Need help on figuring out a square
06-12-2014, 07:21 AM
#41
Power Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: MN
Posts: 24,466
After attempting to make two units with two inch cut strips for the narrow strips, I have come to a couple of conclusions .
Using 1/4 inch seams, this creates a unit that has a finished size is 17 x 6-3/8 , or an unfinished size of 17-1/2 x 6-7/8 inches.
1) I think I will make a template of the strip - and cut separate strips and sew them together. I will mark the intersections at the corners and match them until I can "eyeball" them. This, in my opinion, will be a more economical use of fabric. I found the cutting "interval" to be 9-3/4 inches if you move your ruler from point to point along one edge of the first strip.
My template is 11.75 inches from one end to the other.
This worked better for me: After cutting the 45 degree angle, I put the ruler on the bias edge and cut 6-7/8 inches from that.
I actually prefer to make a template for the triangle as compared to cutting a square diagonally. A little bit is added to a piece when I cut around a ruler or template as compared to cutting a diagonal in half. I almost always end up short when I add only 7/8" to a desired size.
So I will be cutting squares 7-3/8 inches instead of the theoretical 7-1/4.
The dimensions would change for different width strips.
The only disadvantage I can see to sewing all the strips together at once is that one would need to allow for the "loss" that occurs at the first and last 45 degree cuts.
The units would all be the same - which would be a good thing if that is the effect one wants.
Again, I apologize for the messy drawing.
Using 1/4 inch seams, this creates a unit that has a finished size is 17 x 6-3/8 , or an unfinished size of 17-1/2 x 6-7/8 inches.
1) I think I will make a template of the strip - and cut separate strips and sew them together. I will mark the intersections at the corners and match them until I can "eyeball" them. This, in my opinion, will be a more economical use of fabric. I found the cutting "interval" to be 9-3/4 inches if you move your ruler from point to point along one edge of the first strip.
My template is 11.75 inches from one end to the other.
This worked better for me: After cutting the 45 degree angle, I put the ruler on the bias edge and cut 6-7/8 inches from that.
I actually prefer to make a template for the triangle as compared to cutting a square diagonally. A little bit is added to a piece when I cut around a ruler or template as compared to cutting a diagonal in half. I almost always end up short when I add only 7/8" to a desired size.
So I will be cutting squares 7-3/8 inches instead of the theoretical 7-1/4.
The dimensions would change for different width strips.
The only disadvantage I can see to sewing all the strips together at once is that one would need to allow for the "loss" that occurs at the first and last 45 degree cuts.
The units would all be the same - which would be a good thing if that is the effect one wants.
Again, I apologize for the messy drawing.
06-23-2014, 05:51 AM
#43
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: at the foot of the Ouichita Mountains, SE Oklahoma
Posts: 273
oh my goodness. I'm amazed at the lengths all of you went to to help me out with this block. I wrote to the block's creator, but got no response. I'll try to get the mag...but if not available, I'm going to just jump in and give it a try using the info that you have shared. 'Thanks' is not enough to express my appreciation to you all, especially to bearisgray who went to trouble of making the block to see if the theory worked.
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