The newest clue for the Scrapitude mystery quilt has to do with triangles. The idea is to cut 5.25″ squares into quarter square triangles before sewing.
I didn’t, yet, do all the cutting as instructed in the first clue, partially because I wanted to see if I could find a better way, more preferred way to cut. I also didn’t want to delve into my stash completely yet. I still wanted to try and use as many scraps from my scrap bin as possible. Some of the drawers are getting pretty full.
![EZ Companion Angle Ruler](https://artquiltmaker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/EZCompanion2-300x214.jpg)
In order to cut from my scrap bin, I had to be able to cut from smaller scraps. I don’t have a lot of 5.25″ scraps laying around. It occurred to me, as I was thinking through this process, that I had a ruler that would make cutting the quarter square triangles a bit easier. I found the EZ Triangle Companion Ruler (I think I bought this for the Easy Street Mystery quilt) and the Fons & Porter Half & Quarter Triangle Rulers. Neither had been opened (ooops!), so I examined them and, for no particular reason, chose the Fons & Porter to try first.
I cut one 5.25″ square the way Charlotte suggested so I had a sample. I used that to determine the size I needed to to cut using the HST/QST ruler. The directions on the Fons & Porter ruler tell you to cut a strip size of 2.5″ to get the size QSTs I needed. This cut off the tip of the triangle at the top (see that tiny black triangle at the tip of the ruler in the photo below?). I wasn’t sure why I would want to cut off the tip since it didn’t create the bunny ears. This made me wonder if that ruler would work. I didn’t want a hole at the point where those triangles intersected with other piecing. Nobody was around to answer on Twitter, so I cut the strips 2.75″ and used that dimension as a guide for cutting additional triangles.
“Strips” is a bit of an exaggeration as I was using scraps. I tried to find scraps that were at least 2.75″ wide.
![Fons & Porter Half/Quarter Square Triangle Ruler Fons & Porter Half/Quarter Square Triangle Ruler](https://artquiltmaker.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/wpid-20131013_121649.jpg)
Using this ruler took a lot longer than cutting already cut 5.25″ squares into quarters would, but I was able to use a nice variety of fabrics and I was able to clear out my scrap bin a little more.
I found that I had to have a nice straight cut line on which to line the correct cutting line.
One confusing thing, which I have found with other rulers, is where to put the fabric under the ruler. Some of the lines, including the one I needed to use, were quite thick. Do I line the ruler on top of the fabric with the bottom of the thick line even with the cut line? Or something else?
I just decided to be consistent. I can always trim.
If you haven’t done the triangle step of Scrapitude, I hope you’ll try using one of these rulers to vary your fabric selection.
Scrapitude Posts
- Sandy’s Blog:Supplies & Cutting
- Scrapitude Four Patches
- Sandy’s Blog:First Sewing Clue
- Scrapitude: 112 Four Patches
- Sandy’s Blog:Second Sewing clue