Potholder - Prep & Test -

 

 

You can make these blocks - 

 

And/or this potholder - 

Using any method that you prefer - 

But I'd like to show you - 

 

Just how EASY the LEFT-EZE Rule™ is to use - ;))

 

I also have a series of tutorials - HERE - 

 

Written a while back - 

 

That you can read at your leisure - ;))

 

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I designed the LEFT-EZE Rule™ 

 

To cut HST - QST - Flying Geese - Squares - and Rectangles - 

 

LEFT-HANDED - 

 

Using PRE-CUT STRIPS -

 

From 1/2" to 6-1/2" wide - ;))

 

If you're trying to follow a pattern - 

 

And it tells you what size the STRIP should be - 

 

You're good to go - 

 

That's the ONLY size you need - ;))

If your pattern gives you a "finished" size - 

For HST - just add 1/2" to get the STRIP size - 

And don't worry - there's NO MATH involved - 

 

I have a size chart - HERE - that you can use - 

For QST - and Flying Geese -

 

It even has a section to tell you which STRIP SIZE you need - 

 

If the pattern says to "cut a square"with 1/8" markings - ;))

 

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Anyway - 

 

For demonstration purposes - 

 

I'm going to make some blocks - 

 

For some potholders - 

 

Using some PRE-CUT strips -  ;))

 

You can make them any size you want -

 

And use jelly rolls - 

 

Or fat quarters - 

 

Or your scraps - 

 

Or yardage - 

 

As long as you PRE-CUT your fabric into STRIPS first - ;))

 

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TEST -

 

For the first block - I'll be using some 2" strips -

 

And before we go any further - 

 

I want you to TEST - 

 

Your CUTTING ACCURACY - 

 

AND your SEAM ALLOWANCE - 

 

Take 2 scrap strips 2" wide by at least 2-1/2" long - 

 

Layer them on top of each other - right sides together - 

 

Using the LEFT-EZE Rule™ - 

Line up your strip on your cutting mat - 

And - starting at the RIGHT end of the strip - 

 

Turn the ruler on its side - 

 

And trim the end to make it straight -  

Then line up the 2" line at the cut edge of the strip - 

 

NOTE - The 2-1/2" line is the one between the 2 and the 3 - LOL - 

I didn't "label" it because I didn't want to garbage up the design - 

And I figured you guys were smart enough to figure it out -

Make sure the line is ON THE FABRIC - not on the mat - 

Cut straight UP the left side of the ruler -

Sew the two squares together - 

 

 

And press to the DARK one - 

Then MEASURE them - 

They SHOULD measure 2" x 3-1/2" - 

 

We already know that they are 2" tall - 

 

So we're actually just measuring the WIDTH - 

 

I put the sewn squares on the cutting mat - 

 

So that you can see that my camera puts a shadow on the LEFT side -

 

And that makes it look wrong - UGH - 

 

But the 3-1/2" vertical line is on the RIGHT side - 

 

And it DOES measure 2" x 3-1/2" - 

 

Here it with another ruler - with the same shadow on the LEFT side -

 

If they don't measure correctly -

Either you cut it wrong - 

Or your seam allowance is off -

 

NOW is the time to FIX it -  

 

So - try it again - 

 

Or until you are satisfied that it comes out the correct size - ;))

 

Then gather some 2" strips - 

 

If you want to make some blocks/potholders "demo" size - 

 

And we'll PLAY tomorrow - ;))

 

 

 

Talk to you later - gotta go - gotta sew -