Is it Square or Not?

Is it Square or Not?

 

   Not long ago, I was long-arm quilting a pieced quilt top for a customer.  It was not square.

   To have a quilt measure up to 2” off has happen before but this one takes the top prize.  Most quilts are not square because of how the borders are added.  This quilt had a pieced border on the top and bottom.  (or so I thought it was the top and bottom.)  Then a single small border around the whole quilt top.

   When we long-arm, we measure the quilt through the middle both for length and width.  This quilt measured 90” x 92”.  No problem, you are thinking.  The backing and batting are attached to the quilting machine.  Now to add the pieced quilt top.  While placing the pieced border across the top of the machine, I noticed that the sides seemed to move inward like a hourglass.  A quilt can have a hourglass look until it is smoothed out and basted.  I proceeded to baste the quilt across the top.  Now, baste down the sides of the quilt.  The sides moved inward by 2” on both sides.  Luckily, I had picked a design that could easily be adjusted to fit the quilt as it shrink.

  As I continued to stitch the quilt, I also measured the quilt to make any necessary adjustments as needed.  When the quilt was all quilted, it looked fantastic.  What I thought was the top and bottom was actually the sides.  The quilt stayed a consistent 91”-92” long but the sides went from 98” to 90” in the middle to 96” on the opposite side.  No way could I square up an unsquareable quilt.

   So much for being square.

          Terry                                (The quilt pictured is one of mine)