I want to make a maple leaf block and found the pattern on quiltcacher but for the life of me I can't figure out what she is saying to do to get the triangles.HELP Cindy

You draw those lines on the back of the fabric and sew 1/4" away on either side of the diagonal lines.
Then cut them apart on the drawn lines. :D:D:D

Are you talking about the stem? Take your background 4 1/2" square and cut on the diagonal. Then center the long diagonal side of one of these triangles to a long side of the stem 1 3/4" x 7" and sew the seam. Do the same thing with the opposite side of the stem and the other triangle you cut on the diagonal. Press seams toward the stem. Then You need to square up this new square to be 4 1/2".
Does that make sense?

EDIT: I jumped ahead of you, this is later...

It's much easier to sew them first and then cut them. That way they don't stretch when sewn on the bias.

What is the deal with the 4 7/8?

I looked at the pattern. She's just leaving two squares together to sew and then cutting apart. If you look at the picture of the rectangles she has you sew for the half square triangles you'll see the solid lines are the cutting lines.

Could I cut a strip 4 7/8 from both colors and put it togeather that way or do I need to cut one 4 1/2?

It has to be 4 7/8ths. You can just cut squares 4 7/8th instead of the rectangles.

With doing half square triangles I do a full inch instead of the 7/8, then square them up. The 4 1/2" are for the plain squares, not the half square triangles.

Here is a tutorial with really good photos for you. Just use 5" squares and then square them up to 4 1/2".

http://www.psiquilt.com/2010/02/half...-tutorial.html

I think Quilter's Chache does this kind of directions for cutting, because they think it will help. When I teach beginning quilting, I change the directions to the correct numbers of squares instead.

Thank everyone.I get it now.The tut was very helpful Sadiemae.I have never made hst and was not taking into account seam allowances that would change the finished size.THANK YA'LL

I think it is much easier to learn visually sometimes. I am glad it helped.