Out of the Ruler Drawer!

I know I’m not the only one who is drawn to rulers and gadgets and things that do specific things, and I have some that I love even though they are not “Every Day” items…

Rulers are just that way. I have my favorite 12.5” X 6.5”, my 6.5” square, the Easy Angle, Companion Angle and Tri Recs. I have BIG squares for squaring blocks, and quilt corners before putting on borders and binding, I use a large setting triangle ruler for cutting setting triangles from strips instead of cutting big squares into quarters --- I have a long ruler for trimming quilt edges before putting on binding……These things are close at hand where I do my cutting…

But there are some other things that only come out to play once in a while.

One of these things is the “EZ Center Square” ruler by Sharon Hultgren --- Any time I have a block that needs a center square on point – I know the math is going to be funny and I can’t just reach into my pre-cut squares for a square that will work.

And because the rotary cutting math is funny when you put something on point, I could find myself drafting the unit in EQ to see what size it would tell me to ROTARY CUT if I wanted the center square-in-a-square unit to finish at 3” when the corners are added.

Just to show you --- here is the print out from EQ ---telling me to cut a 2 5/8” center square and cut my corner triangles from 2 3/8” squares – which would work…but with this ruler I don’t have to go and try to figure the math before hand.

For a unit that is going to finish at 3” with the center square on point within the unit I just use the 3” finished line on the ruler. I don’t have to hunt down 2 5/8”, or even calculate to see what size that square needs to be.

Once the strip is cut, the ruler also helps you cut squares from the strip…it has sizes from 2” up to 8” units with the center square on point in the unit. The only down side is that it is full inch increments only, not half-inch sizes. But for most things, this has the size that I need without having to do the math.

Like I said --- it’s not a ruler I find myself using all the time – but when I need it, it’s there!

From here I Just used my Easy Angle Ruler and 2” strips to cut the half-square triangles I needed to put that center square on point. I didn't have to cut 2 3/8" squares which is also an odd strip measurement that I don't keep readily at hand.

Here is where they will go!

I used this unit in the center of my Star block for this week’s Barrister’s Sow Along ---

And I sewed two more!

Jacks on Six, Big Dipper, Sawtooth Star, Flying Dutchman

These are the 3 blocks from this week’s installment, and the one bonus block as well. I’m still 3 blocks behind! I thought it was 2 – but no – it’s THREE. I came home after dropping the Wake Forest quilt off at the ball park for Karen, and crashed for a nap ---but I’ll be back at it! I’m bound and determined to get CAUGHT UP!

It’s 9pm --- and I feel a second wind coming on thanks to that nap!