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I love the colors I picked out a couple of years ago. I have put several blocks together. Hopefully I can find time to work on it each day.

With Christmas there is so much to do. Guess I will have to burn the midnight oil as I really want to see this quilt finished.

This one is for me this time.

I have a question, these blocks are 13 1/2" square.

I do not have a large square ruler this size.

What will be the best way to square these blocks up?

I do have the large cutting mat. Would I somehow lay the finished block on the mat and place two of the corner points on this diagonal line and trim from there?
I know I am not explaining this very well.

BTT

quote:

Originally posted by Lg56:
BTT

I'm not sure what that is, but maybe this'll help...I think using the lines on the mat should work. Or what I'd do is to use my larger square ruler, and add another smaller, say 4x14 along side it, to total the 13 1/2". I don't know if that's clear enough either.
I'll try to find a site that explains.
I found this. If you have a long ruler that is over the 13 1/2" but narrower, you could use it with your mat lines, or using the technique in this explanation.
http://quilting.about.com/od/q...ty/a/swap_blocks.htm
Good luck!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: wildcatmom,

I often double up my rulers too. A 6 x 24 next to the 12.5 inch one to square up a 13.5 block. Find the center (left to right). You need to go half the distance 6.75 or 6 and 3/4 inches over to the right. Set up the 12.5 inch ruler at the 3/4 inch line over the center. Use the 6 inch wide ruler next to it to gain the whole 6.75 measurement. Trim.
For the other side, rotate the block unless you cut with either hand. Start at the side you just trimmed, overlay the 12.5 inch ruler at the 7.5 inch line. Add the 6 inch wide ruler next to it to gain the whole 13.5 inches, trim again.

If it's easier to use the mat, then use that method.

When I do a D9P I'm more concerned with the orientation of the block; does it look like a D9P?, not are all the pieces the same size.

When I did my fractured D9P the piece was considerably larger (18 1/2") than a regular D9P so I had to be inventive with my squaring up method.

I centered the block on my mat, horizontally and vertically, with my fingers crossed that it would also line up diagonally. Then I squared the lower right corner of my piece with my 12 1/2" and my 6" ruler above that, using the block center lines/seams as my guide. In your case, the 6 3/4" mark. I did not use the mat, just the rulers, now.

I placed a second ruler above the larger ruler, making sure the edges matched and trimmed.

Once that trim was made, I turned the piece clockwise and trimmed the other sides in the same way only now I had a true straight edge to begin with...my first trim. Each trim has to be square with that first edge.

You probably already knew this? Consider it just a reminder then.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: paus4quilts,

Very good ideas here, Glad I checked it out. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

And that, my dear friend Pattyj, is what this board is alllll about. Sharing.