Hello, everyone!

I've been sewing for 30+ years, even been employed as a seamstress, and quilting here and there for about the last 10 years.

However, in the midst of cutting material for a new quilt project, I didn't pay enough attention to the directions and I made a big mistake - with a LOT of material. Please help me rescue this project intended for my teenage daughter's first quilt from Mom!

The directions said to cut a 5-3/8" square, then cut in half diagonally, making two triangles. Well, stupid me, I cut a 5" square, then cut that in half, not realizing what I had done until it was too late.

The finished size of each block is apparently supposed to be 4-1/2 x 4-1/2. This, in itself, seems confusing. How could you cut a block 5-3/8" x 5-3/8" and make it equal 4-1/2" if the seam allowance is 1/4"? Am I missing something, here, when considering the focal, whole block is supposed to be cut to 5" x 5"?

Is there any way to save this material for this quilt, without these blocks obviously looking like mistakes? Is there is a way to make them just look "creative?"

Your expertise and experience would be greatly appreciated in southern California!

I think you could make the rest of the block pieces smaller to match that size. I am not sure I have what you are doing perfectly straight in my mind. You might have to make more smaller blocks to get a good size quilt. Does that make sense? Probably not. WHen I do half sq triangles I alays make them larger then take the time to square them up to size.

When you start with 2 5 3/8" blocks, draw a line diagonally and then sew 1/4" on either side of this line you get 2 blocks that should be 4 1/2". What you did wrong was you cut before you sewed. What pattern are you using? Is it possible to make your blocks a bit smaller and then perhaps add a border if needed?

That may work. I can check out the 5 x 5 focal squares to see if I can cut them down, along with the triple rails, which are cut to 2 x 2...My math skills are going to be stretched to the limit here, I think...Ha! ha!

Do you get the feeling there may be something not quite right with the instructions, that it calls for the 5-3/8" triangles which are supposed to match with the focal squares being cut to 5 x 5"? Is it just me, or does this just seem WRONG?

Could you scan the directions in so we could read them? And show the block?

Something does sound wonky there. I would need to see it though. I am a visual person.

You are probably going to use the 5 3/8" squares to make half square triangles.

If you want to sew two triangles together to make a square, you start by cutting squares cut that are 7/8" bigger than the finished size of square you want to end up with. Cut it on the diagonal, sew them together and you will get a 4 1/2" square.

4 1/2 + 7/8 = 5 3/8

When you are doing HST's you always add 7/8" to the finished size block. So say you want a 5" finished and you are cutting HST's you would add 7/8" to that and cut your block out 5 7/8". If you're doing QST's you would add 1 1/4" to the finished size and then cut into quarters.

Does this make sense?

A lot of individuals won't mess with the say 5 3/8", they would make it 5 1/2" - 6" and resize it down to the 4 1/2" when squaring up.

What pattern are you using, maybe someone can come up with a solution for you?

Hello and Welcome from Northern Indiana ! Glad you joined us :lol:

Sounds like you are geting the help you need :thumbup:

If you can show a picture of the quilt, I may be able to help you with this using my EQ program :wink:

I'm not very good at the math, but it seems to me that if you have already cut the blocks 5 inches square, the finished block would be 4 1/8 (or I would trim them down to 4"). Then you could cut the focal block 4". That would give you smaller blocks than intended, but you would have rescued the fabric. You can always use borders or sashing to make the quilt to the size you would have wanted it to be.

Welcome to the board from Southern California!!!
Sounds like you have gotten some help!

Hi Fran,

Sorry for the delay. Got caught up with "life" and couldn't get back right away. Sure you know what I mean!

Anyway, I am working from a pattern in a book called Fat Quarter Quilts by M'Liss Rae Hawley. It was published in 1999. The quilt itself is mostly "free-form" placement of the blocks, which is why it's named, "Mystery Sampler."

There are instructions for ocean waves, four patch, double four patch, nine patch, triple rail and plain squares. Each square, minus the plain ones, incorporates a background material which brings the finished project together.

Once these are all cut and sewn together, you choose how you want them to be placed and sewn together to make a truly one-of-a-kind quilt.

Each finished square is supposed to be 4-1/2 inches.

I was thinking of cutting my goofed up triangles in half again, to make 4 triangles, then taking some of the background material and sewing it into an "X" between the 4 triangles.

The match for this is kicking my butt, though! Can you help?
Boy! I would really appreciate that!

The X would work. But I don't think I would cut the triangles again until after you sew 2 triangles to the background fabric and then square it up. If I'm visualizing what you're talking about it'll be triangle, rectangle background fabric, then triangle to form a larger triangle. You would need 2 of these with a long rectangle piece between the 2 and then all 3 sewen together.

Wow.......I'm already confused! This is why I don't like patterns that ask you to sew a 1/4" to each side of the cutting line. I'm of the thought....why not just make your square and cut in half??? Way to much math for me, it makes my head hurt. LOL good luck with your quilt! I bet whatever method you come up with to fix your cutting mistake will be perfect and never be noticed!

I'm with you, Lori, on that "cut the square in half, and we're done" idea! All that 'add 3/8" stuff if you're going to cut the square into two triangles just doesn't add up for me mathematically' even though someone here tried to explain it." (It must be a quilting professional thing!)

So, here's my plan. Cut one side of the "x" to this size: 1/4" + 1/4" + 3/8". Cut the upper and lower part of the other side of the "x" 1/4" + 1/4" + 3/8". I'll figure out the length of these three pieces later. My head is already swimming in numbers...

Of course, I'll have to consult a local Cal State mathematics professor for the true width and length of the insert material strips...

If all else fails, I'll cut the stupid "X" 3/4" wide and then cut down the finished square to 5". Sure sounds a lot easier to me!

However, I do appreciate your vote of confidence! I think the "X" thing might work if I'm really careful. I'll try it and let you know if/how it works out! Maybe I'll upload a photo of the finished quilt - but only if it comes out right! Ha! Ha!

Thanks to all for your advice and assistance! Great forum!!!!!

I was kind of confused and needed something more visual.