Cut to It: Strategies for Smarter Quilting

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Beginner Level

Cut to It

Strategies for Smarter Quilting WITH DEBBIE CAFFREY

Debbie Caffrey

Debbie Caffrey has been teaching quilting nationwide since 1983. She’s taught at events such as International Quilt Festival (Houston, Rosemont and Long Beach), Minnesota Quilters Conference, The Road to California, and many more. Debbie is the self-published author of 14 books on quilting, the designer of dozens of quilt patterns and more than 250 mystery quilt patterns. She has also contributed many articles to publications such as Traditional Quiltworks magazine, as well as appearing on both HGTV's Simply Quilts and QNNtv.com’s Quilter’s Coffee.

www.craftsy.com

Cut to It: Strategies for Smarter Quilting with Debbie Caffrey Fine-Tuning Your Rotary Cutting Skills Sewing Test for Seam Allowances The success of your quilt depends upon precise ¼" (6 mm) seam allowances. It is a good idea to check your seam allowances before beginning.

measure exactly 4½" (3.8 cm) square. If it does not, adjust your seam allowance and repeat the test.

© phototd/iStock/Thinkstock.

Test: Cut four rectangles that measure 1½" × 4½" (3.8 cm × 11.4 cm). Sew them together along the long edges. Press the seam allowances to one side. The finished piece should

Sewing test 4½" (3.8 cm) square

1

Target-Number Tables

2

1

1¼"

1½"

1¾"

2¼"

2½"

2¾"

2 3 4

2½" 3¾" 5"

3" 4½" 6"

3½" 5¼" 7"

4½" 6¾" 9"

5" 7½" 10"

5½" 8¼" 11"

5 6 7

6¼" 7½" 8¾"

7½" 9" 10½"

8¾" 10½" 12¼"

11¼" 13½" 15¾"

12½" 15" 17½"

13¾" 16½" 19¼"

8 9 10 11 12 13 14

10" 11¼" 12½" 13¾" 15" 16¼" 17½"

12" 13½" 15" 16½" 18" 19½" 21"

14" 15¾" 17½" 19¼"

18" 20¼"

20"

15

18¾"

1

17/8"

23/8"

27/8"

33/8"

37/8"

43/8"

2 3 4

3¾" 55/8" 7½"

4¾" 71/8" 9½"

5¾" 85/8" 11½"

6¾" 101/8" 13½"

7¾" 115/8" 15½"

9¾" 145/8" 19½"

5 6 7 8 9 10

93/8" 11¼" 131/8" 15" 167/8" 18¾"

117/8" 14¼" 165/8" 19"

143/8" 17¼" 201/8"

167/8" 20¼"

193/8"

11

205/8"

Diamond Template Place panels right sides together on top of another panel, as shown below. Use the 45-degree line on your ruler to trim the end as shown.

Measure 2" (5.1 cm) from the trimmed edge and cut sections 2" (5.1 cm) wide through the pair of panels. Repeat with the second panels to cut a total of 24 pairs of sections that are right sides together.

The sections have been flipped over to sew. Use one of each of the units to make a section like the one shown below.

Note: The top section has been rotated 180 degrees

Press the seam allowances as shown by the arrows. Repeat to make a total of 24 sections. Sew the pairs of sections together to make 24 units like the one shown. Make sure that you are sewing down the correct side and that the finished unit looks exactly like the one below. Notice, the seam allowances of the piece on top are pressed upwards.

Trim the ends of all the units as follows: measure ¾" (1.9 cm) from the seam line where fabrics 1 and 3 meet, and square up the bottom. Measure up 8½" (21.6 cm) from the newly trimmed bottom and cut the top.

