Shorebird

LOVE THIS RULER!!!!! It really does make these perfectly, with no need to trim down..........

kay carlson

When making scrap quilt units, I make my HST using pre-cut patches placed right sides together. Then I take a long emery board to use a straight edge diagonally corner to corner. Fabric is stabilized while drawing line. Sew .25 inch each side of line, cut on drawn line, trim to size. I do six or more at a time using chain stitching technique. Down one side of each, turn, down the other side, slash on drawn line. Ready to press and trim as needed. Almost instant gratification as pile of blocks pile up!

citruscountyquilter

When you are making HST using the method of drawing a line and stitching and then cutting and trimming you have to be careful at two steps. Remember when you are drawing your line from corner to corner you are running along the bias grain of the fabric which is stretchy. Use a light touch when making your line. I like a fixon pen here because I don't have to press very hard to make the line therefore minimizing the tugging on the fabric.

The second place you have to be careful about is when you stitch 1/4" from that line. Here again you are stitching on the bias. Don't tug on your fabric or pull it through the machine. Let your machine gently move it along to minimize stretching. I stitch a skinny 1/4" away and I sew one direction going one way and the other direction going the other way.

If you are using the method of adding 1" to your square square beyond the finished size of your HST you won't have much to trim off when you square it up. If you are generous in your 1/4" stitching you may not have enough to trim. If this is the case then make your initial squares larger. You'll have more to trim. It doesn't make much difference how much larger your squares are beyond the 1" as long as when you trim you have the marking on the ruler going along the seam line. I use the Quilt in a Day where you only trim two sides then open it up and the square ruler where you trim four sides after you open it up. It just depends on which ruler I find first or remember I have. Both methods work great for me. My avatar quilt is almost entirely made up of HST.

toodie11

HST made super easyn by just sewing 2 strips together and cutting, now bias cutting, use the wonder cut ruler see demo this ruler has more that paid for itself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyKMiTCYWjM

topper1

buy triangle papers at quilt shop or thangles, or can buy cd program to print own triangle program

PlanoDebbie

I made a quilt for a wedding a few weeks ago using this method. It was very quick, but I don't like having the sides of my blocks on the bias. In the end, the quilt looked fine. I prefer using the Magic 8 method to make my HST's. I've learned that I prefer to make them slightly over-sized, then trim down to the exact size needed. Takes more time, but I'm happier with the final product.