My current project is a theme quilt for my best friend. Although it might seem strange to some, she loves monster movies. Loves them so much that she and a group of friends (who also love monster movies) get together once a month for a girls night in. Popcorn is popped and a room of full grown women settles in to watch a chilling and scary flick.
I was inspired to take the Kaufman Monster Movie fabric, and fussy cut squares on point, and use set corner triangles to frame them for a block. Each block squares up to a nice 8.5 inches. My design includes alternating the monster blocks, with another block made up of two diagonally set 9 patch matched with to diagonally set half square triangle blocks. A problem arose for me (this would probably have been a no brainer for a more experienced quilter) was that a half square triangle block measuring 4.5 inches is easy to accomplish. Figuring out the piecing measurements to produce a 4.5 inch 9 patch was difficult for me.
I ended up figuring the measurement I needed each strip to be in 1/6's of an inch, converting that to millimeters, and then using a micrometer (that belonged to my father when he was alive) to draw out an exact strip template on paper. I made a few blocks and they were perfect 4.5 inch 9 patches. I was so happy! A delima arose, as the paper template was perfect, but now very necessary and oh so fragile. So hubby carefully took the paper template to a local plastics shop and had it copied into what is now my perfect 4.5 9patch ruler. This may not seem like a big deal to some, (sure I could have made them bigger then squared down) but I rather like it when the little blocks don't have to be squared down, for me it preserves the proportions of my little patches. I hope to post pics when the entire piece is done.

It is so neat to find a system that works for us. What works for you doesn't necessarily work for me. Glad you worked it out. Look forward to seeing pics:)

I feel your pain LOL When I have these math dilemas in quilting, which is quite frequent, I usuallly call on my quilt buddies to help me out. I am definitely mathematically challenged!

That's great!! I think it's fun that they get together to watch scary movies but am glad they don't invite me lol :D:D
Oh and math isn't my strong suit either :)

And copying a pattern whatever size I want is so easy for me----------as long as there are only straight lines.

I just copied two patterns from ads in the latest Fons and Porter magazine. I may use them later, I may not. But I've got the patterns.

What I am going to have trouble with is drawing that PEEPS CHICK on of the gals made a quilt from.

Marion, you have two beautiful dogs. Good looking guys (or gals!)

The red one is the boy, the B/W one is the girl. Both rescues from a shelter - we think they're probably brother and sister, but they had come in as strays, so we have no history. They are really great dogs :)

They are darned good looking dogs.

My two were dump dogs---someone dumped them on our road when they were about 6 months old. Both have a lot of Great Pyraneees in them, and the male shows a lot of Great Dane or some big skinny dog and the female shows more lab. So, we're guessing one parent was Great Pyraneese and the other was BIGDOG/GREATDANE and lab mix. They look so much alike color wise, but a good deal different body wise.

Could not ask for better dogs---outside of a serious stubborn streak in both.