3

“Striply Speaking” Half-Square Triangle Chart Using the Omnigrid 96 or 96L triangle tool

4

Traditional cut size of squares

Finished size of short side of half-square triangle

13/8" 15/8"

Width to cut strip to be used in place of squares

Line to use on Omnigid 96 or 96L triangle tool

½"

1"

½"

¾"

1¼"

¾"

17/8"

1"

1½"

1"

21/8"

1¼"

1¾"

1¼"

23/8"

1½"

2"

1½"

25/8"

1¾"

2¼"

1¾"

27/8"

2"

2½"

2"

31/8"

2¼"

2¾"

2¼"

33/8"

2½"

3"

2½"

35/8"

2¾"

3¼"

2¾"

37/8"

3"

3½"

3"

41/8"

3¼"

3¾"

3¼"

43/8"

3½"

4"

3½"

45/8"

3¾"

4¼"

3¾"

47/8"

4"

4½"

4"

51/8"

4¼"

4¾"

4¼"

53/8"

4½"

5"

4½"

55/8"

4¾"

5¼"

4¾"

57/8"

5"

5½"

5"

61/8"

5¼"

5¾"

5¼"

63/8"

5½"

6"

5½"

Traditional cut size of squares

Finished size of short side of half-square triangle

65/8" 67/8" 71/8"

Width to cut strip to be used in place of squares

Line to use on Omnigid 96 or 96L triangle tool

5¾"

6¼"

5¾"

6"

6½"

6"

6¼"

6¾"

6¼"

73/8"

6½"

7"

6½"

75/8"

6¾"

7¼"

6¾"

77/8"

7"

7½"

7"

81/8"

7¼"

7¾"

7¼"

83/8"

7½"

8"

7½"

85/8"

7¾"

8¼"

7¾"

87/8"

8"

8½

8"

Quarter-Square Triangle Chart Using the Omnigrid 98 or 98L triangle tool

Traditional cut size of squares

Finished size of long side of quartersquare triangle

Width to cut strip to be used in place of squares

Line to use on Omnigrid 98 or 98L triangle tool

2¼"

1"

1"

1"

2¾"

1½"

1¼"

1½"

3¼"

2"

1½"

2"

3¾"

2½"

1¾"

2½"

4¼"

3"

2"

3"

5

6

Traditional cut size of squares

Finished size of long side of quartersquare triangle

4¾" 5¼" 5¾"

Width to cut strip to be used in place of squares

Line to use on Omnigrid 98 or 98L triangle tool

3½"

2¼"

3½"

4"

2½"

4"

4½"

2¾"

4½"

6¼"

5"

3"

5"

6¾"

5½"

3¼"

5½"

7¼"

6"

3½"

6"

7¾"

6½"

3¾"

6½"

8¼"

7"

4"

7"

8¾"

7½"

4¼"

7½"

9¼"

8"

4½"

8"

9¾"

8½"

4¾"

8½"

10¼"

9"

5"

9"

10¾"

9½"

5¼"

9½"

11¼"

10"

5½"

10"

11¾"

10½"

5¾"

10½"

12¼"

11"

6"

11"

12¾"

11½"

6¼"

11½"

13¼"

12"

6½"

12"

“It's Hip to be Square” Large Half-Square Blocks in Two Sections

Cut size of squares

Squared-up Size of Half-Square Block

Cut size of each Section

Finished size of UNIT

4½"

4"

2"

1½"

5"

4½"

2¼"

1¾"

5½"

5"

2½"

2"

6"

5½"

2¾"

2¼"

6½"

6"

3"

2½"

7½"

7"

3½"

3"

Large Half-Square Blocks in Three Sections

Cut size of squares

Squared-up Size of Half-Square Block

Cut size of each Section

Finished size of UNIT

5"

4½"

1½"

1"

5¾"

5¼"

1¾"

1¼"

6½"

6"

2"

1½"

7¼"

6¾"

2¼"

1¾"

8"

7½"

2½"

2"

9½"

9"

3"

2½"

11"

10½"

3½"

3"

7

Large Half-Square Blocks in Four Sections

Cut size of squares

Squared-up Size of Half-Square Block

Cut Size of Each Section

Finished Size of UNIT

5"

4½"

11/8"

5/8"

6½"

6"

1½"

1"

7½"

7"

1¾"

1¼"

8½"

8"

2"

1½"

10½"

10"

2½"

2"

12½"

12"

3"

2½"

Calculating Custom Sizes It is very simple to calculate a custom size. First, determine your desired finished unit size. Second, determine how many sections you will cut from the large half-square triangle blocks (2, 3, or 4).

