I have a ruler that is actually 14" x 14". The cutting area is 12" x 12" with 1/2" slots for cutting. It has a diagonal
line from each corner that crosses in the middle. The only draw back with this ruler is that you have to put your finger on the part of the ruler close to where you are cutting (the slit befor the cut) to keep the plastic of the ruler from moving. But I have learned to do it right and I love it.

I have a square ruler for every size of unfinished quilt blocks I make. I like to put the exact size on the square and it's so simple to see exactly what needs to be trimmed. If the block is smaller then the ruler I know I messed up somewhere. My biggest square is 20 1/2" and my smallest is 2 1/2". I seem to use the 12 1/2" and 8 1/2" the most. Olfa has a 7 1/2" square ruler that I have used more then I thought I would.

I have both sizes of the Block Maker ruler and it is essential for squaring up blocks when I have to use the blocks made for a quilt, example Friendship or Swap blocks.

This is kind of my experience, too. And I think I'm getting worse instead of better. When I made my first quilt my blocks seemed to be uniform....or maybe I was just too ignorant to know they weren't....but in any case they went together well, and that quilt turned out fine.

My practice now is to square up each block but in my current project I've realized I am lax in making them all the same size. I think I'm reluctant to cut off too much or am too lazy to find the smallest block and make sure all the others are the same size. But when sewing these together, with sashing, it shows if they are different sizes. I'm fighting that right now in the little, sans jars, "I Spy" I'm making. I can see that some are "off" a bit and it annoys the heck out of me.....but not enough to take it all apart and recut all those little blocks. I just resolve to know-- and do--better next time!

I have also found this to be a problem. I was supposed to cut charms in quarters to make 2.5" squares and had to add a border to the quilt to come out to the required size.

The size of your thread makes a big difference in the size of your blocks. If you are using 50wt 3 ply in top and bottom that is a very thick seam and will make your block smaller when seams are pressed to one side. Thread and pressing are the two major issues for blocks not to be the right size.

QuiltnNan, try using a correction pen for that job. (IE: White out pen.) It works great! You just make a small, white, dot close to your mark and it wipes off with a little water when you're done.

On this log cabin block, I found that using the 3/4" mark helpful to measure the width of the last 2 "logs." There is a small dot in the corner that matches up with the point where those logs meet up. It's just one more mark to go off of. I also use the 45 degree diagonal line.

~ Cindy

OnebyOne, what is special about Blockmaker ruler? What about specialty rulers?

I like the idea of the slots. They have to help keep your cutting lines nice and straight.

I don't have any trouble squaring up the blocks providing they are not too large. Recently I had to square up something to 18" and that was a problem for me as my largest square up ruler was 12.5".