Wierd cutting sizes
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Chapel Hill NC
Posts: 322
Wierd cutting sizes
Just an observation. When I started quilting, about 2 years ago, I bought several patterns and a kit. I just cracked into them and each one has these crazy size cutting instructions. Like 3 1/8 squares, 5 5/8 by 7 3/4 rectangles and so on. And they aren't going to be HSTs or geese. What's up with that? Maybe its just because I'm a beginner, but those sizes just seem strange to me!
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Western Wisconsin
Posts: 12,930
Hmmmm. Where did the patterns and kit come from? They sound as if they are quite old. Nowadays it's rare to see cutting instructions like that. Do they have any stars? Do you have the pattern names?
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central NJ
Posts: 5,572
You might want to use some paper scraps and cut the sizes directed and lay it all out. The end result might be something familiar to you in a completely different manner. I have a pattern for a feathered star quilt that after reading the directions, my head was spinning. I took it to my LQS for some guidance. The person there I spoke with made the comment, oh, they have you doing x,y,z just in a different manner. All well and good. Still haven't done that quilt yet. One day when my mind is much clearer I'll follow my own advice here and work it all out differently.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 947
When I was a younger quilter, I remember that there was a prevalent mindset that said-- good quilters do not trim to size after piecing-- they cut precisely and stitch precisely, and the resulting block was precise and needed no adjustments. I think it led to a lot of frustrated quilters and people who walked away from projects (and the pursuit of quilting). The 7/8 markings on my rulers don't get a lot of attention anymore. For me, a lot of it has to do with the realization that my time and the enjoyment of creation are greater factors than no-waste stitching and extreme detail.
#7
May just have something to do with the program they used to design the pattern in too. I do a lot of designing in EQ6 - and often times I'll start with the finished size quilt I want to make and then build my blocks to fit in it. So sometimes it will come up with blocks of really strange measurements so that all go together using my specifications.
#8
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Southern California
Posts: 19,127
When I was a younger quilter, I remember that there was a prevalent mindset that said-- good quilters do not trim to size after piecing-- they cut precisely and stitch precisely, and the resulting block was precise and needed no adjustments. I think it led to a lot of frustrated quilters and people who walked away from projects (and the pursuit of quilting). The 7/8 markings on my rulers don't get a lot of attention anymore. For me, a lot of it has to do with the realization that my time and the enjoyment of creation are greater factors than no-waste stitching and extreme detail.
#9
Super Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Piedmont Virginia in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mtns.
Posts: 8,562
If a pattern calls for 12" blocks, those cut measurements will be different than if the block size is 10", for instance.
Jan in VA
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 947
Dearest Maniac Quilter,
Which part of the post in which I described my quilting experience was hogwash? I took a few classes in the early 80s, before rotary cutters, rulers and mats were mainstream. There was definitely a culture that valued precision and mathamatical qualities of piecing at that time-- using templates and super fine point pencils and scissors and being very careful in the cutting and marking of peices. That's not hogwash-- it's just how quilters operated at that time. If the original poster is using patterns and directions that hearken from that time, or are written by a designer who uses that mindset, that's why there are a lot of unusual cutting sizes.
I'm certainly not advocating for a return to those days. Did your reading of my post lead you to believe I was?
RST
Which part of the post in which I described my quilting experience was hogwash? I took a few classes in the early 80s, before rotary cutters, rulers and mats were mainstream. There was definitely a culture that valued precision and mathamatical qualities of piecing at that time-- using templates and super fine point pencils and scissors and being very careful in the cutting and marking of peices. That's not hogwash-- it's just how quilters operated at that time. If the original poster is using patterns and directions that hearken from that time, or are written by a designer who uses that mindset, that's why there are a lot of unusual cutting sizes.
I'm certainly not advocating for a return to those days. Did your reading of my post lead you to believe I was?
RST
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