Help! :?: I am trying to make the Shooting Squares pattern from Quiltercache.com LINK. The instructions say to cut 4 4" x 9" strips out of 4 diff fabrics, and out of Color 5 cut 3"x15" strips. Out of the 1st 4 colors, you cut a triangle and a square according to the template. Then out of Color 5, you cut 4 triangles out of the 3"x15" strip -- Both the triangles and the square are to be cut from the template. WELL, the template for the triangle is BIGGER than 3"!!!! In fact both templates are odd sizes.

Thank goodness I haven't cut the fabric yet (trying it with muslim first)....what do you recommend I do? What size should I cut them to get an 8" block???? I really don't want to do a "template" thing -- would rather cut the square 4" but I don't know what to do with the triangle.

thanks in advance..

dee

When you printed out the pattern templates did you make sure that the printer didn't rescale the pages to different sizes ? that could be why the templates are different sizes.
Sharon

I printed it just to see and If you save the picture and print it using the direct method where it asks you what size and the whole nine yards it will make the templates larger by stretching them to fit on the paper. What I did was go to my computers Paint program (just the basic program that is on just about every copmputer) open up the template file then print. This program will print the template actual size. Then when it comes out of the printer you can check just to make sure by measuring the little block that says "1 inch test square". If that sqare measures 1" then you are good to go!

I did use my paint program to print it....and the 1" square is true. Here are the measurements I got on the triangle and square.

Square: between 3 1/4" and 3 3/8"

Triangle: short side: between 3 5/8" and 3 3/4"
Long side: 5 1/8"

In looking this morning (after a cuppa coffee) I see they have you laying the triangle with the long edge along the long cut of the fabric. I'll try cutting it that way.

I was trying to avoid using the templates, and just cut with a ruler....with a more standard size of square and triangle.

On edit (of my own thread!). I had a 2nd cuppa coffee and sat and looked at this pattern a long time. Finally figured out......I used little pieces of post-it-notes on the triangle ruler and marked exactly the triangle the pattern has. I then marked my other ruler for the square. I cut out some more muslin......I have a perfect 8 1/2" square -- to equal 8" square when completed. YAAAAY! So, given that I hate using templates, I will not cut out all the fabric using this post-it-note idea that I read somewhere!!!! I'm a happy quilter! :mrgreen:

Could you just cut a square a little bigger than in half diagnally?

I don't know -- I was the one asking what to do! Thank you -- I figured it out.

Glad you where able to figure it out. :D

Glad you got it figured out now.

When I use templates for angular shapes, I just tape them to the ruler. If the seam allowance needs to be added, I figure that in also. For that particular pattern, I'd make the middle four patches and square them up. From that measurement, I'd add an inch, and make half square triangles, which I would cut on the diagonal to get my corners. That should leave a tiny bit of wiggle room to do the final squaring up.