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Once you have made those decisions, use the following worksheet to calculate your custom size. As an example, I have illustrated how to calculate cutting the large half-square triangle blocks into four sections to make 2" (5.1 cm, finished size!) units. You can follow along by comparing the numbers.

Start with the desired finished size of the unit.

Your Calculations

Four Section Block example 2"

Add ½" to the finished size of the unit to calculate the cut size of the sections.

2" + ½" = 2½"

Multiply the cut size of the sections by the number of sections you will cut from the large half-square triangle block (2, 3, or 4). This is your square-up measurement.

2½" × 4 = 10"

Add ½" to your square-up measurement to determine the cut size of the large squares.

10" + ½" = 10½"

© monkeybusinessimages/iStock/Thinkstock.

Instructions

9

“It Might be Biased” Bias Strip Pieced HST Units The seam allowance required for traditional rotary cut halfsquare triangles is 7/8" (2.2 cm). In other words, if a design needs 2" (5.1 cm) finished size half-square triangle units, you would begin with squares that are cut 27/8" (7.3 cm). This information is important for when you want to convert a pattern from book or magazine to the bias strip technique. If the instructions in the other pattern ask you to cut squares that are 27/8" (7.3 cm), you will know that they finish 2" (5.1 cm). In other words, you should use the fifth row of the table; the row that begins with 2" (5.1 cm) finished size units. Use the table to determine cutting sizes and yields. With this information, you can apply the bias strip method to any project suited for the technique. Column 1 is the finished size of the unit, column 2 is the cut size of the unit, and column 3 is the cut width of the bias strips.

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Column 4 states the number of units you get when you begin with rectangles cut 12" × 20" (30.5 cm × 50.8 cm). Column 5 states the yield when beginning with rectangles cut 10" × 18" (25.4 cm × 45.7 cm). Split Rectangle Units This technique makes units that are twice as tall as they are wide instead of square. The following directions will result in units that are 2" × 4" (5.1 cm×10.2 cm), finished size. Use one light fabric and one dark fabric. Cut a 15" × 20" (38.1 cm × 50.8 cm) rectangle from each piece. Stack the two rectangles neatly atop one another. Position both rectangles right side up. Do not put them right sides together. Use the angle of your Tri tool to establish the first diagonal cut. Cut your fabrics into strips that are 3" (7.6 cm) wide. Alternate the light strips and dark strips, keeping them in numerical

Finished size

Cut size

Cut width of bias strips

Max yield from 12" × 20" Panels (1 Light, 1 Dark)

Max Yield from 10" × 18" Panels (1 Light, 1 Dark)

1"

1½"

1¾"

108

76

1¼"

1¾"

2"

80

54

1½"

2"

2¼"

60

40

1¾"

2¼"

2¼"

54

36

2"

2½"

2½"

42

26

2¼"

2¾"

2½"

40

26

2½"

3"

2¾"

28

20

3"

3½"

3¼"

22

14

order, and piece two panels just as you did when making the half-square triangle units. Press the seam allowances toward the dark strips. Use the angle of the Tri tool and a long ruler to square and straighten the longer, straighter edge of the panel. Then cut the panel into strips that are 4½" (11.4 cm) wide. Use the Recs tool to complete the units. Note: Position the seam line marking of the Recs tool — (dotted line that is ¼" (6 mm) from the angled edge of the tool) — on the seam lines of

the pieced fabric strips, not the edge of the Recs tool! Here is some helpful information for applying the technique to future projects: This unit is not symmetrical, so you must determine whether you want all of the units to look like A, all of them to look like B, or some As and some Bs. Most patterns, but not all, requiring both As and Bs need equal numbers of As and Bs.

