Disappearing hour glass
 

Just watched tute from MSQC on DHG again...and at the very beginning when she is sewing the two layer cakes together she mentioned about cuts not being consistent....then I watched her sewing and it looks like to me that she was following the white square edge for her seam, but the print fab was short.....thus a real "skinny" seam allowance....in my mind that is a perfect way to get frayed seams.....they simply unravel........ So I think when I do this pattern, which I really like I will, as someone here suggested, cut my initial squares at 9-1/2" and go from there..

Did you see the tutorial Tartan did for a 12 1/2" block? http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...a-t249219.html

I cut my squares to 9.5 from stash. Then I was able to place the ruler at exactly 4 inches. They are coming out really really nice. I am using patriotic colors for a veteran quilt. I have no trouble with bias edges.

Yes, since I too will be working from stash I like your plan! I am not concerned about the bias edges......i just don't want to fiddle with fraction of inches for tri-cuts......want easy-peasy

Yes, great tute there too! Will also keep that one in bookmark

What Jenny did was sew 1/4" seam on the smallest piece of fabric thus having more of the larger fabric in the seam allowance. She says this when sewing the two together.

Jenny's system is fine in some cases, but what if both of the pre-cuts are too small? Or what if one is too big and the other is ok? You almost need to check each pair before sewing to decide what kind of adjustment to make. I would rather do the cutting myself accurately in the first place.

Thanks for telling me about this tutorial it is a really good one so clear and she made it look so easy, Thanks again

That WAS a mighty skimpy seam there!