Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

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Success!

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Thank you all so much for all your suggestions on how to be more successful with making this block. There are so many ways to get to a good result:  make half square triangles instead of sewing triangles to the square, hand piece the block, paper piece the block and more.  For me though, it all boiled down to two things, which in my heart, I know to be right:
1)  Starch the fabric
2)  Make the units larger than called for, then trim them down to the correct size

There was also a fair amount of operator error in my technique with the Creative Grids ruler.  There are several places where one is supposed to trim with the tool.  It turns out, I was neglecting to do the final trim down of the "Cat's Cradle" unit.  When making the units the specified size, this trim amount was negligible, but when I tried making the units slightly oversized, I could trim off a good amount and ended up with perfectly square units.

Here are some photos I took when making my test block in red and cream:

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I made my units a quarter inch larger than I needed.  When the pieces were sewn, I used the Creative Grids Cat's Cradle tool to trim them down. You line up the solid lines to the size you want your square, and the diagonal lines to the size you want your finished unit.  In my case, this was the 2 1/2" diagonal line.

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Trim two sides, then flip the block and trim the remaining two sides. You will end up with a perfectly square 2 1/2" square unit.  (There are other size options on the tool, I just needed 2 1/2" for my blocks).

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Lay out your block units and stitch together.

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Here is my perfect red block next to my sad floppy blue block from yesterday.

I had also gotten away from starching my fabrics prior to a project, which is really not a good idea.  Always take the time to do that, you will be much happier with the results.

Besides listening to all your great suggestions on how to make this block better, I did watch two YouTube tutorials.  One was by Deb Tucker, who invented a trim tool (the Tucker Trimmer) for this block, which is practically the same as the Creative Grids ruler.  I watched her instructions, and she is so clear and concise, I immediately grasped what I needed to do.  Then I watched another tutorial, specifically for the Creative Grids tool, but not sponsored by that company.  These two funny gals from Prairie Quilt started out bickering over what their favorite Thanksgiving menu item was, but then got into a demo of how to use the Creative Grids tool, which was very instructive.  You should watch it, they are pretty funny.  And their demo was more clear than the one Creative Grids put out to sell their ruler.

Thanks again to those of you who took the time to make suggestions.  I really appreciate it!

 

30 responses to “Success!”

  1. Well done in successfully making this block!! Will you return to using the paisley fabric for more of these blocks?
    Our ‘fridge is still woking after that ice was melted off the coils so hope it will run perfectly until the Memorial day sles!
    Hugs!

  2. Well done in successfully making this block!! Will you return to using the paisley fabric for more of these blocks?
    Our ‘fridge is still woking after that ice was melted off the coils so hope it will run perfectly until the Memorial day sles!
    Hugs!

  3. Well done in successfully making this block!! Will you return to using the paisley fabric for more of these blocks?
    Our ‘fridge is still woking after that ice was melted off the coils so hope it will run perfectly until the Memorial day sles!
    Hugs!

  4. Looks good! I love Deb Tucker rulers! Are you using Magic Sizing or regular starch? (I know you have covered this before). And what would we do without YouTube? Can’t wait to see your end project!

  5. Looks good! I love Deb Tucker rulers! Are you using Magic Sizing or regular starch? (I know you have covered this before). And what would we do without YouTube? Can’t wait to see your end project!

  6. Looks good! I love Deb Tucker rulers! Are you using Magic Sizing or regular starch? (I know you have covered this before). And what would we do without YouTube? Can’t wait to see your end project!

  7. Your block looks amazing and I’m glad you found a way for you to make it happen.

  8. Your block looks amazing and I’m glad you found a way for you to make it happen.

  9. Your block looks amazing and I’m glad you found a way for you to make it happen.

  13. I think I should own stock in Magic Sizing. Use almost a can a week. But I also sew every day for several hours. Sometimes finish three tops a week. Designing now for my own sanity and use ton of sizing on all fabrics.

  14. I think I should own stock in Magic Sizing. Use almost a can a week. But I also sew every day for several hours. Sometimes finish three tops a week. Designing now for my own sanity and use ton of sizing on all fabrics.

  15. I think I should own stock in Magic Sizing. Use almost a can a week. But I also sew every day for several hours. Sometimes finish three tops a week. Designing now for my own sanity and use ton of sizing on all fabrics.

  16. It looks like you conquered that challenge! I thought about you this afternoon as I was spraying starch on my fabric!

  17. It looks like you conquered that challenge! I thought about you this afternoon as I was spraying starch on my fabric!

  18. It looks like you conquered that challenge! I thought about you this afternoon as I was spraying starch on my fabric!

  22. I have just started using starch and I can see the difference. I’m not buying any more rulers, I just have no place to store them.

  23. I have just started using starch and I can see the difference. I’m not buying any more rulers, I just have no place to store them.

  24. I have just started using starch and I can see the difference. I’m not buying any more rulers, I just have no place to store them.

  25. How is the red and cream block made. Is there a pattern? I like the block very much.

  26. How is the red and cream block made. Is there a pattern? I like the block very much.

  27. How is the red and cream block made. Is there a pattern? I like the block very much.

  28. Those 4-Patch Shadow blocks, (or whatever name you desire for them) are the bane of my existence!! LOL! I bought Deb Tucker’s Tucker Trimmer just for them. I have not used it yet, but hope it works as well as the creative grids block. Hope you feel better soon.

  29. Those 4-Patch Shadow blocks, (or whatever name you desire for them) are the bane of my existence!! LOL! I bought Deb Tucker’s Tucker Trimmer just for them. I have not used it yet, but hope it works as well as the creative grids block. Hope you feel better soon.

  30. Those 4-Patch Shadow blocks, (or whatever name you desire for them) are the bane of my existence!! LOL! I bought Deb Tucker’s Tucker Trimmer just for them. I have not used it yet, but hope it works as well as the creative grids block. Hope you feel better soon.