A

B

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If you want all of your units to be As, position all of the fabrics right side up. If you want all of your units to be Bs, position all of the fabrics wrong side up. If you need some of both, position them as necessary. Use the table below to determine the width of the diagonal strips.

cm), the bias-pieced strips are cut 4½" (11.4 cm) wide.

Vary the sizes of the rectangles that you begin with to fit the size of your units. For example, when making the units that finish 2" × 4" (5.1 cm × 10.2

Take notes! What size rectangle did you start with? What size units did you make? How many units did you have when you finished? This information is important for the next time.

Finished Size

12

Cut Width of Strip From Bias-Pieced Panel

I multiplied 4½" (11.4 cm) by 3 (I wanted 3 bias-pieced strips from the panel,) and added 1½" (3.8 cm) to allow you to straighten the top edge and make sure I would get three bias-pieced strips.

Cut Width of Diagonal Strip

1" × 2"

2½"

2"

1½" × 3"

3½"

2½"

2" × 4"

4½"

3"

2½" × 5"

5½"

3½"

3" × 6"

6½"

4"

Yield (Depends on Size of Rectangles at Start)

30 Start with 15" × 20" rectangles

Tear-out Templates

“Working on Your Traps”

2½" (6.35 cm)

Note: See page 17 for instructions.

90 / 45 TRAPEZOID TEMPLATE

2" (5.08 cm)

47/8" (12.38 cm)

45 / 45 TRAPEZOID TEMPLATE 7¼" (18.42 cm)

“The Journey Home” 23/4" (7 cm)

TEMPLATE A

2½" (6.35 cm)

2½" (6.35 cm)

TEMPLATE B

2½" (6.35 cm)

Note: See page 19 for instructions.

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[TEAR-OUT TEMPLATES]

“Working on Your Traps” Note: See tear-out templates located on pages 14 and 15.

Tree Block Finished Size: 7½" (19.1 cm)

Cutting Background • Cut one strip 2" (5.1 cm) wide. • Cut two 2" × 3¾" (5.1 cm × 9.5 cm) rectangles from this strip. • Reserve the remainder for cutting trapezoids. Green • Cut one strip 2" (5.1 cm) wide.

the following sizes: 3¾", 3¼", 2¾" and 2¼" (9.5 cm, 8.3 cm, 7 cm and 5.7 cm). Trim the dog ears from the 90/45 trapezoids. Trim the points, keeping in mind that the measurement that you use to trim dog ears is ½" (1.3 cm) more than the size you read on the triangle. For example, when trimming the 3¾" (9.5 cm) trapezoid, use the 4¼" line (10.8 cm) on the square ruler.

More Cutting The background of this block requires one trapezoid and one reverse trapezoid of each size. Therefore, fold the background strip in half and use the template to cut 90/45 trapezoids. Cut one pair (a single cut resulting in one trapezoid and one reverse trapezoid) of each of

© Radist/iStock/Thinkstock.

Brown • Cut one 1½" × 2" (3.8 cm × 5.1 cm) rectangle.

17

Open the green strip to a single layer and use the Omnigrid 98 or 98L to cut one 45/45 trapezoid of each of the following sizes: 6", 5" and 4" (15.2 cm, 12.7 cm and 10.2 cm), and a 3" (7.6 cm) quarter-square triangle. Piecing Sew the smallest pair of background trapezoids (2¼" or 5.7 cm) to the 6" (15.2 cm) green trapezoid. Trimming the dog ears makes the alignment simple and accurate. Press the seam allowances toward the green. Sew the pair of 2¾" (7 cm) trapezoids to the 5" (12.7 cm) green trapezoid and sew the pair of 3¼" (8.3 cm) trapezoids to the

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4" (10.2 cm) green trapezoid. Press the seam allowances toward the green. Sew the last pair of background trapezoids to the 3" (7.6 cm) quarter-square triangle of green. This must be done in two steps. Press after sewing the first seam, and then add the second background trapezoid. Press. Sew the two rectangles of background fabric to the sides of the brown rectangle. Press the seam allowances toward the brown. Arrange the horizontal rows in order and sew them together. Press all of the seam allowances toward the bottom of the block.

