yardage, but not during piecing as it can contribute to stretching.

Respecting the Bias

The outer edge of every block and every unit of blocks (the quilt top before borders are added) must be on the straight of grain.

If you don’t follow our blog, make sure you go back and read our previous post to learn more about respecting the bias when quilting.

Testing Your Seam Allowance

Super accurate seam allowances are extremely important (something we discussed in our first accurate piecing blog). The most accurate seam allowance actually is less than ¼-inch. This is referred to as a scant ¼-inch seam allowance. This scant ¼-inch compensates for the fabric taken up in the fold and around the thread when you press your seams. Confirm that your stitching is a scant ¼-inch by doing the following:

To begin, your kit has several 1 ½-inch squares that have been cut on a laser cutter. Take five of these squares and sew them together. Press the seams open. When you are done, you want the finished set of five to measure EXACTLY 5 ½-inches. The illustration below is exactly 5 ½ inches.

Does your set not measure 5 ½ inches? Adjust your seam allowance and try with another five pieces of fabric until it does. If you’ve adjusted your needle position, make a note of that position on the sewn fabrics and keep these with your machine (tuck it in with the accessories for safe keeping). If you adjusted where the fabrics are fed under the presser foot, use painter’s tape or an adhesive seam guide on your needle plate to mark this new seam allowance. Do all of your piecing using this guide, and your finished blocks should be much more accurate.

Accurate Borders and Square Quilts

Cut borders parallel to the selvage whenever possible. Measure down the center of the quilt, cut the borders to that measurement, then make the edges of the quilt fit the borders.

Straightening Grain

Tear the fabric and then pull on both biases the length of the fabric after tearing to straighten, or load on a longarm after tearing, spray with one tablespoon of Wrinkle Release in a spray bottle of water. Roll back and forth and let dry with tension.

Prints

Not always printed on grain, you may wish to fussy cut and have it a little off the grain to match the print.

Prewashing Fabric

We only recommend prewashing your fabric if you’re concerned about shrinkage, potential bleeding, or crocking.

Accurate Cutting

A sharp rotary cutter, great rulers, and large squares are necessary. Or, a laser cutter is even better (we provide laser cutting services for any block you’d like to make, just call us for more information).

To Steam or Not to Steam

Don’t steam! We will spritz yardage with water in a spray bottle to get out stubborn wrinkles, but NEVER have water in our irons!

Ironing vs Pressing

Make sure you follow the Cardinal rule or quilting: Do not EVER stretch your fabric. Lift the iron up, set it down, and make sure you don’t press it and slide it across the surface of the fabric.

Ramp up Your Accuracy with Blocking

Draw your finished block with seam allowance on your canvas cover of your pressing surface (or on freezer paper ironed to the surface and draw after pressing it as freezer paper shrinks when it is pressed). Make every block or unit fit by pinning in place with glass headed pins. At this point, you can use spray starch and press it in place.

Y-Seams

Accurate cutting is absolutely critical. Mark scant quarter-inch seams at the corners of the blocks. Start the stitching by dropping your needle precisely at the mark, take a stitch, then backtack one stitch if necessary for more strength at the corner. Never have a stitch between the mark and the cut edge of the fabric and end the seam by backtacking one stitch.

Spectrum Star

In your bag is a laser-cut block that is fun and challenging to piece. Use the 1 ½-inch laser-cut squares to check your accuracy and then assemble the block. Love it? We can cut more for you!

First, make four flying geese units.

Sew the other geese in place and finish the first seam you sewed to complete the unit.

Sew the outer units. Pay careful attention to color placement!

Sew the black corners onto the top and bottom triangle units. Pin seam intersections and sew the three rows together.

When you’re done, you’ll be left with a beautiful spectrum star!

Love This Blog? Try a Quilting Class!

We are excited to offer different quilting classes so you can try these basics and tips for yourself. You’ll get hands-on quilting experience and the chance to ask our experts questions.

On top of that, are you interested in receiving our newsletter? You can sign up on our website — and make sure you follow our blog and find us on Facebook! We frequently share great quilting tutorials and hints. Call us or stop by Jukebox Quilts in Fort Collins today and browse our wide selection of quilting fabric and more!

Here are some other great blogs you might be interested in reading next:

By: Kelly Gallagher-Abbott at Jukebox Quilts