USE THE EASY ANGLE RULER TO MAKE DOUBLE STAR BLOCKS AND SASHING

Do you love the look of sashing stars? The Easy Angle ruler can really simplify making any type of star point, and save you having to trim up, too.  If you aren't familiar with how to use this ruler, go to Youtube.com and watch the videos first.

                   Just look at how perfect these points are without any trimming.

Step 1- cut the rectangle or sashing strip to size

Step 2- if the pattern calls for cutting a   2-1/2"block and sewing on the diagonal-

INSTEAD--- use the EAR to measure what the block would cover.
This strip is 2-1/2 " wide, and the ruler is on the 2-1/2" mark.
Cut off the piece. (see next photo)

Step 3---   cut the corner piece from the next color 2-1/2" strip.

See how perfectly the pieces line up?
Sew with 1/4" seam, and finger press open.

Look how even it is- no trimming needed. That saves so much time, and frankly, trimming isn't my favorite part of quilting anyway.

For the next star point, cut another 2-1/2" corner piece from the next color 2-1/2" strip.

The dog ear will overhang. I like to cut it off before I sew.

Sew with 1/4" seam, check for accuracy, then trim underneath. (Save the trimmed piece for another project)

Here are your perfect double star points, no trimming, ready to go in your quilt.

Use the Companion Angle ruler to make flying geese from a charm square

(This post is part of a series on ways to use easy angle and companion angle rulers in stitch and flip blocks-)

Why would you want to make flying geese from charm squares? 

If you want a bunch of scrappy flying geese, raid your 5 inch square stash, and get 4 goose "bodies"  from one charm square.

1) Fold the charm square in half. 2 1/4" (1-3/4" finished) is the largest set possible from a 5" square.

 2) Cut out the first 2 triangles.

 3) Open the leftover side pieces, and trim to make 2 more triangles.

 4) Now you have 4 goose bodies ready for the side triangles.

 4) Now use the Easy Angle ruler to cut the companion pieces from your background fabric. If you've never made geese with the Easy Angle and Companion Angle rulers before, watch the videos on YouTube. Perfect, accurate flying geese, no waste, no trimming.

Stitch and Flip with EASY ANGLE AND COMPANION ANGLE RULERS

It's not just for HSTs anymore!

Do you love little corner triangles, but not the corner square marking and clipping?
With the EASY ANGLE ruler, you can get almost twice as many corners from a strip of material.
No marking. No trimming. No little leftover triangles.

Step one- cut piece to put the corners on.

Step 2- determine the size of the square the pattern calls for-
the picture shows a 1 inch "square"

Step 3-measure a 1 inch "square", and cut off the small triangle;

 The corner triangle cut off- this is the only waste.

 Step 4 - Cut a strip from your yardage the same width as the corner triangle needed.           (I needed a 1 inch strip)
        - cut length for however many triangles you need.
             (I only needed 2 for this demo).

Step 5 -    
 Cut the size triangle you need; you can cut multiple corners at once. (Handy for making snowballs)

 I used the ruler to cut off the other dog ears, for exact piecing.

Step 6 -           Match the pieces like so. Sew a 1/4" seam. There are wonderful videos on YouTube for this ruler. You really should watch one, it helps!

Step 7-       Check that the corners are still square (or rectangle).

If you still want HSTs for the border, use the ruler. It works great with no trimming needed.

Thanks!

Joining quilted log cabin blocks without sashing

Log cabin blocks can't be sashed if you want to make a traditional pattern. I choose the straight furrows pattern for this one.

Here's the finished block-

I added a free motion maple leaf in the center of the block, and used my walking foot to stitch-in-the-ditch around the logs. 

IMPORTANT TIP--- don't trim the backing and batting yet. You will need a little extra for the joins since there is no sashing.

Step one-  Put the 2 blocks front sides together. On the top block, fold back the backing and batting, and pin.

Turn the blocks over. On the bottom side, only pin back the backing. This is the Georgia Bonesteel method of joining QAYG blocks.

Step 2- Join the blocks with a 1/4 inch seam, using a walking foot. Use lots of pins to keep the seam even.

When the seam is sewn it should look like this from the front,

and this from the back-

Step 3-    Take out the pins, front and back, and open up the blocks so the backing is facing you. 

Lay the batting that wasn't sewn in over the seam. Smooth down.

Smooth one side of the backing down over the batting join. 

Fold over the other side and pin. Put the pins in along the topstitch line, and hide the tips of the pins so you don't  keep sticking yourself. You will be able to feel the seam to help keep pinning evenly. 

Leave an inch at the top and bottom to be able to fold back the back and batting for joining the rows. Make sure to mark it with a crosswise pin to remind yourself.

Topstitch closed  between the crosswise pins using a stitch that is the same size as your quilting.

I forgot to take a picture of that first block, but here are 2 blocks sewn together already pinned to another row. I will have a tutorial on joining the rows together in my next post.

Here's a picture of the back of the quilt with the blocks joined.

This is the top of the quilt showing the straight furrows design. My cat Gus is supervising.

Next post I will do a tutorial on how to join the rows.

See you then!

This is my first blog ever. I just got a smartphone for Christmas, and now a blog. This '50's girl is moving into the now!

Why do I need a blog?  I want to post a tutorial. I discovered Pinterest this year while surfing for ideas for quilts, and it opened up a new world to me.  I started pinning my own quilts, and saving ideas from other quilters on my boards.

I have a degenerative neuromuscular disease, so I can't struggle with a full size quilt for free motion quilting.  I did a large baby quilt this week with simple walking foot quilting, and it trashed me for 3 days. I will not do that again. Back to blocks no larger than 18".

I have googled QAYG, Quilt-as-you-go, fun and done in every version on every site I can find. For hours. People have shared on Youtube and blogs, and I thank them all.
Living on just Social Security, there's no way I can afford to pay to have my quilts quilted by someone else on a long arm. Besides, I like to quilt my own quilts.
I started using various one-block at a time methods, then tried the different joining methods.
The joining strip method is pretty easy, but doesn't work when it disrupts the pattern,
My own method joins front and back with no sashing.
The fun and done method uses joining the backings, and then hemming in front. See my Tula Pink blocks quilt below for that type of sashing.