Consider Trimming for Perfection

I don't know about other folks, but usually my blocks end up a little sloppy. Irregular stitching, differences in fabric stretch and other factors can contribute to this. Normally, I deliberately plan my blocks oversize and then trim them to size when all the blocks are finished. I didn't do that this time. I thought that with such regular shapes I could get away with not doing it. I did, but I think my top assembly might have been easier if I had. If you want to trim your blocks at this point, you can. You'll end up with perhaps 7 1/4" blocks instead of 7 1/2" blocks, but since you aren't exchanging with anyone, this isn't really a problem. Above you see how I would trim a block... and why...

You just figure out what marking on your trimming square you want to put on the upper right inside corner (top of the white), trim the top and bottom, rotate the block 180 degrees, postion and trim again, and you should have a perfect square. This can make the pinning you will see below go a bit smoother.

You can do this or not, as you see fit.

 

 

 

Here are the assembled rows laid out...

 

In sewing them together, watch your seam joints. Pin profusely... especially any seam that will be going under the sewing machine foot counter to the flow of the fabric, i.e. in such a way that the fabric feed would tend to fold it back on itself, making a larger lump than necessary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found that the white background fabric had considerably more stretch than the print fabric, and I had to use additional pins to keep it flat.

 

 

 

Here you can see a bad example of the additional stretch in the white. I have pinned the ends and kind of pull on the back fabric while pinning, so as to not end up with the extra white all in one fold. It may end up a bit puckered looking, but when finished, this will disappear into the general puckering of the quilt after the initial washing.

 

 

 

And, voila! The Rectangle Island Mystery Quilt top.