I laid the quilt out on the floor and smoothed the ends, squaring the quilt as much as possible. Then I aligned my 24" ruler along the center of those blocks. (In the photo above, the ruler was not yet properly placed. I shifted it forward a bit on the right side.) Once the ruler was exactly in place I drew a line across the fabric with a soft lead pencil. I've been quilting just past the line. When the quilting is finished, I will cut 1/4" beyond the line and stitch the binding at the penciled line.
I hope it works! I hope I don't lose any seams or any quilting stitches when I cut those edges.
I suppose quilters with more experience than me are probably shaking their heads, knowing how much easier it would have been to make the half-blocks the size they needed to be to begin with. (This was the first time I converted a regular block to a setting triangle and I didn't know what I was doing.) Or possibly those experienced quilters have better ideas to shorten this quilt than what I've done. If so, I hope they will share them.
I've quilted five half-blocks and have three to go to reach my One Monthly Goal for June.
This is one of my works in progress this week. I'm linking this post to WOW at Esther's Blog and Let's Bee Social #129 at Sew Fresh Quilts. Thanks for hosting, ladies.
--Nancy.
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I think your method does the trick. I don't like figuring out half blocks when I am using my old faithful "design-as-you-go" method. So I will try to remember what you have done here (maybe I should Pin it, do ya think?) so I can do this the next time this issue arises for me. : )
ReplyDeleteI hope it works, Janet. I don't like figuring out half-blocks any time and especially not when they are set on the diagonal. I imagine that for your small quilts it would fairly easy to just chop off the edges that extend beyond where you want them. You could probably use a 24" ruler and be done quickly, right?
DeleteI don't know how to draft a setting triangle either. I've not set too many quilts on point, but when I do, I lop off the excess just like you. And it's what I'll do when I make my cake stand quilt set on point.
ReplyDeleteI've learned a little about drafting setting triangles, Kathy, and I hope I would do better the next time -- if I can remember what I learned and don't want to do again. It might be a while before a choose a diagonal set with pieced setting triangles again though.
DeleteTedious work, but doing the math to half the block to begin with would be even worse!!
ReplyDeleteDoing the math was a challenge, Jennie, especially because it was a new experience and I didn't know exactly what I was doing. (Math is not my strength, anyway.) And I think I was more concerned about getting the grain lines correct than getting an exact half block plus that 1/4". I tried to find an online tutorial to help me through it the first time but couldn't find one. I'm pleased that at least I don't have bias along the edges and only have to trim the edges off.
DeleteI think this works and is a practical method!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pam. I'll report back later.
DeleteDoing math really makes my stomach ache! Your method seems to be working just fine - always better to end up with extra fabric than not enough! 😀
ReplyDeleteI'm with you, Allison, except it's more of a headache than a stomach ache for me. I agree that it's better to have too much fabric than too little. I hope it works!
DeleteLooks like its working for you! Maths is not my strong point, I tend to cut large and then trim back to fit, but it can waste fabric.
ReplyDeleteOh, Linda, I hope it works when I finally get to the cutting stage. Math isn't my strong point, either. I don't like to waste a lot of fabric but I don't mind wasting a little to be on the safe side. If I cut too small then I have to recut everything and waste more fabric!
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