23 Apr 2007 01:17 AM
To find complete quilting instructions, refer to Basic Quilting Instructions.
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Piecing a quilt can not only be very relaxing, but it can also be rewarding and provide many years of love, warmth, and comfort that can be passed on to future generations.
These instructions are not intended to be all-inclusive, nor are they intended to be used for every block on this site. Good luck and have fun!
These cutting instructions are specific to some of the blocks on this Web site and are centered around rotary cutting.
Rotary cutting is a quick cutting technique that helps speed the process of piecing, and also helps make the process easier. Since rotary cutting sometimes yields extra pieces, it is wise to save these and use them in future projects.
Rotary cutting can be dangerous if you do not use caution when
handling the cutter! The cutting mechanism is a razor blade and
is capable of cutting deeply and can even cut off fingers if enough
force is exerted! Be careful!!!
All measurements for the All About Blocks pieces include the 1/4" wide seam allowance, so do not add seam allowances to the measurements given in the instructions for each block (unless otherwise noted; for example, sometimes appliqué pieces will not include the seam allowance). In order to help obtain an accurate 1/4" seam, it is wise to sew with a "scant" 1/4" seam, with "scant" meaning to sew just a couple of threads smaller the regular 1/4". Try practicing a scant 1/4" seam until you are comfortable with it. Above all, remember that consistency in sewing seams is by far the most important thing.
There are numerous ways to make half-square triangles (HST) and quarter-square triangles (QST). The instructions for "All About Blocks" cut individual pieces for HST and QST, however, cutting measurements are given for cutting a single square. Why? Because one square yields either 2 triangles or 4 quarter triangles. So, with this information, you should be able to figure out that it takes two triangles to make one HST or it takes four of the smaller triangles to make one QST. So, guess what you have if you use one larger triangle and two of the smaller triangles? A Half-Quarter Square Triangle (HQST), which is illustrated following the HST and QST below.
To make HST, then the square is cut once on the diagonal, as shown below:
To make QST, then the square is cut twice on the diagonals, as shown below:
To make HQST, then the square is cut once on the diagonal, then one of the triangles is cut once, as shown below:
then, cut one of the triangles to get these three
pieces: 
Try stacking the squares and cutting through multiple layers to achieve faster results.
There are many methods for making HST. One of my preferred methods is described in the HST Tutorial provided on this site. Should you decide to make the HST (or QST) using this method, then add 1" to the measurement before cutting.
For a detailed example of how the cutting directions work for "All About Blocks", read through the Spools Block. This is the only block that will go into such detail and it is with this example that you should be able to grasp how these instructions are given.
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