Good news. Today I will not be talking about making cushions. Woo hoo, they are finished, and that's all I am going to say.
What I did want to share are two sewing notions/tools I am loving lately. The first is the "needle minder" I mentioned a few posts back. It is a magnetic device used often by cross stitch and hand sewers who don't want to lose track of their needle while they change threads. You all know how annoying that is to have your needle disappear into the cushion of the chair you are sitting on. Ouch.
I use mine as more of a "pin catcher". You know when you are sewing along a seam and you really don't want to sew over a pin? I have broken more needles that way and really don't want that situation in my life anymore. I attached this little magnet to the throat plate of my sewing machine and as I approach those pesky pins I can slow down and swoop them off to the side onto the little pin catcher. Much faster than fiddling with a bulky pin cushion. This is the only one I have so far, but I am definitely going to start collecting some seasonal ones.
The second thing I am loving lately is a tool/method of making half-square triangles that is completely new to me. I have mentioned these little "Cute Cuts" square-up rulers before and how much I Iike them. They have crisscrossing diagonal lines and a clearly marked center which help you square up blocks such as an hourglass unit. I have them in several common sizes (2 1/2", 3 1/2", 4 1/2", and 6 1/2").
Lori Holt demonstrates another way to use them, of which I was at first sceptical, but now think is brilliant. Notice how the diagonal line is positioned right on the seam line of my oversized half-square triangle unit in the photos above and below. Using the trim tool for the unfinished block size you want to make, line up the diagonal line with the sewn seam line and trim. Your block will measure exactly the unfinished size you want, plus you only have to cut around the trim tool twice instead of four times as you do with the BlocLoc trim tool.
How clever is that? I have to make quite a lot of half square triangles in a rather unusual size: 2 1/4". I bought the 2 1/4" Cute Cuts trim tool because it wasn't very expensive ($5.48) and I wanted to try it out. Using Lori's method of just trimming two sides was so much faster than trimming all four sides of the unit after it has been pressed open, which is what I usually do.
And check it out. Right on the money. After I had done a few, I got smarter about trimming off the dog ears while the ruler was in position to cut the two sides.
So there you go. It's always good to have an open mind about new ways to do something, right?
21 responses to “Two Notions I Am Loving Lately”
🥰the cute cuts ruler ! What a great idea!
🥰the cute cuts ruler ! What a great idea!
🥰the cute cuts ruler ! What a great idea!
I like this trimming method too. Another tool to consider is the Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmer. I bought mine from Missouri Star. It allows you to trim many sizes of HST. Good job getting all those cushions done. They look great!
I like this trimming method too. Another tool to consider is the Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmer. I bought mine from Missouri Star. It allows you to trim many sizes of HST. Good job getting all those cushions done. They look great!
I like this trimming method too. Another tool to consider is the Clearly Perfect Slotted Trimmer. I bought mine from Missouri Star. It allows you to trim many sizes of HST. Good job getting all those cushions done. They look great!
I have a 2-piece set of “Clearly Perfect Slotted Trim Rulers” that work the same way. One has 1/2″ markings to 6 1/2″, and the other has 1″ markings to 6″. They also have slots to cut off the dog ears after you trim but before you move it off the triangle. Works pretty well. I haven’t tried it on quarter squares yet, and I think you could guesstimate a 1/4″ fairly easily.
Hooray for finishing the cushions!
I have a 2-piece set of “Clearly Perfect Slotted Trim Rulers” that work the same way. One has 1/2″ markings to 6 1/2″, and the other has 1″ markings to 6″. They also have slots to cut off the dog ears after you trim but before you move it off the triangle. Works pretty well. I haven’t tried it on quarter squares yet, and I think you could guesstimate a 1/4″ fairly easily.
Hooray for finishing the cushions!
I have a 2-piece set of “Clearly Perfect Slotted Trim Rulers” that work the same way. One has 1/2″ markings to 6 1/2″, and the other has 1″ markings to 6″. They also have slots to cut off the dog ears after you trim but before you move it off the triangle. Works pretty well. I haven’t tried it on quarter squares yet, and I think you could guesstimate a 1/4″ fairly easily.
Hooray for finishing the cushions!
You sure turned out those cushions fast! Nothing worse than a dropped needle, especially with paws wandering the exact area you KNOW it landed! My Cute Cuts square up ruler is scheduled to arrive in tomorrow’s mail & I think I’m really going to like it.
You sure turned out those cushions fast! Nothing worse than a dropped needle, especially with paws wandering the exact area you KNOW it landed! My Cute Cuts square up ruler is scheduled to arrive in tomorrow’s mail & I think I’m really going to like it.
You sure turned out those cushions fast! Nothing worse than a dropped needle, especially with paws wandering the exact area you KNOW it landed! My Cute Cuts square up ruler is scheduled to arrive in tomorrow’s mail & I think I’m really going to like it.
I was told that having something magnetic next to a computer driven sewing machine was a hazard, that the magnet could damage the computer. Now, this was a long time ago, so may just have been a kind of superstition. 😊
I was told that having something magnetic next to a computer driven sewing machine was a hazard, that the magnet could damage the computer. Now, this was a long time ago, so may just have been a kind of superstition. 😊
I was told that having something magnetic next to a computer driven sewing machine was a hazard, that the magnet could damage the computer. Now, this was a long time ago, so may just have been a kind of superstition. 😊
oh, that is very clever! I’m still mad that my creative grid rulers don’t have crossing diagonal lines. such a great basic idea for quilters.
enjoy the sunshine and tell archie to behave himself on his walk. (like that will solve anything)
oh, that is very clever! I’m still mad that my creative grid rulers don’t have crossing diagonal lines. such a great basic idea for quilters.
enjoy the sunshine and tell archie to behave himself on his walk. (like that will solve anything)
oh, that is very clever! I’m still mad that my creative grid rulers don’t have crossing diagonal lines. such a great basic idea for quilters.
enjoy the sunshine and tell archie to behave himself on his walk. (like that will solve anything)
Congratulations on getting the cushions finished! It’s always a relief to complete a project that isn’t the most fun. Having the right tools for a project makes a trimming task so much easier. I’ve used Eleanor Burns Triangle Square up rulers for years. The original is a 6 1/2” square that has multiple sizes for HST. I’ve used the 6 1/2” square up ruler so much that the markings are getting faint. Have a good day and happy quilting! ☘️
Congratulations on getting the cushions finished! It’s always a relief to complete a project that isn’t the most fun. Having the right tools for a project makes a trimming task so much easier. I’ve used Eleanor Burns Triangle Square up rulers for years. The original is a 6 1/2” square that has multiple sizes for HST. I’ve used the 6 1/2” square up ruler so much that the markings are getting faint. Have a good day and happy quilting! ☘️
Congratulations on getting the cushions finished! It’s always a relief to complete a project that isn’t the most fun. Having the right tools for a project makes a trimming task so much easier. I’ve used Eleanor Burns Triangle Square up rulers for years. The original is a 6 1/2” square that has multiple sizes for HST. I’ve used the 6 1/2” square up ruler so much that the markings are getting faint. Have a good day and happy quilting! ☘️