Converting a 12" block to a 6" ... divide in half and add 1/2", right. Easy peasy. WRONG. I still don't know what happened; too mad to mess with it right now.

Take a deep breath you will get it. Try, try and try again. BrendaK

:oops: I would've done the same! Thanks for the warning.

If you place a 6" square piece of paper on a 12" one, you will see you needed to divide it by 4, then add your 1/2" seem allowance

Sorry to object, but you have to divide the length measurements by two otherwise you end up with a 3" block. CompulsiveQuilter seems to have done it correctly but somewhere a mistake must have snuck in. What kind of block was it and what size block did you end up with? Maybe we can work out the mistake when we know the details.

I can "see" divide it by 4 but it doesn't make sense in my head. Why does that work? Six is half of 12. This makes my brain hurt.lol

It is hard to give advice unless we see the block.
Depends on if it is a square or a star.

Did you divide the original measurements for the 12" block, the ones that included the necessary seam allowances for the 12" block?

Are you trying to reduce/enlarge individual pieces or the whole block at one time?

The op is talking about the individual pieces that make up the block.

So if you have a four 6" finished blocks making up a 12" block, you do want to divide each piece by 2 and add the seam allowance.
That will give you four 3.5" blocks, which will make a finished 6" 4-patch block.

Your way would have four 1.5" blocks, with a finished block size of 3", which would be too small for what she wanted.

Get out the graph paper and draw it out as a finished 6" block. Then measure the individual pieces and add your 1/4" seam allowances. Over the years I have found that true quarter inch graph paper is my best friend in the sewing room--well that and my seam ripper!

I LOVE graph paper.

There is something about drawing the lines in oneself that is very enlightening. (Enlightening isn't exactly the word I want, but it's the best one I can come up with at the moment)

Make sure your graph paper is "true" - some of them are off a little bit. Take any ruler and put it on top of the paper in both directions. The paper I'm using now lines up exactly with my ruler in the vertical direction - over an 8 inch width in the horizontal direction, it's accumulated about 1/16 inch variance.

I agree about the graph paper and the seam ripper.

<----- tossing the word empowering for Bear!!

empowering is a good word - thank you

enhancing

enabling

envisioning - (I don't think that's a real word, but I like it!)

In the 12" sq , you have 12" in the length and 12" in the width. When you divided the 12 by 2 you go 6 , however you only divided one dimension. There are four 6' sq. in a 12" sq. Two across the top half and two across the bottom half.

I don't see any answer to any of the questions or suggestions raised. How can we give an informed answer without the facts.

Of course envisioning is a real word. It's what we do when we look at fabric and SEE quilt.

And just to confuse things more, you need to remember to subtract the 1/2" seam allowance first, then divide by 2 then add the 1/2" back on...

this would have undoubtedly have happened to me :?:

The formula for each piece is this: Subtract 1/2" from each dimension. Divide each dimension by 2. Add 1/2" to each dimension.

Example: 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" rectangle to be made half size.

8 1/2" - 1/2" = 8. Divide by 2 = 4. Add the 1/2" back = 4 1/2"

4 1/2" - 1/2" = 4. Divide by 2 = 2. Add the 1/2" back = 2 1/2".

Solution??? Try another pattern!!! T his is getting FAR too technical for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :roll:

Oh I totally agree! me and algebra got along great most days, but basic math, not so much! I wanted to make a miller's crossing quilt, but I wanted 12 inch blocks, not 6 inch blocks, so instead of googling it to find the correct measurements, I just double everything. NOPE!! All my 9P on point pieces don't have points, and my pinwheel blocks have little borders on them. Good luck though, you may get it!

the 1/4" seam allowance also applies to each unit within the block.

A finished 12" block which is not joined to other blocks is 12 1/2".

Reduce finished 12" (not 12 1/2) to 6". But you have to add 1/4" to each component of the block and the outside seams.

A triangle in a sqare would be plus 1/2" for the outside seams, no extra width-wise, but plus 3/8" plus 3/8" for both sides of the triangle height-wise. (triangle is pointing up or down)

A pinwheel would be plus 1/2" outer SA plus 1/2" inner SA both directions, ditto a sq in a sq.

i would have to agree with the subtract seam allowance divide by 2 then add seam allowance back .

really depends on the block and how many pieces!

I am not even jumping in this mud puddle.

Love graph paper. The word you are looking for is 'educational'.

I HATE MATH....lol

I would love to see the actual pattern you are trying to change.
Not going there with measurements!

Subtract 1/2. Divide that by 2 and then add 1/2 back.

I think

My 3" from 6" still came out 4" instead of 3 1/2" ;-)

If you just count the 1/4" squares and add 1/2" for seams, you can get the size, even if the lines themselves are a little off.
Charlie

Yip, me too ... I'm sitting out this round ..... :D

I can't do this at all. When I need to figure out a block size I call up my sister and she does it for me!! Good luck.

I love how your reply fits your avatar!!!

I just found this webpage on resizing blocks: http://www.theappliquesociety.org/ju...now-you-know/.

See if this helps.

12 by 12 inch block is 144 sq in block 6 by 6 inch block 36 square inches. 36times 4 equals 144. What you need to do is divide the design by 4 although you only are making 1/2 the length. I know this sounds confusing but it does work. I try to work the geometry out on graph paper before I remake a block.

Yea, graph paper is my must have in the sewing room. My brain doesn't figure the math like it used to without pain. Drawing it out helps me know the pattern better for the block i want. :)

find a quilt w/ templates and enlarge them at staples.

i actually use graph paper. i can't count my fingers.

I think it is beautiful just like that. If you had not said that you were trying for some other look I would have thought you designed it to look just like this. Sometimes "different" is more interesting and beautiful.