??? about rulers
08-12-2013, 01:53 PM
#14
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well you have to watch your ruler if you are using one larger than what you are wanting to trim. As in an 8 1/2 inch ruler but trimming a 3 1/2 inch block. and sometimes rulers with that 1/2 inch on the side can be irritating.
08-13-2013, 04:07 AM
#15
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my square up ruler has the markings listed differently on different sides. two sides are listed by the even inches and the other two sides are listed by the half inches. perhaps this is what the OP means.
08-13-2013, 04:11 AM
#16
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08-13-2013, 10:32 AM
#18
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Because you usually start at 3.5" (unfinished square or block) and
finish and 3" after sewing...USUALLY. Of course there are a few patterns
that use the less common 3" but that would finish at 2.5".
When you trim you don't trim all four sides in one go. You trim two
sides, turn and trim the rest. Right? So you position your ruler so
that the 3.5" sides are on the sides of the fabric that you will trim.
Ignore the 3" sides. Does that make sense?
If I were to cut 3.5" square I would use a longer ruler and cut a
3.5" strip and then cut 3.5" the other way.
finish and 3" after sewing...USUALLY. Of course there are a few patterns
that use the less common 3" but that would finish at 2.5".
When you trim you don't trim all four sides in one go. You trim two
sides, turn and trim the rest. Right? So you position your ruler so
that the 3.5" sides are on the sides of the fabric that you will trim.
Ignore the 3" sides. Does that make sense?
If I were to cut 3.5" square I would use a longer ruler and cut a
3.5" strip and then cut 3.5" the other way.
08-13-2013, 01:46 PM
#19
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,688
You all are so helpful....Thank you for all the help I have gotten already. My ??? is why do the square rulers only have 2 sides of the actual square and the other 2 sides are different? For example a 3 1/2 X 3 1/2 has 2 sides that are 3 1/2 and 2 sides that are 3 inches...How do I get a total 3 1/2 inch square???? Thank you so much for your help again
If the center of the ruler were the center of the markings, with all four sides having ¼" around the edge, it might look prettier, but it would be much harder to use it for squaring or measuring of any kind.
08-13-2013, 04:57 PM
#20
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Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: home again, after 27 yrs!
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some of my rulers are the same. your 3 1/2 inch one, my 8 1/2 inch one. not all of mine have the extra half inch and I tend to get confused depending on which ruler I pick up, so I know what you mean. it's still square, just starts with a full inch instead of 1 and 1/4 which it would have to do if marked the same on all four sides.
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