bluechicken was looking for a method for cutting and piecing square in a square. this is the method that works best for me.

http://www.hgtv.com/videos/super-fas...ting/4431.html


because members were having trouble with the old 'easy' method or having trouble with the link, my friend and i developed a similar but EASIER method.

i think everyone will love it.

here goes:

cut out your square. whatever size you like. i don't know what the size
ratio will be. you'll have to test that.

fold up/down on center.
fold side to side on center.
fold the points in to the the center. make sure the folds all meet.
the folding is done.

draw a straight line from center side to center side, all around that
inside diamond 1/4" in, toward the center.
the measuring is finished.

cut on that 1/4" line.

two suggestions: try it first on paper before you try it on fabric, then try it
on one layer of fabric before you stack fabrics.

do not move the fabric while cutting. keep those cut
away triangle where they are.

you should get the same result with out the mat instructions.

in the drawings, the dotted lines are the ones being desrcibed in the text. not the solid lines.

use a ruler longer that the cutting line and cut right off the cutting line.

well, it is described very well, by both of you, B. thanks :D

I don't actually get this. Anyway, my problem seems to be one step down the road from this. I can get the triangles around the square just fine. I use this method:


(I see the file isn't as clear uploaded. I can't remember how I did this last time. If you click Download and open it in Windows Paint, it's clear.)

if you have exactly 1/4" seam allowance around the "finished" square, you should sew other pieces to them using what's called a "scant quarter inch". a scant quarter inch is really 3/16" of an inch.

the reason for using a scant QI is that the thickness of the thread and the fold back "eats" about a 16th of an inch at the seam.

Thank you for the definition of "scant quarter inch"! No I can get my super precise husband to mark that on my machine!

Which side has the 3/16" seam? The "finished" square? The next outer piece? Both sides?

wow thanks for the link. it sure looked easy. :D

I don't do anythingn so elaborate to measure....I cut the middle square and lay my 12" ruler on the 45º line on the top of the square and measure on the left side. Add 1/2" and cut a square that size and then cut diagonally across. you need two squares cut diagonally and then sew to two sides, press and sew to the other sides and square it up making sure you have 1/4" at the points. Sure proof everytime....BTY, I have two boughten SQ in SQ rulers and never could figure them out. LOL

this cuts the center square and the outside triangles all at once.

it's not better, it's faster. when you stack them all you do is remove the top center square. the inside square beneath that one sets yo up for for the scrappies. when you get to to bottom, you use the one you first removed.
with a sharp blade you can do up to six.

That was an awesome video. Thank you for sharing.

I'm sure glad bullerflywing went to all that truouble to draw this out and explain step by step this method of cutting the square in a square for the scrap block.
I checked my line to the video on hgtv and it is no longer there.

hi barb, you're right. sometime between then and now, they made it go away! i hope you understand the directions as i gave them. if not, i'll try to answer any questions.

it was a paula nadelstern technique originally, and my friend and i simplified it and came up with the same result without all the match that hers involved.
also, one of the members made a great scrappy quilt using the instructions. i'll try to search it out. maybe she would be kind enough to step forward and show it again?

barb, are you online? try the link right now. i think it's working.

Hi, Thanks for the heads up on the return of the video. It worked for me now.

I Actually use the square in a square ruler technique by Jodi barrows and it goes really quick and easy.....although spendy if you are trying to save money.I think teh ruler is around 20$ or something..but I think it is a good investment for perfect squares every time.

$20? ach! ach! ach! (that's me, chocking. i said i was cheap, didn't i?) :mrgreen:

this does give you perfect squares. honest. i do 6, but i have done 8. i'm afraid to do 12, like she says she does. i do starch the life out of the fabric because it keeps the fabric from slipping around. and it keeps those biases very stable. and i love those little notches.

when i'm in a hurry, i do the no-marking method (the sketched one). i lay the folded fabric on top of the pile and cut, then finger press the next one for the next pile, and so on.

I notice in your sketch on page 1, you say to fold in quarters, connect to make a diamond (well, the inside square), and then move in 1/4" and draw your new square.

In the linked video, Anita draws the 4 quarters first (like you) but then she goes in 1/4" and draws new quartered squares, THEN she connects them to make the diamond.

