I am all caught up with my Sewcialites blocks. This one is #32 "Bright Block" by Chelsi Stratton. It features four usually very tricky units called "cat's cradle" units.
They involve small triangles and often come out wonky and with points cut off. That wasn't going to happen to me, because I have the Creative Grids Cat's Cradle Tool. With it, you can make the cat's cradle units in six different sizes with squares and rectangles instead of triangles. You also cut your pieces a bit larger than you need and trim them down to the perfect size.
I set the ruler on a piece of white fabric so the markings can be seen more easily. The sizes to cut your pieces for the block are printed on the ruler. How brilliant is that? I was making the 2 inch finished size.
I cut out two white squares and 2 gold rectangles and sewed them together.
Next, you use the tool to line up your stitching lines and mark them with a pen. Layer your rectangle/square unit on top of a larger rectangle, right sides together, and sew on the line. Cut down the middle between the sewing lines. Then you will trim the seam allowance to 1/4" for each of your two pieces.
Flip open your unit and press toward the large triangle. Position the trim tool with the lines along the seams of the small square, and the diagonal line exactly on the seam of the finished size you are making. In my case that is 2" for both alignments. Trim the top and left-hand sides of the unit.
Keeping the unit in place, flip the tool around so the diagonal line is on the finished size you are making and the square on the tool is "kissing" the point of the small square of the unit. Trim the right side and the bottom.
And here are my four perfect Cat's Cradle units. Each one measures 2 1/2" unfinished or 2" finished. This tool turned what would have been a frustrating, fussy block into a perfect and fun one. I highly recommend this trim tool by Creative Grids.
27 responses to “Sewcialites #32 Bright Block”
Awesome sauce!! 🙂 Rulers that help give me perfect blocks are worth every penny to me. If I am fudging on putting every block together and being off one place makes the next seam off….well, not my idea of fun. I appreciate your tutorial and recommendation.
Have a great, relaxing wknd!
Awesome sauce!! 🙂 Rulers that help give me perfect blocks are worth every penny to me. If I am fudging on putting every block together and being off one place makes the next seam off….well, not my idea of fun. I appreciate your tutorial and recommendation.
Have a great, relaxing wknd!
Awesome sauce!! 🙂 Rulers that help give me perfect blocks are worth every penny to me. If I am fudging on putting every block together and being off one place makes the next seam off….well, not my idea of fun. I appreciate your tutorial and recommendation.
Have a great, relaxing wknd!
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. Your perfect blocks are a pleasure to behold.
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. Your perfect blocks are a pleasure to behold.
Brilliant! Thanks for sharing. Your perfect blocks are a pleasure to behold.
I am totally impressed Nicole. Perfect finish!
Mary
I am totally impressed Nicole. Perfect finish!
Mary
I am totally impressed Nicole. Perfect finish!
Mary
I have seen this technique, I think first with Carrie Nelson, but I had no idea there was a ruler for it. Thank you for sharing. So much nicer when the blocks turn out correctly!
I have seen this technique, I think first with Carrie Nelson, but I had no idea there was a ruler for it. Thank you for sharing. So much nicer when the blocks turn out correctly!
I have seen this technique, I think first with Carrie Nelson, but I had no idea there was a ruler for it. Thank you for sharing. So much nicer when the blocks turn out correctly!
Thanks for telling us about another helpful quilting tool! Your tutorials are easy to follow & I’ve used them many times! Stay well!
Thanks for telling us about another helpful quilting tool! Your tutorials are easy to follow & I’ve used them many times! Stay well!
Thanks for telling us about another helpful quilting tool! Your tutorials are easy to follow & I’ve used them many times! Stay well!
Wow! I’ve avoided that block because it looks so tricky but this ruler sure makes it easier. Thanks for the tip.
Wow! I’ve avoided that block because it looks so tricky but this ruler sure makes it easier. Thanks for the tip.
Wow! I’ve avoided that block because it looks so tricky but this ruler sure makes it easier. Thanks for the tip.
someone call the doctor….I’ve just fainted. that block looks amazing. it would take a long time to make an entire quilt of just that one block.
have a lovely visit with your dad. the weather is nice until Sunday.
someone call the doctor….I’ve just fainted. that block looks amazing. it would take a long time to make an entire quilt of just that one block.
have a lovely visit with your dad. the weather is nice until Sunday.
someone call the doctor….I’ve just fainted. that block looks amazing. it would take a long time to make an entire quilt of just that one block.
have a lovely visit with your dad. the weather is nice until Sunday.
That ruler is brilliant!! I wish I had the mind that could think of those things! I think that ruler would be worth buying. I like the look of that combination, square and triangles so I think I would use it pretty often. Thanks so much for sharing!
That ruler is brilliant!! I wish I had the mind that could think of those things! I think that ruler would be worth buying. I like the look of that combination, square and triangles so I think I would use it pretty often. Thanks so much for sharing!
That ruler is brilliant!! I wish I had the mind that could think of those things! I think that ruler would be worth buying. I like the look of that combination, square and triangles so I think I would use it pretty often. Thanks so much for sharing!
So glad you showed how to use this! I happened to get a free one and was contemplating passing it on. I will definitely bookmark this page when I get ready to use it! Thanks again for another fabulous tip 🙂
So glad you showed how to use this! I happened to get a free one and was contemplating passing it on. I will definitely bookmark this page when I get ready to use it! Thanks again for another fabulous tip 🙂
So glad you showed how to use this! I happened to get a free one and was contemplating passing it on. I will definitely bookmark this page when I get ready to use it! Thanks again for another fabulous tip 🙂