Cross-hatching a square

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Written by Lori Nixon

Have you ever found yourself with a square that measures 1 7/8^th (inch) rather than the 2” you know it should be? You want to break it up evenly for stitching but the 7/8^ths is a problem. I often use adding machine tape for this technique. Here's what I do:

In this case a square that measures 1 7/8^ths. I’d like to find it’s centers easily and quickly to mimic the cross hatch I’ve done in another area of the quilt.

First I will measure the area to be stitched using a square ruler with 1/8^th inch markings.

Measure area

I then cut the square out of the adding machine tape I have on hand. (Note: if this was an even more challenging measurement, I may not use a ruler but rather lay the paper directly on the shape and “trace” it.)

Cut square from adding machine tape

Now fold that paper. In this instance I want to fold the paper in half horizontally, and then in half again vertically.

Now fold tape

I now place that paper template over the area to stitched and using my chalk pencil mark the centers for stitching.

use template to mark centers

Using my straight edge ruler (Gadget Girls Janet-Lee’s Favorite) I stitch those lines. (Note: I used a ¼” green tape attached to the backside of the ruler to help in placement.)

stitch using a straigh edge

7. Voila! My “cross-hatch” is stitched into that square and looks pretty darn close the size of the cross hatch I did in another part of the quilt.

Finished cross-hatched square

This tutorial, and the photographs were put together by Lori Nixon. You can reach Lori via e-mail at lmnixon @ hvc.rr.com.

If you have any questions or comments for Lori about her tutorial, you can visit the forum here to post your message. You do have to be registered with the MQR forums in order to read and post.

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