“The Journey Home” Note: See tear-out templates located on pages 14 and 15.

© MehmetCan/iStock/Thinkstock.

Fabric Requirements • Tan 21⁄4 yards • Darks & Mediums one fat quarter each of twenty different fabrics.* This quilt uses almost all of each fat quarter. There is little room for error. See the cutting information inside for details. You may prefer to purchase half yard cuts or a second fat quarter if it is a concern. *DESIGN OPPORTUNITY: You may easily change the size of the quilt by using more or fewer fat quarters and adjusting the tan, border, backing, and binding

fabrics accordingly. Basically, one fat quarter makes enough pieces for one block. The cover quilt is made with twenty 15" blocks. Border 11/4 yards Backing 5 yards Binding 7⁄8 yard Other Supplies Rotary Cutter, Mat, & Ruler Cutting Strips are cut across the width of your fabric, making them approximately 42 long with selvages on each of the short ends.

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Tan • Cut five strips 41⁄4" wide. Cut these strips into forty 41⁄4" squares. Cut the squares once, diagonally, to make half-square triangles. Yield: 80 triangles •

Cut two strips 37⁄8" wide. Cut these strips into twenty 37⁄8" squares.

•

Cut four strips 31⁄2" wide. Cut these strips into forty 31⁄2" squares.

•

Cut seven strips 31⁄8" wide. Cut these strips into eighty 31⁄8" squares. Cut the squares once, diagonally, to make halfsquare triangles. Yield: 160 triangles

Fat Quarters All of the fat quarters are cut exactly the same way. To make faster work of cutting the fat quarters, stack six or seven of them and cut through layers. Align the

20

selvages on top of each other as you stack the fab-rics. Remove the selvages, squaring that edge of the fat quarters. The initial strip cutting direction is important. Because the fat quarters are not square, there may not be enough fabric to cut all the pieces if the strips are not cut parallel to the edge where the selvages have been removed. Cut strips from the fat quarters, parallel to the edge where the selvages have been removed, as directed below. Refer to the diagram at the right for more details. Cut: • One strip 45⁄8" wide • Two strips 41⁄4" wide • Two strips 23⁄4" wide Complete the cutting of the fat quarters as directed below the diagram at the right. There is little excess fabric, so, save the smallest leftovers until

More Instructions for Cutting the Fat Quarters Follow the initial strip cutting as described at the left. Set aside the 41⁄4" wide strips to be used for strip-piecing. Piecing the Economy Blocks The success of your quilt depends upon accurate 1⁄4" seam allowances. Press

23/4" wide strip

23/4" wide strip

41/4" wide strip

41/4" wide strip

4 5/8" wide strip

Selvages Removed from this Edge

the quilt has been completed in the event of a cutting error during construction.

Use the 45⁄8" strips to cut the following from each of the twenty fat quarters: • one 45⁄8" square, • one 41⁄4" square, and • two 31⁄2" squares. Use the 23⁄4" wide strips to cut eight 23⁄4" squares from each fat quarter fabric.  carefully throughout to avoid stretching and distorting the bias edges.

NOTE: The tips of the triangles (the dog ears) will extend 3⁄8", not just 1⁄4," beyond the edge of the square. Do not try to ease the excess or trim to fit. You will be robbing seam allowance that is necessary for a future seam. Just center the triangles with the square and allow the triangles’ dog ears to extend on both ends.

