I agree with over cutting -- adding 1" instead of 7/8" to make the HST. Was watching Fons and Porter the other day and they mentioned they do the 1" since if you are using fabrics that are heavier than the one the pattern was designed with your squares may be a bit small after the HSTs are ironed.

That said -- if I need 7/8ths, say 6 7/8, I start with the ruler in front of me and starting at the 7, I then move one hash mark to the left (toward the 6) and that is 6 7/8.

First of all; save yourself sometime and just do it at 7in and then square it up. But the 7/8the mark is the easiest; it's the last one before the inch mark unless you have 16th in marks on your ruller. Just remember it takes 8 8ths to make an inch so count over to 7 and you'll find that it's the last one before the inch. If you have the 16th marks they are normally smaller than the 8 th marks are. I went thru the same thing when I started sewing again.

Oh, my...sounds like many of you just cut up to the "inch" mark! I never thought of doing that, but it sure would guarantee getting the finished square the right size and having nicely squared edges! Thanks!

If you count THe Lines from THe inch its THe 7th one

This is how I do it if only for time saving for me and knowing my HST will always come out like I want them. I use my bias square up ruler from Martingale/The Patchwork Place to square up the HST's.

If you want to do it the 7/8" way then there are a few rulers out there with that marked on the crosshairs of the ruler. You could buy one of them and then store it when not using.

I always just cut mine at the inch mark (like you said --- 7" in this case). 7/8" is just a pain to try to figure out consistently & I don't think the extra 1/8" of fabric that I "waste" is gonna break my bank... LOL! I like to cut my stuff oversized & trim it down (like side setting triangles, tho I like them oversized to float the blocks). My theory is that you can always cut fabric off but you can't re-attach it!

Me too - I always round up and then trim to perfect size. Well, as perfect as I can ever get anything!!!!!!

Creative Grids makes a ruler where the 7/8" marks are solid rather than the inch lines being thicker. But I agree with the others to cut 7" blocks and trim them.