GailG

Yes. I still use the first method I learned. I am comfortable with them and, if I do accurate seams (or close to it) things come out OK.

NJ Quilter

If you are comfortable with making basic units (FG and HST's) your way, keep doing it that way. I'm another in the camp of not buying more rulers, accessories, etc. than you absolutely need. I just don't have the room. And this is probably heresy to the scrap lovers here, but I don't cut down my scraps. I leave them as they are. Maybe it's just me but I keep thinking I'll need a bigger piece of THAT fabric for something else instead of a square of this size or a strip of that size.

I'm in the process right now of being totally confused and frustrated by cutting directions for a double star pattern. Bought the fabric for the project. Lady at LQS asked how big quilt was as she was cutting (should have been my first clue). Cut per directions. Now seem to have double the number of HST units I really need. And they are big (5") so probably a good 1/2 yd. fabric/color more than I really needed. Grrr. Will figure it out but frustrating in the meantime.

lakekids

I have bought the easy angle and companion angle (as well as the tri-recs) rulers. I like the idea that I can cut the same size strips for the half square triangles as I would for a square. I also constantly check my 1/4 in seam because I have found that different 1/4 feet or marks ( I have multiple machines) are NOT necssarily 1/4 inch. I find using the speciality rulers results in less waste - especially for the flying geese.

I also have never been as accurate with the 'cut a square. draw lines, sew on either side, method' . I also find it tedious to draw the line and then to have to cut again. Despite all the methods I am more accurate with the easy angle ruler with less handling of the fabric.

However, use whatever method you like for the half-square, quarter square, flying geese. The books that I have of hers do not require the easy angle/companion angle but instead give directions for a couple of methods.

sewplease

I think Bonnie would be the first to tell you to use whatever method you like. She likes these rulers for their accuracy and the way they work with her scrap users system. I started using the easy angle ruler when I did one of her mystery quilts a few years ago which required 600 HSTs. There's no way, lol, that I would make those with the drawing the line method.

Since these are not "her" rulers, I don't believe she gets any money for recommending them. I bought mine with 50% discount coupons at Joanns.

mpeters1200

I'm ready for her system, I just think I should use bigger strips so I have a way of trimming down. I've wanted the Tri-recs one for some time anyway, so I think I'm going to put that one on my list. I was stripping down some of my stash and putting it in different bins. I'm going to start there. I'll do the leader and enders with four patches for a while anyway until I have to worry about HSTs. I think I"m going to buy her leaders and enders book cause the blue and tan quilt on her website is beautiful and I think the patterns in her book. There's another one of her patterns that looks fairly easy, or at least less complex than some of them, and she talks about other methods. I might try one of those first.

Further, it might be time for me to learn a new technique, I'm just one of those people that hates messing with bias.

Thank you for all your comments. I tend not to buy rulers without discount coupons anyway. Trirecs will probably be first and I'll make some HSTs and decide if I'm ready to learn a new way. Her quilts are so beautiful and she's so talented. I know she doesn't make any money on the sale of the rulers. One of these times, I'm going to catch her on quilt cam and see her at work.

Nilla

I did a two day workshop with Bonnie a few months ago. She showed us her way of doing the HST, then talked about other ways. She stressed that we should each do things the way that works best for us. I've never met anyone who makes HST like I do (from a method I learned here on the QB some time ago). There was another lady in the class who forgot her Easy Angle ruler and had already cut her strips to the exact size, so I showed her my method and she used it all day.

As long as your finished square fits the pattern, use whatever method works for you.

mpeters1200

I went back through the articles on scrap savers systems and looked at some of the patters for finished piece size. I think if I get a chart of what size squares and rectangles to use for what size finished piece I want, I'll be ok. I put the tri-recs on my Christmas list though. I want to branch out a bit. It's going to take forever before I can have bins of scraps to be ready for one of her mysteries or bigger quilts. I normally do not buy quilt patterns because there are so many beautiful quilt patterns available for free. I am seriously considering buying Leaders & Enders and her first Shirttails book. I could learn techniques and get patterns that aren't available any more. They are going on my list too.

candi

Melissa, yes you are ready! Her patterns aren't difficult just intense with many pieces. Well worth it at the end. I am a Bonnie Hunter follower and I think she is one of the most generous quilt teachers! And a wonderful teacher at that.

Regarding the rulers, you don't have to use the rulers, if you can make the HST,QST and flying geese in another method to get the same size, then do that. Personally, I was never successful at making accurate flying geese with the no waste method, one side was always 1/8 shorter no matter what I did, and making the HST with the square diagonals, I always had to trim, so I was searching for a better method for me and I love these rulers! It may seem to you that it takes longer to cut all the pieces, but I didn't think so, because I am cutting accurately to size and my units are coming out the correct size so no trimming or squaring up. Also, you can use smaller pieces of fabric and have less waste, which is great for using scraps. I recommend them.

Bonnie posted the fabric requirements for the first mystery today. First clue will air day afte Thanksgiving here on 11/29. Make sure you print the clues as she takes them off the blog to be published in the summer once he mystery is over.

Keep me updated! If we were close, you could borrow my ruler to try them out

mpeters1200

Thanks for your encouragement Candi. I added the mystery for google calendar so I can keep downloading them.

The last big quilt top I did with lots of triangles in it was this one: http://www.quiltingboard.com/picture...-a-t36285.html. I would jump to page 5 to see the final quilt top, but all the blocks are pictured individually too. Those were all pieced the sew and flip or speed piecing method.

I'll see what I can do about making a chart that tells me what size squares to cut to finish with what size flying geese and HST finished.

I just got 2 days of vacation approved. Where am I going?? My sewing room! No kids, no hubby and a paid day off? You betcha I'll take it. On Veteran's Day I'll be in my sewing room all day and the day after Veteran's Day I have an appt in the morning, but the rest of the time I'll be cutting down my scraps to usable sizes.

hevemi

Bonnie's quilts are not difficult at all, they just look complicated. I, for one, love them as I can use just about any left over fabrics and scraps, small pieces. The beauty of scrappies. I make my HSTs and geese using different methods depending on the mood I'm in. I did finally buy all three rulers, separately, from Amazon.com and eBay, they were quite inexpensive there, It took me some time to get accurate but I finally have "found" my scant 1/4 seam allowance and marked it on my machines with a piece of tape. I also made a pillow case 54-40 years ago without having even heard of the ruler. There are plenty of free PPpatterns on the net as well as templates.