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Sewing a Square Edge

Sewing straight lines and square edges will determine if your project turns out correctly or becomes a bit of a mess. Squaring an edge is the process of keeping lines straight and the two halves of the fabric even. Sewing square edges is especially important when making quilt blocks and large-scale sewing projects. If the blocks of a quilt are not square, it will offset the entire quilt. Keeping the project square is an ongoing process that must be checked at several intervals to ensure everything remains square.

Things You'll Need

Fabric
Iron
Ruler with a grid
Scissors
Sewing machine

Instructions

- 1
  Wash the fabric and dry it according to the instructions on the bolt. If necessary, iron the fabric so that it becomes straight and flat again. This will eliminate any shrinking after the project is completed, which will cause it to lose its square dimensions.
- 2
  Square the fabric before cutting your pieces. Use a ruler with a grid or cutting table with a ruler and grid to trim the edges of the fabric. Do not judge the cuts by the print in the fabric. Fabric can become out of square, or stretched, during the dying process.
- 3
  Cut your pieces for the project. It is always best to measure twice and cut once, especially with a quilt, for which it is critical that the pieces remain squared at all stages of the sewing process.
- 4
  Prepare your sewing machine by threading and inserting the bobbin.
- 5
  Place the project underneath the needle assembly. Lower the presser foot onto the project.
- 6
  Begin sewing, allowing the feed dogs to pull the fabric under the needle.
- 7
  Guide the project, without pushing or pulling it, as it is guided under the needle. Be sure to keep the edge of the fabric along the same straight line of the presser foot or measurement mark on the machine. This will ensure that the seam allowance remains the same and that your stitches come out straight and even.
- 8
  Stop the machine at each corner and raise the presser foot while the needle is still inserted through the fabric. Pivot the project. This will keep you from gathering the fabric or creating any curves along the corners of your project. If mitering corners, stop the machine 1 inch before the corner, fold the miter and hold in place while you sew. Mitering is the process of folding the two edges of the fabric across the corner so that they produce a 90-degree angle around the corner, making a perfect point at the corner. You still need to stop the machine and pivot at the corner where the mitered edges meet.
- 9
  Measure across the project in several places after the seam is completed to make sure the measurements are not offset. For example, if sewing a quilt square, it should measure the same across on all sides and at several places along the length of the square.
- 10
  Trim the project as necessary to make sure that all edges are still square before moving on to the next step in the project.

Sewing