Need your input
 

I made a Big Star block using the tutorial off of missouriquiltco.com. I took it with me to pick out fabric and get suggestion at one of our local quilt shop. The owner of the shop tells me that the method used on Missouri Quilt Co. is completely wrong and that I need to purchase the nifty HST ruler because I will have trouble with bias the way that was shown in the tutorial. I bought the ruler and tried cutting HST with it. I watch youtube how to do this but I am not pleased in how it works. On the Missouri Quilt site the instructor states to cut 10 inch block and 1/4 seam around block then cut diagonal to form 4 HST.Has anyone tried sewing around block then do a diagonal cut? Or why will this not work? Thank you for advice.

I thought my sample looked good and I am now confused how you would be able to make this quilt without having to work with the bias

It works good in theory, but the diagonal cuts will be on the bias, so be sure to starch heavily or you will have issues with stretching.

Wish you had posted a picture. If you thought that your sample looked good then I bet it did. Maybe the owner of the shop likes a certain way of doing it & thinks that is the only way. I did see the tutorial for the 4 HST. I wasn't making anything that called for HST, but took some fabric from my stash & tried it. I thought it was a pretty neat way to do it, but I tried it out just that one time.

If you starch the fabric heavily, then handle the cut pieces gently, the method she uses will work. I know several quilters who use this method exclusively and have no problems.
Personally, I have problems with this method, so I cut 2 squares an inch larger than the FINISHED size of the HST, put right sides together, draw a diagonal and sew 1/4" on each side of the line, then cut on the line. Press, then trim the resultant triangle to the correct size. Since you sew on the diagonal (bias) it is stablized and your HST edges are all on the straight of grain.

Everyone is different, there are lots of methods for creating a HST. Try them all, then pick the one that works best for you.

There are lots of nifty HST rulers out there! Don't know which one you got, so can't advise on its use.

I don't think you need a special ruler for HST. I haven't made them the way that is shown on MQS but if your sample worked for you and you were happy with it, I would return the ruler to LQS. Too many specialty rulers in my opinion.

Because of the bias edge that will stretch, Starch your fabric twice, on the back before you sew the 1/4" seam and cut the diagonals.

Why twice? try it to find out!:D
peace

I use the same method as PaperPrincess. No special ruler, no scary diagonal edge.

Starch and careful handling will work just fine. I personally don't like that method because I don't like to handle my HSTs as gingerly. Jenny makes it look easy though, doesn't she?

Yes, she does make it look easy and I thought it was. I will starch twice once on back then front, sew. Here is a picture of the sample then a picture of the material I am using I will not be using any of the sample pattern ( it was just a practice piece) Thank you all I am just so happy to be able to get such great knowledge and willingness to help.
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Fabric I am using
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I've made all my blocks for this quilt also, but I did mine in purples, they turned out great! I used Jenny's method and used Best Press and didn't have any problems. Haven't sewn my quilt together yet, going out of town and needed to get some other things done to take to my kids. Can't wait to get it done though. I think your block looks great! Good luck!

grannie cheechee, happy to hear someone else is making the same quilt. Are you using the tutorial on missouri quilt co.or using the HST ruler?
I had to take a break from another quilt that I am making and thought I would give this one a try before resuming my other quilt that is in slow progress.
I am hoping that if someone looks at my sample and see that it is wrong they will let me know before I start cutting up
my material ( fabric is not cheap as you all know) Boy quilting is not easy at all and I think it is harder then sewing clothes.I don't seem to make as many mistakes sewing as I have in piecing quilts LOL.

Thank you Crafty Darlene, I love purple and I bet your's will be beautiful. Good luck on your quilt and have a safe and fun trip.

Looks super to me. Do whatever way you are comfortable with.

Personally I don't use this method because I do a lot of pressing and would surely stretch the bias.

I have used the 1/4" seam around the block and cut on the diagonal, I had no problem with the bias edges, it worked great for me and I didn't even starch

I made blocks and am doing that quilt the way Jenny does it and not having issues. Lots of people in the forum on missouri star have done this quilt and no issues. Jenny specilizes in shortcuts, but any method can get the same outcome. Happy quilting!!

