Monday, December 30, 2013

I love Mary’s Triangles!

    I’ve switched to Mary’s Triangles for making the shaded 4-patch units for Clue #5 of Celtic Solstice. Why? Honestly, I was struggling for accuracy with the individual pieces cut with the EZ Angle ruler. I’m sure it’s my cutting. I have trouble seeing the edges clearly against the color of my mat. Also, the light isn’t the best.

    With Mary’s Triangles (MT), you use squares and rectangles, or in our case, half-square triangles and rectangles.

    I used a chart in a book, Triangle Tricks, published by Martingale & Co. It’s a whole book devoted to the unit known as Mary’s Triangles or the shaded 4-patch. I‘ve had it for some time but never made anything from it. Lucky for me that I remembered it because it’s really helped me with this stage of the CS mystery.

    For a 3-inch finished block, the chart in the book calls for two 2-inch squares (our HSTs), two rectangles cut 2 x 3 inches and one rectangle cut 3 1/2 x 4 1/2. The description of how to make them sounds much more difficult than it is to do them. I made 30-plus units the prescribed way over the course of two days. Using this method I've made 36 in an afternoon.

    And, they're more accurate! I couldn't ask for anything more. If you're interested, here's a link to a tutorial on making a block using four of these units.

    The book came out in 2003 and is available on Amazon, here.

I'm certain I'll be able to finish Clue #5 on time and probably catch up with Clue #4 (4-patches) I'm doing those as Leaders and Enders while working on the MTs.

    This mystery has been a lot of fun so far! I haven't done many of these because I've had unpleasant surprises a couple times. I feel confident that Bonnie's design will be wonderful in my colors. Wish me luck!

    And, my wish to you is a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year.

    I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and also Bonnie's link-up. Check out the creativity!

Jeanne in Ohio




10 comments:

  1. Isn't it great that there are so many different ways to get the same result!?! Your units look great.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish I'd seen this sooner. I made my split triangles the hard way.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for the tip! I have made a couple of Bonnie's mysteries and I love each one.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I haven't started mine yet..... I may have to drive up there and get a lesson on that method. I agree it is difficult to see the edges sometimes. Maybe I just need a new mat!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Oh! Thank you SO MUCH! Not only have I not cut my neutrals and blues yet, I have a DIFFERENT book by Sally Schneider and it has the same technique! With your measurements and the book to refer back to..I'm SET! You are PEACH! (oh..the other book is called Crazy for Scraps)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beth sent me over - love the method and got to try it. Thanks for sharing!
    Otherwise this block is my nemesis ;-)
    Your mystery is looking great!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you for the tutorial ..I haven't started the block yet ....so this is a great help...makes it look so easy ..will try today

    ReplyDelete
  8. sorry the tutorial is no longer working... that's exactly what I was looking for!

    ReplyDelete