21

1. Cut each of the twenty 45⁄8" squares, one square of each fat quarter fabric, twice diagonally to make four quarter-square triangles from each square. Yield: 80 triangles

2. Sew a quarter-square triangle of fat

quarter fabric to two opposite sides of each 37 8" square of tan fabric to make units like the one in the figure on the right. Use the same fat quarter fabric on both sides of the square. Do not mix them. Press the seam allowances toward the triangles as shown by the arrows. ⁄

make 20 one of each fat quarter

3. Sew quarter-square triangles to the

remaining two sides of each tan square. Again, use the same fat quarter fabric. When completed, each square within a square unit should have only one fat quarter fabric in it. Press the seam allowances away from the square. Trim the dog ears.

make make 2020square square within unit within a square a square unit

4. Add the half-square triangles of tan

fabric that were cut from the 41⁄4" squares to the square within a square units in the same way, sew them to two opposite sides first, then to the two remaining sides, to complete twenty Economy blocks. Press the seam allowances toward each triangle as you add it to the block. Trim the dog ears.

22

make 20 make 20 economy blocks Economy blocks

Piecing the Small Triangle Sections Place a 31⁄2" square of tan fabric on each 31⁄2" square of fat quarter fabric, right sides together. Cut the pairs of squares once, diagonally, to make eighty pairs of halfsquare triangles.

1. Stitch the pairs along the

diagonal to make halfsquare triangle units, four units of each fat quarter fabric. Press the seam allowances toward the fat quarter fabrics. Yield: 80 units

2. Cut the half-square trian-

gle units from above on the diagonal, perpendicular to the seam line.

3. Sew the half-square triangles of tan that were cut from the 31⁄8" squares to each of the sections to

A

B

Y Y make make40 40 two each twofrom from each fat quarter fabric fat quarter fabric

complete eighty A units and eighty B units. Press the seam allowances in the directions shown by the arrows. Trim the dog ears.

4. Use the A and B units and

the 23⁄4" squares of fat quarter fabrics to make X and Y units. Match the fat quarter fabrics when making each section. In other words, when completed, each section should only have two fabrics in it – one fat quarter fabric and the tan fabric. Make two X sections and two Y sections from each fat quarter fabric (a total of forty X sections and forty Y sections). Press all of the seam allowances toward the squares as shown by the arrows.

A

B

Y Y make 40 make 40 two fromeach each two from fat quarter fabric fat quarter fabric

23

Completing the Snowflakes 1. Sew the X sections to two opposite sides of the Economy blocks to make twenty sections.

2. Press the seam allowances toward the Economy block.

make 20

make 20

3. Sew the Y sections to the top and

bottom of the sections to complete the Snowflake blocks. Match the fat quarter fabric of the X and Y units to create a single fabric in the background of each block. Press the seam allowances away from the middle row.

make 20 snowflakes

NOTE: Use two X sections of the same fat quarter for a single unit, but choose an Economy block with a different fat quarter fabric.

Completing the Blocks Sew one crosscut section to the bot-tom of each Snowflake block. Press the seam allowances away from the Snowflake. Sew a 41⁄4" square (cut from the 45⁄8" strips at the beginning of the pattern) to the bottom of each remaining crosscut section. Press the seam allowances toward the crosscut section. Add these sections to one side of each block to complete twenty Journey Home blocks. Press the seam allowances away from the Snowflake.

24

The Journey Home make 20 blocks

The Journey Home make 20 blocks

Strip-Piecing & Crosscutting the Panels Use thirty-nine of the forty 41⁄4" wide strips of fat quarter fabrics that were reserved to strip-piece thirteen panels as shown at the left. Mix the fabrics as you like. Press the seam allowances to one side.

