Twister tool question
 

So...I purchased a kit a couple of weeks ago from my LQS. I'm not normally a kit person but thought this particular one would be a fun, relatively easy project to do while under lock down. It's a cute little whimsical winter wall hanging utilizing the mini twister tool (included in kit).

The LQS obviously cut the required fabrics. And, of course, straight off the bolt. In a number of cases, I am short of fabric. I can sort of work with that. Since the fabrics were cut straight from the bolt and to within threads of the required size, there is zero room for cutting mistakes. I can work with that as well.

The pattern calls for all the blocks to be cut 4.5" square. Well, that's not always possible because of how the fabric was cut from the bolt in many cases. For the background fabrics, for example, I'm 19 blocks short for this wallhanging! Ok. Make the whole thing smaller.

Or....can I adjust the block size to say 4" square and still use the same tool??? I've never used the twister tool so not really sure how important the initial cut size is when using this tool. Obviously, if I make the initial cut squares smaller I'm still going to end up with a smaller project but I think the overall layout will be more cohesive.

Here is a link to the pattern. https://www.penningtonquilts.com/cgi...es=0&lastmenu=

Thanks for any help anyone is able to offer.

I looked up the twister tool, but don't understand what it does. Could you explain? Thanks!

Probably easier to see it in action than to try and describe it. NJ, I think you'll be okay if some of your squares are a little short. Watch the video and you'll see what I mean - you may have to plan exactly where to place some of your "short" blocks but I think it's doable.

https://youtu.be/-d1sqIfUctQ?t=226

I think Peckish is correct, if you watch the video,the border had a lot of left over scrap. I just came across my twister tool with partially finished blocks from a class I took last summer and just finished them a few weeks ago. I checked my bin of scraps, and the border, just like in M* video had a lot of scrap left. I hope it works out for you, cute pattern, looks like fun, can't wait to see it finished.

I guess if you wanted to pull some scraps to template the smaller size as you posed then you would know if that was possible or not. I have only used the tool in my class and then to finish the blocks a few weeks ago, so I do not have enough experience to answer you question pertaining to making them smaller, sorry. I do have to add though, it was a fun tool to use and plan to use it again as I rather enjoyed it.

Nineteen blocks short is quite a bit! I would call the LQS and let them know. Perhaps the person cutting the fabrics didn't have clear instructions.

Ask for a 5 inch strip of the fabrics to get the blocks you need. Perhaps they can send the fabric in the mail or do drive-by delivery!

Call the quilt shop and tell them about your problem. I work at a quilt shop and we've sent free fabric a year later for a kit when the customer has made cutting mistakes. I don't see why your LQS wouldn't give you enough fabric for a kit you purchased a couple weeks ago. Good Luck.

Your quilt is going to be adorable! Definitely call the quilt shop to obtain the lack of fabric. I bought a kit at a big quilt show and it was short, and I didn't have the shop information to correct the problem so now I am very skittish about buying kits at shows. And your shop doesn't want a reputation of putting together kits that aren't complete.

I guess I will contact the shop. The owner is very nice and usually very accommodating. The background consists of 3 different fabrics but I think anything in that color family will be fine - doesn't need to be one of the 3 originals I don't think.

I was simply thinking that if I could use 4" vs 4.5" squares I would have enough fabric and I wouldn't need to bother the shop. The owner and one other employee are working their fingers off to keep customers happy and satisfied and I really didn't want to bother them if I didn't need to.

And thanks for the video. I'll need to watch that as well so I can figure out what I'm supposed to do with this silly thing, lol.

If you have the 4.5 inch twister tool, it will not work with 4 inch squares. You need to cut all around the outside of the tool to get your little blocks. Most of them say to cut with scissors. I used my rotary cutter, but did not cut completely to the end of the cut. After the cut was made in the other direction, then a scissors made quick work of that last little bit. Some pattern or directions also produce a tremendous amount of waste. The way I was taught, there is only waste around the outside.

I have made several twister quilts of different sizes and I sure am with the call the shop owner and see if you can get more fabric...I think it would be very hard if not impossible to cut with blocks smaller than the specified size....now, if you happened to have a smaller twister ruler....you could follow the instructions for that size and it would be doable and you would end up with a smaller quilt....I think there were 5-6 different sized twister rulers if I recall....umm...the biggest one....really needed a huge space for your piece prior to cutting it down....the smallest one I did was not the smallest size....but it was putzy...they are fun to make...I made quilts and several table toppers out of the twister rulers...umm...may have to make more!