When my quilts are meant to hang on a wall or go to competition, I really want them to be square and lay flat. This doesn’t always come naturally, so blocking is a good way to do some fine tuning. It won’t correct major ripples or wobbles, but it can work wonders for minor issues. Please be aware that I use this technique with cotton batts. Polyester batts may flatten due to melting from the heat of the iron. Be careful too that the colors in your fabric will not run when wet and the fibers are not too fragile for the heat of the iron.
I always quilt my quilts before I attach the binding. I feel this allows me to quilt any fullness out to the edges and then square things up prior to binding, yielding a truly square and flat quilt. So, once the quilting is done I do the square up step.
This is my method of choice:
1. Choose a carpeted, out of the way area and cover with a layer of towels a little larger than the quilt.
2. Place the quilt on the towels, back side up, and mist with water.
3. Turn the quilt to the right side and mist again.
4. Place a large square ruler in a corner and pin the quilt into the carpet along the ruler, keeping the edge of the quilt top even with the ruler. A bit of tugging and encouraging may be required.
5. Butt 2 long rulers up to the top and left edges of the square ruler. This is called “piggy backing” and creates a large square. Keeping the rulers aligned, continue pinning the quilt into the carpet.
6. Continue moving the rulers around the quilt, pinning as you go. Some areas require a bit more encouraging than others :-).
7. Once the entire perimeter has been pinned. Place a pressing cloth over an area and place the iron in the corner for a count of about 5. Move the iron to an adjacent area and repeat until the whole quilt has been pressed.
I then leave everything as is for at least 24 hours. This allows for thorough drying. Once the pins are removed, rotary cut around the now square outside edge of the quilt and bind!
Do you block your quilts?
lucyz says
I block all my quilts, big little and inbetween, after the quilting , but before the binding.
I do pre-wash my fabrics as they come into my house, and also pre-shrink my battings ( soak in washer, no agitation, spin dry and dry about 3/4 way in the dryer, then drape over a bed to finish drying) . I soak my quilts in the washer ( no agitation) spin , put into the dryer until they are still slightly damp. I then spread the quilt out on one or several (depending on size) of the Dritz cardboard cutting boards ( on the floor), which have a printed grid. I smooth and stretch just slightly, pinning the very edges, making sure the corners are square, mist the whole quilt with a water spritzer bottle and let dry overnight. (At my house I cover with a sheet, as the cats will sleep on any new floor ornament!)
After removing the pins, the quilt is all laid out to have the binding applied …I do all the pinning, including the mitered corners, before I start sewing the binding on.
I realize most people will probably not go to this much trouble, but I like flat and square!
I really like the slightly rumpled look of washed quilts, so have never pressed my quilted quilts. ( I have tried lots of battings, but always come back to Hobbs Heirloom)
Laura Krasinski says
I do block my quilts. And I have learned whether it goes on the wall or the bed.. Wash the backing for sure. My dark backing bled through to my front yellow.. I had to applique a whole new piece to cover it..
Debby Abe says
Kris,
When you press with an iron, are you using steam or just a dry iron after misting?
Debby Abe
Thanks
clkquilt says
I use a dry iron because the quilt is already damp top and bottom.
Nancy Acker says
Chrisl, I have no carpeting, just hardwood throughout my house. Do you have an alternate suggestion? Nancy Acker
clkquilt says
I know quilters who have design walls made of styrofoam insulation. They are covered with batting or fabric and work with this technique. I’m not sure the pins would be quite as stable in the styrofoam, but being able to do it vertically, instead of on the floor, might be a great advantage. If you try this, please let us know how it works :-)!
Brenda Mathews says
Here is a link to a carpenter’s laser square that will shine out perpendicular lines you can use to square up a quilt or hang something level. I’m sure there is a YouTube video demo somewhere. http://m.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-Tile-Laser-Square-Laser-Level-GTL2/202531762/