Finishing the Quilt These are asymmetrical blocks. Refer to the front of the pattern for a suggested layout, or try other rotations to see the interesting settings you can achieve. You may do something as simple as positioning the blocks all in the same direction. That will make a quilt that looks as if it has been sashed with large squares. By rotating some of the blocks to varying degrees you will create many possibilities, some creating a definite pattern, and others looking very whimsical. Borders Remove the selvages from your border fabric. Cut eight

cut 40 sections 1 4 ⁄4" wide 41⁄4" wide

make 13 panels

Crosscut the panels into sections that are 41⁄4" wide. Cut a total of forty sections.

border panels along the lengthwise grain (parallel to the selvage edges). Cut these panels 51⁄4" wide (5" if your fabric is narrower than 42"). Square off the ends of the border panels. Sew them into pairs to make four borders. Measure your quilt to determine the average length. Trim two border panels to fit the length of the quilt. Attach them to the sides of the quilt. Press the seam allowances toward the borders. Measure your quilt to determine the average width. Trim the remaining two panels to fit the to and bottom of the quilt. Attach them and press. Quilt, bind, and enjoy!

25

“She’ll Be Quilting ’Round the Mountain” Tables Use these tables to use to make various sizes of blocks. If you do not find the size you need listed on the table, use

the information on the next page to calculate your custom sizes. Measurements in tables are width × height.

Hill Blocks Cut size of squares

Squared-up Size of Half-Square Block

Cut size of each Section

Finished size of block

4"

3½"

1¾" × 3½"

5" × 3"

4½"

4"

2" × 4"

6" × 3½"

5"

4½"

2¼" × 4½"

7" × 4"

5½"

5"

2½" × 5"

8" × 4½"

6"

5½"

2¾" × 5½"

9" × 5"

6½"

6"

3" × 6"

10" × 5½"

Squared-up Size of Half-Square Block

Cut size of each Section

Finished size of block

Rocky Mountain Blocks Cut size of squares

26

4½"

4"

1" × 4"

4" × 3½"

5"

4½"

11/8" × 4½"

5" × 4"

5½"

5"

1¼" × 5"

6" × 4½"

6½"

6"

1½" × 6"

8" × 5½"

7½"

7"

1¾" × 7"

10" × 6½"

8½"

8"

2" × 8"

12" × 7½"

Appalachian Mountain Blocks Cut size of squares

Squared-up Size of Half-Square Block

Cut size of each Section

Finished size of block

3½"

3"

1" × 3"

3" × 2½"

4¼"

3¾"

1¼" × 3¾"

4½" × 3¼"

5"

4½"

1½" × 4½"

6" × 4"

5¾"

5¼"

1¾" × 5¼"

7½" × 4¾"

6½"

6"

2" × 6"

9" × 5½"

7¼"

6¾"

2¼" × 6¾"

10½" × 6¼"

8"

7½"

2½" × 7½"

12" × 7"

Calculating Custom Sizes It is very simple to calculate a custom size. First, determine what type of block you want: Hill, Appalachian, or Rocky Mountain. Second, determine the finished width of your block. Remember, the measurements in the tables are width × height.

Once you have made those decisions, use the following worksheet to calculate your custom size. As an example, I have illustrated how to calculate an 8"- (20.3 cm-) wide Rocky Mountain block. You can follow along by comparing the numbers in the far column to the table above.

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Instructions

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Your Calculations

8" Rocky Mountain Block example

Start with the finished width and type of block.

8" Rocky Mountain

Divide the finished width by the number of sections in the block to determine the finished size of each section. (Divide by 4 for Hill Country, 6 for Appalachian, or 8 for Rocky Mountain.)

8" divided by 8 = 1"

Add ½" to the width of the section for seam allowances to determine the cut size of each section.

1" + ½" = 1½"

Multiply the cut size of the section by the number of sections cut from each half-square triangle block. (Multiply by 2 for Hill Country, 3 for Appalachian, or 4 for Rocky Mountain.) This number is your square up measurement.

1½" × 4 = 6"

Add ½" to your square-up measurement to determine the cut size of the squares.

6" + ½" = 6½"

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If questions come up during your class, we’re here to help. Just send us a note at [email protected] or visit us at www.craftsyhelp.com.