alikigirl

I use a tracing wheel and tracing paper to mark the line. The tracing wheel makes a much narrower line that any marking pen I have used and the tracing paper comes in several different colors. Just remember to place you fabric right side up on the tracing paper.
I have often wondered if that laser light on the newer Brother machines would work for this. Has anyone tried it?

selm

I do this also but first I put one pin and pin the square to the corner it will be attached to. I started drawing a line on the squares but felt it was stretching the fabric and like you, I didn't want to draw all those lines first. I pin, draw with the hera marker then sew one thread or so closer to the outside corner across the square. That works the best.

I came up with an "assembly line" way as I had hundreds to do. I pined and marked four blocks(all I had room for near me). Then sewed, trimmed, flipped and "ironed" with the Hera marker. I was able to work my through all those squares without going crazy.

DJ

I draw the line. I take all the squares, a pencil, ruler and lap board and do it while watching TV.

Jordan

I usually draw the line. Then I sew one or two threads over closest to the fabric you are going to cut off. It is time consuming but I tried eyeballing the sewing from corner to corner and that did not work at all.

Feathers-N-Fur

I use my die cutting machine. I cut the HST, then line it up on the rectangle. I’m lazy and hate drawing the line.

Rhonda Lee

Thanks everyone your responses are great! I tried just about all of the suggestions and I'm still more accurate with the line. I am surprised to think that's where I ended up. I think it's habit mostly that helps us to be better at some things. Appreciate all of you and what you do.

quiltedsunshine

Just take a piece of cardstock (an index card works great for small squares), lay it on the fabric from one corner to the other and sew along the cardstock edge. By sewing next to the edge, you can get a perfect "scant" 1/4" seam.

quiltedsunshine

Just take a piece of cardstock (an index card works great for small squares), lay it on the fabric from one corner to the other and sew along the cardstock edge. By sewing next to the edge, you can get a perfect "scant" 1/4" seam. It's very accurate!

maviskw

I like this idea. It would be even better if the cardstock had some sticky stuff under it, as in sticky notes. Then it wouldn't slip. I've never seen sticky notes in heavy paper. Maybe it would work with the light paper. Time to try it.

sewnclog

On something that short I just eye ball it and have done well that way but for longer pieces I either fold it over and just crease it with my finger or draw the line! And if it's bigger pieces, I'll mark the line 1/4" away from where I'd be sewing, then sew on both sides of the line so when you cut it you have an already made half sq triangle for a future project.