I've tried cutting hst both ways and both work well. Just use whichever method YOU like. I'm not a user of starch and have never had undue difficulty with bias edges. Not sure why some people are so paranoid about them!

Your block looks great and I love your fabric choices. This will be a great quilt!

Dina

If you draw an x and sew on both sides of the line then cut, you wont have bias edges.
The best ruler investment I have made was for the triangle sq up ruler from Quilt In A Day. One cut to sq up.

Your practice piece is beautiful. I'm a sucker to "gadgets" and would probably have fallen for the same sales pitch. I'm with everyone else. Do whatever is comfortable to you. Your choice of fabrics is great. I love the "kick" that the blue/green adds to the mix.

Repeat out loud - There Are NO Quilt Police, 25 times.
Everyone has their favorite way - and yes the way Jenny shows and also a method I use a lot with the strip tube ruler (Cozy Quilts) the outside edges of the hst are bias and are the non-traditional way. BUT I haven't had any issues and I love not having to trim my hst again. So Use The Method You Like as long as you aren't having issues and are getting good results. P.S. I do starch my fabric

Bias edges can be a little finicky but if you have starched and sew without pulling on the bias you will get along just fine.

Your fabrics are lovely by the way :-)

You don't HAVE to buy the HST ruler to make HST's. I have seen Jenny make the HST's that way, and I do somewhat agree with what your shop owner says, and this is the main reason I don't make HST's this way, but instead cut my 2 squares 1" larger then the size of the HST I want, then trim it down, but if you want to make it Jenny's way, I would suggest that you starch good and that should prevent any trouble with the bias.

[QUOTE=BDawn;6021967]Yes, she does make it look easy and I thought it was. I will starch twice once on back then front, sew. Here is a picture of the sample then a picture of the material I am using I will not be using any of the sample pattern ( it was just a practice piece) Thank you all I am just so happy to be able to get such great knowledge and willingness to help.
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I too love the fabrics you've chosen, and your practice block looks great (especially the 8 points coming together in the center!), except I don't see enough seam allowance at all the outer edges to keep the star points from being cut off when you combine the blocks. I would want to find a solution for that before proceeding.

Your sample looks great to me! Also like the table cloth :).

Good heavens! What is with the incessant need to sell specialty rulers? What is so hard about making HST? You can cut squares without any ruler, then HST's with only a straight line between opposing corners. May not be the exact size called for in a pattern, but if all the squares were equal to begin with, then the quilt COULD go together without nary a measuring stick of any sort.

There comes a time to speak up and simply say you'll find another store that won't try to fleece you.

LOL, simple answer, you can't make a triangle using 90 degree corners. At least one side WILL NOT be on the grain.

LOL, if you cut a triangle you will have at least one edge not on the straight grain. Whether it's scary or not is a personal choice.

BDawn, love your color and print choices!

I have never used a ruler to cut my HST's and never had a problem. I love the one you did, It is beautiful.

I always use the two squares and sewing and cutting into two HST. That way the bias cuts are already sewn together.

Well, a DUH! to me. It took a while to soak in, but I know what was meant by NO scary bias cuts. When you use the two square method, the bias "cut" is already sewn together. Sorry about the response above.

Your block is beautiful and so is your fabric choice.

Me, too. I'd much rather not have the diagonals on the outsides of the blocks.

Ok I will repeat :D. Thank you for your interest in my topic and I appreciate all of the great advice. I am going to proceed in the direction I started with and if it doesn't work I will learn something new (costly but most mistakes in life are costly this is how we learn. That is what I plan to tell my husband anyway hope he buys it )
Daffy Daphne, thank you for that great catch, I am not sure what happened will remeasure the squares. They are the ones that you cut to make into 6.5 inch square.
Thank you for the complements on the fabric I am using they are very rich in color and the picture really doesn't do them justice.

Your colors in the fabric selected are beautiful. Your crocheted table cloth is beautiful.

I made the big star quilt using their video and I didn't have any problems with bias. I don't even think I used starch.here is a picture of mine. It was a very fun and easy quilt to do!