I'm just starting a quilt that's mostly half square triangles and the dog ears are driving me nuts. Does anyone have a good way of handling them....cut them off before or after sewing the pieces together? I just can't get them to come out even on both ends. One end is always bigger than the other. So I'm thinking I'd like to eliminate them before I start sewing each one. Any thoughts on this?

If you are using templates to cut your pieces out, Marti Michell (SP?) templates are shaped so there are no dog ears. Also, Fons & Porter has a template that you can use to cut the dog ears off before you sew. I usually sew, press, and then as I'm watching TV, I snip, snip, snip.

I also sew, press, then have an ear clipping session.

Sometimes I chop them off, sometime I don't.

I don't have any templates. That would be just more stuff to find space for. The pattern is a pinwheel in a diamond in a square and I think the ears should be cut off before I sew across them. It's really pretty and I'm alternating it with another block. If you look at this website where I found it you can see how many triangles it has.

http://quilting.about.com/od/blockof...eel_square.htm

i also do both ways,sew and clip and sometimes clip before i sew,
very pretty block

Topper1 where did you find that cute lamb. Rolling on floor laughing. It is cute

Anyway, we used to snip our own dogears and now there are templates with the corners already off..more to spend, and so many to buy. I personally would rather cut the ears myself and spend the money on fabric

When I make 1/2 square triangles, I square them up when I'm done and that cuts off the dog-ears.

I usually snip after I've sewn the block together and before ironing the block.

Ditto. It's very tedious and probably my least favorite part of quilting but it makes all the difference in accurately piecing the top. It's worth the time to do it.

If I use Lynn Roddy Brown's method, I make them slightly larger than needed, then trim them up. If I'm using Thangles or the "draw a line down the center of a square" method, I trim.

me too

I trim after I sew, I think it is easier to get your 1/4" seam accurate. And I agree, I hate snipping them too.

I sew my HSTs oversized so trimming is required and that cuts the ears too.

I make them bigger then square them using Eleanor Burn's ruler so then you have no dog ears.

Yes, snip them off. Easier to match up the squares. Also, you said in your original post that "the ends don't come out the same" or some similar statement. That sounds like your seam allowance are not even and consistent. Go back and check that otherwise it will be difficult to match up the blocks.

I'm just glad to hear there is such a thing as dog ears! I am doing my first bit of HST and I wondered if those were "supposed" to be there or if I was just really off. Yea! They're dog ears ;)
Andii

This is how I do it also. The blocks are never all the same size after pressing so when you square them all, the ears get snipped off in the process.

I always snip them after pressing open, much easier to sew with after that ;)

Hi, ShirleyAnne, I've just started quilting--am still working on my first one. What are "dog ears"? They don't sound as cute as the real ones on my Yorkie.

But, over a long period of time, doesn't that waste quite a bit of fabric?

The dog ears that they are talking about are what happens when you sew two triangles together. When you press it open to form your square, there are bitty pieces sticking out. (I think Yorkies are cute.)

square up after you make the piece before adding to another?

I am such a bad sewer that I make my hst's larger and cut them down to size thus no dogears. But if I were good and didn't have to worry about size, then I would just snip them as I go, not a big thing, but wouldn't want them in the pinwheel.

Rita

For that pattern , I agree with you...whack off their ears!!!

Ditter

I cut mine off before I sew, usually, because mine never match either!

i sew and then snip the ears off as I go, easier to fit seams together and to iron.

Oversize, then square up and trim is how I do it too. Yes, it will use a bit more fabric, but the ease of the next steps going together really really really makes it worth it to me.

Fons and Porters templete is great.