Using Die Cut Triangles with Simple Folded Corners Ruler

Last week I mentioned a group project that my friends and I are working on, a Quilt of Valor in a new pattern I'm calling Star Spangled Spiral. We got together at Kevin the Quilter's studio, and managed to get all the blocks made in one day.

Photo credit: Kevin the Quilter

Here are all the blocks on the wall. I can't believe how much we accomplished!

The blocks are 6" finished (6-1/2" unfinished) with 3" triangles in one or two corners. We were able to make the blocks so quickly by using die-cut triangles and the Doug Leko Simple Folded Corners Ruler.

The ruler does not have instructions for using it this way. It took me a bit of trial and error to figure it out; I'll share the method here, at the request of a friend. This method works for any size triangle that will fit on the ruler, up to 6".

Our blocks are 6" finished with 3" finished corners, so we used the die cutter to cut 3" triangles. The dies are labeled by the finished size and the 1/4" seam allowances are built in.

Tape a die-cut fabric triangle to the ruler, positioned as shown below. My triangle, to finish 3", comes to the 3-1/2" line (orange arrow). I've marked the ruler with a small piece of tape pointing to that line.

Align the ruler on the cut background fabric to which the triangle will be sewn.

Once you understand where the ruler lines up, you can remove the taped-on triangle fabric. You can see my little tape arrow showing where to line up.

Cut along the diagonal side of the ruler.

Sew the triangle to the background using a 1/4" seam allowance; chain piecing works well for making multiple blocks.

Press as desired, shown here pressed toward the corner. (For the QOV above, we pressed the seams open because there will be places where the blocks won't nest.)

The corner triangle came out just the right size.

This method will work for Diamond-in-a-Square blocks, too. Start with opposite corners, press well, and align the ruler for the remaining corners as described above. Note that a tiny bit of the triangle fabric will show beyond the ruler.

Cut the background square, sew on the additional corners, and press. Fast and accurate!

If you have a die cutter for the triangles, this method is much faster than the traditional method of cutting squares and marking them on the diagonal.



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