Will that make a difference?? I *think* that it does. For the video, the diamond tips are 1/4" from the ends of the fabric, right? But with yours, I'm fairly certain it's a little more than a 1/4" from the edge. Since I think (ex-Geometry teacher), yours would actually be .25*1.414 = about .38 (fuzzy math) not .25. I know that's not a lot but I think your way makes it so it's farther in than 1/4

Thoughts?? Response? Am I crazy? :D

Awesome link. Thanks. I wanna try this

lucy, are you trying to make me crazier? i never tested the math, so i don't know the beginning size versus the finished size. i only know that if i follow the same rules all the time, they all come out the same exact size. checking it out, you're probably right. i stink at math, but i find this method much easier than hers.

thanks for the tutorial

Love the link I saved it on my favorites list. Thank you for sharing I am a visonal person and this is awesome. :thumbup:

Oh my gosh! This was wonderful! Thanks so much for sharing! I now know what my next quilt will be!!! :D

My favorite method to do Sq. in a Sq is to:

Cut 2 squares the size I want my center square to be. Cut one out of the center square fabric and one out of the fabric you are using for your first row of triangles. Place the squares right sides together and pin. Sew around the outside of the square - 1/4" in. seam. I usually sew down one side and back up the opposite side, then do the other two opposite sides.

With the triangle fabric side up, and using a quilt marker and ruler, draw a diagonal line from corner to opposite corner. Then draw another diagonal connecting the remaining two corners. You will have an X in the center of your square.

Pull up a little on the center of the triangle fabric to separate the two squares, and snip on one of the lines. Cut through all the lines all the way to the corners of the triangle square, becareful not to cut through your center square fabric. Only cut the top layer.

Press open. Sometimes I cut the ears off and sometimes I don't.

Measure your new square and cut a square of your next fabric to match that. Repeat the instructions for the first square.

Then you may either repeat again, or start putting your straight pieces around the square.

I usually start with a 5 1/2" center square so I can do a small embroidery in it. With the first triangles pressed up, I have a 7" square and with the second row of triangles, a 9" square. You can, of course, use any size starting center you wish to. I find this easy and fast. Great for me because I'm not very good with triangles!

absolutely painless way to do SIS's....works every time...

the reason i like the first one is that it lets me cut a million at a time. with a good 45 cutter i get 6 layers. some get 12. i don't try for that. with a 60, i get 8 - 12.

I found Jodi Barrows tape and ruler and it works great for me.. You can even make flying geese and quarter square triangles with it. Well worth the money...

you make it appear so easy.. AND when sewing the points will match up. Thank you for being so very helpfull and sharing :)

This sounds like it wouldn't be too hard to do. Thanks a lot.

This is so easy. But when I open it up I have uneven sides. I was careful to draw my diagonal lines from corner to corner. Any suggestions. don't want to cut off the 1/4" seam allowance on the sides.

Jodi shows you how to use her method without the ruler..if you can find a book for reasonable or at the library..I like her method best of all. =)

I just watched this video and thank you for sharing! It sure seems simple and quite fast! :)

My, this method sounds speedy as well! Plus you have it all sewn at one time! Thanks for Sharing

It is very easy but like I said my triangles aren't even.

are you starching the squares before you stack them? try that.
and then stack carefully. don't stack too many at a time. maybe you should start with no more than 4 and get used to that.

are you sure that the square is really square?

edit: is your rotary blade sharp and tensioned right? it has to not wobble.

Thanks for sharing

this has been bothering me. i tried it again and the triangles were fine. i starched the fabric and then laid out 6 layers. maybe you should begin with four. then i cut all the layers together, using my eight inch square. i made four stacks as a test. the starch made the layers stick to each other. since they were cut as one, they stayed put.

i was careful to cut straight, but i didn't worry about grain too much. i used a new blade and made sure it didn't wobble in the handle. i held the handle and blade straight up and down - very important!! i don't use those HF blades. i used a 45mm blade.

i finger pressed according to the directions. you could use the paper method. it won't matter. then i cut. i checked the triangles on one stack without mixing up the colors. i checked the triangles on the other stacks with mixing up the colors. they all worked.

did you do anything different?

thanks

I'm sorry. I did the other method of putting right sides together and cutting the x open. I have done better the other times. I didn't quite understand the way you were doing it. I need to concentrate and try that way, I guess.
Thank you for trying to explain it. you did a wonderful job i'm just a little dence, I guess. :D