What does "Recs" mean?
 

I bought a Craftsy class and the teacher is showing a "Recs" ruler? What does the term stand for?

Try this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Wrights-1-Inch.../dp/B000AXVP4M

I think this might explain it for you http://www.amazon.com/Wrights-1-Inch.../dp/B000AXVP4M

I thought it was short for rectangle because when you use a Tri-Rex ruler set for blocks you end up with a rectangle from 3 triangles.

I recently purchased Darlene Zimmerman & Joy Hoffman Tri-Recs for a particular quilt pattern I wanted to try. I know one can accomplish the same block without one, but I'm thinking it is much easier and more accurate, at least for me. When paired together the square is cut on grain. There are lots of fun projects to use the tool with. This is the pattern I am working on now laid out on my dinning room table.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/attachm...d=495534&stc=1

I should have mentioned that when used with a different block, it can give the illusion of curves. Sorry repeat picture - don't know what happened?

So the Recs ruler lets you divide a rectangle into triangles? (And thanks for reminding me Amazon is there. I may do some ruler shopping before long. I don't know why I didn't think of it because I shop there all the time.)

Beautiful quilt top, Rainy. And I can see the faux curves. Lovely. It looks as though I will have to invest in a set of these... And what is the name of your quilt pattern?

Not exactly. The tri-recs ruler is actually a set of 2 rulers. They let you make a "squared triangle" or a "triangle in a square" unit, which is square. There's not a standard name for this unit. In the photo that RainyBC provided, it's the teal and white unit in the bottom row right under the purple square . The ruler is needed because the angles are hard to achieve (63.44, 63.44, and 53.13 degrees for main triangle) A rectangle is a 4 sided shape where all the angles are 90 degrees, so a square is actually a special kind of rectangle. End of geometry lesson for today. There will be a quiz tomorrow.

Please, no quizzes, LOL. My mind is blown anyway. I am not a math person and will have to re-watch these Craftsy lessons a second time for them to make sense, in a lot of cases.

To be sure I am getting the correct square from your description, as I look at the bottom row of blocks, if I count from the right over to the third block I see a largish purple square and below it is a square comprised of three triangles, one in turquoise/teal and the other two on top of the teal one in white. On either side of the block I am seeing are a pair of 4-patches. Is this the "squared triangle" you mention?

here is nancy zeiman and Darlene Zimmerman demonstrating the tri recs tools it's a video http://video.wpt.org/video/2174197445/

Thanks, Mandy. I will definitely watch it; it often helps to get a second explanation of something.

Oh I love your quilt! I'm making the same pattern using Edyta Sitar's Snowbird line of different shades of creams and blues with prints and batiks.

http://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&...,d.cGU&cad=rja

HousekeepingGran, Above is a link the the pdf pattern "Aunt Gracie's Garden". Elenor Burns "Garden Walk" pattern also uses the tri recs - unless you're brave enough to tackle it without the rulers.

Yes, that's the one. Here's a YouTube on how to use the rulers. There are several other youtube videos on these tools, so you can take a look at those if you need more info, and, since you asked so nicely, the quiz will be cancelled.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CT7g1NXrL4

LOL, thanks for cancelling the quiz. And thanks for the video. Again, watching multiple people give directions helps to not only make things clearer, but also to cement the information for me.

I guess my next question might be, what are good brands of Tri/Recs tools? Or are they all nearly the same? I'm not ready to quilt with them but am trying to make mental notes about which tools work really well. I know with my knitting I am gradually learning which brands of tools I really like to work with and I am sure it will be the same with quilting tools.

I have used these and they do make a precise triangle and I had no problem with points matching on a few different patterns. I got mine at JoAnn's with a coupon-final cost was under $10. Normally I only use straight edges -Yd stick-18-12 and 6 inch rulers.

I think if I bought them I would not use them.
Rainy your quilt is beautiful, such perfect piecing.

So if you wanted to cut those shapes, how would you use your basic rulers to get the shapes, Phyllis?

I think (but am not positive) that TriRecs is sort of a copyrighted name by Diane Zimmerman and Joy Hoffman. It originally was only manufactured by EZ Quilting. The newer ones have the Wrights brand, but if you look on the rulers they still have the EZ Quilting logo, so maybe Wrights now owns EZ. Dunno. Anyway, there's a single manufacturer. I would get one of the newer Wrights packaged ones as they now have the additional trimmed corner on the narrow triangle for easier placement. This is demoed in the Fons & Porter instructional videos.

A square is a rectangle with all sides the same length. Simple explanation. I married a math PhD and learned a lot of things that make life easier to understand.

Oh, I'm so glad the the quiz was cancelled. I am so busy right now I can only spend 1 hour one this site. I really have to hop around fast. And the ruler is a nice one to have.

I bought the tri-rex rulers and they do work.

Yes, I remember basic geometry more or less. And the label "Recs" sounds like it refers to a rectangle, but my question referred to the ruler, of course. I can see that if you sewed mirror images of pieces cut all the way around a recs ruler you would get a rectangle and not a square. I can see that the side opposite the right angle is not a 45º angle and thus makes the rectangle. Maybe that is the derivation of the term and the reason for the ruler's name.

If memory serves the tri-rec was created due to a famous quilter, now passed, who used that block in many of her design. Her name has escaped me, as is the name she called her block...something like spikey and ?.....I'm sure someone will remember......

Doreen Speckmann, she referred to them as Peaky and Spike.
For some reason I am totally enamored of any quilt with this particular patch: 54:40, Tennessee Waltz, Storm at Sea, Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice etc. etc.

Gorgeous work

What pattern is this, Rainy? I meant to ask you earlier.

Very pretty quilt...

you can just paper piece the tri-rec pieces. I have made a couple of those quilts before. And am getting ready to make another with those pieces in a different format.