Cat's Cradle Trim Tool and Red Sampler Quilt Week Ten

This is week ten of Lori Holt's Red Sampler Sew Along from last year. Six more weeks and I will be done with all the blocks. You make three or four blocks each week following patterns from three of her books. I am enjoying my slow and easy pace with this one. It's going to be a beautiful quilt when I finish it.

The twelve-inch block in the photo above features four "cat's cradle" units. You may recall last week I remade a block from my Sewcialites quilt that had the cat's cradle unit in it and I complained about how it always gave me trouble because of all the triangles. A helpful reader mentioned that there was a trim tool that made this fussy unit easier to make.

Duh. I had a lightbulb moment. I actually own that trim tool made by Creative Grids. And sure enough, you can make this cat's cradle unit in several sizes without a single triangle. I rummaged around until I found it and put it to use. 

It couldn't be any simpler. You sew squares and rectangles together, mark stitching lines with the help of the ruler, then cut the units apart.

For perfect accuracy, you then line your unit up with the correct markings on the trim tool and trim it to the exact size.

I ended up with four perfect cat's cradle units, all the exact size and with no cut off points. No bias edges, no triangles at all. Thanks for the reminder about this trim tool! You readers are the best. Perfect timing for this block. I did look at a Creative Grids tutorial on YouTube, which was helpful.

Hope your week got off to a great start!

Comments

[Kelli]

I love when I "remember" I have a tool I forgot about! One of life's little pleasures :) you did a great job and I'm glad are enjoying the sew along - have fun!

[T Holzer]

Oh wow! Thanks for sharing!

[Cheree Hull]

Interesting ruler. Thanks for showing it to us!

[Pam]

So glad you had the ruler, Nichole! I actually look for quilt patterns that contain this block as they are now so fun to make and turn out so accurately with the use of this ruler. Love your blocks

[Taria]

those are great looking blocks. Funny and good that you had the ruler. Nice to see you sewing and getting things done. Hope your week goes well too. Happy February.

[Jan]

Your red & white blocks are beautiful!❤️🤍 Hurray for finding the ruler! It's hard to believe it's already February!

[Ina]

beautiful! also, thank goodness for youtube because sometimes the tool's directions are difficult to decipher!