I have always struggled to make them. I finally learned the 7/8 inch trick. You probably know it also. This allows a bit of fudge factor... I like that... I like fudge...
Saturday I went to pick up my new block from Patches and THANK YOU GOD, I stayed and watched the demo..
This is what I learned... HOW TO CUT THEM!! Yea, I am sure ALL of you know how to do this. I didn't... No one showed me... Where were my friends when I was making that second cut across the top and scwishing the corner.
I can't possibly explain it, so I made THE SON (formally known as the rock star, he doesn't want to be known as the rock star anymore) video me. He actually said " I will video you if you don't call me the Rock Star".
See where I start cutting the top? Janet showed me that. She does the demos at Patches for First Saturday. So simple, yet no one had ever told me to start cutting in the middle of the second side, not at the end. Watch the second part of the video where THE SON gets real close...
And yes, I always use the edge of my ruler to sweep my cuts aside. That's ok right? I'm not hurting my ruler am I? Cause I really like those two rulers. I use them to cut everything. I have the larger size, but it rarely leaves the ruler holder.
So now I am sharing. Cause, really? Someone should have shown me this a long time ago...
Nancy
11 comments:
I use the edge of the ruler too. I think it fine.
I use the edge of the ruler sometimes. I can't move my ruler down like that as I don't like to cut sideways with my rotary cutter (feel I might slip), so I have to turn my square to get the final side cut and always do my cutting away from me.....your way saves time, and mine doesn't. *sigh*
I am always amazed that quilters are not taught the proper way to "square up a block" in a beginner class. It is one of the FIRST things I teach in my beginner classes. Also, up size the block...no more 7/8" stuff it is soo much better to upsize.
I can feel how successful you are with your units. Isn't it fun?
Pat
I'm amazed that no one ever showed you that before, but isn't it great to have that feeling of accomplishment. I always use my ruler to push the trimmings out of the way. But you do know you're holding your cutter in the wrong hand don't you? :))
Your video is great. That is exactly how I made my half square triangles. That was the easy part. Putting the four rows together was a bit of a challenge. I got it done. I think you had some different fabrics than I did.
Have a great day.
Well....we didn't know that you didn't know....! We could have saved you some stress.....but the important thing is that you "now know!"
Bev
ok, now I feel like the quilting dunce, 2o years and you'd think someone would share! Thank you Nancy, I'll do it this way everytime I square them up from now on! As for the ruler, never tried it, gonna have to give that a go too! LOL I feel so provincial!
Nancy, thanks for the great tip and video. First time for me, too.
Well, no one ever showed me that either!! So you are NOT alone. Of course I have only been quilting for 25 years, and a lot of things have changed since I took quilting classes. After all I was taught to quilt with scissors and card board templates ;-)
My computer is not downloading the video at the moment but I am sure that when I watch it I will learn something new. You need to change the title under Rock Star to The Son formerly known as Rock Star.
Love this block! Glad you figured out HSTs! :0)
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