grandma23

I got a little baggie of sewn hst's at a resale shop and they aren't square. How do you square them up? What is the easiest way?

Thanks for any help.

JenniePenny

I square them up by putting the 45 degree line on my ruler on the seam line of the sewn units. Then use the right edge of the ruler to cut.

AliKat

This is the 2/2 consective posts on this topic.

NJ Quilter

This is the method I use as well. Tedious but accurate. Great excuse to get a rotating cutting mat!

sewbelle52

There is an easier , faster way posted on www.diaryofaquilter.com. Scroll down her blog and you will see her tutorial. She shows you how to square them up while they are still folded! Cuts your time in half! From now on that's the way I'll trim them.

JenniePenny

I realized there is more I could have written to make it clearer to a new quilter:

After making the first cut, then turn your fabric unit so that the cleanly cut edge is on the bottom of the unit. Put this edge against a horizontal line on your ruler. Trim up the right edge.

Turn your block again so the newest cut edge is on the bottom and line it up with a horizontal line. Trim up the right edge.

Repeat once more. You have to do all four sides. That is the reason a rotating cutting mat was mentioned. It is very handy.

But to begin the process, use the 45 degree line of your ruler on the seam line.

mckwilter

Eleanor Burns has a square (actually 2 - one for up to 6" and one for larger) that you use to square up HSTs while they are still folded. Two cuts and you're done, which is much easier.

IQ2

Thanks for this link! This is great

AnnieSue

Leave them folded and only cut the 2 sides.

TerryQuilter

Thanks for the thread, wish I had known this short-cut when I was doing my last quilt. I had to make 192 HST's...ugh it took soooooooo long!