I Disliked Joining Strips - I Started Using QR's Mini-Triangle Ruler

[Thayer Abaigael]

[Okay, I tried to search the forums for information about this, and I didn't find anything. If I missed this tip being previously explained, please let me know and I'll delete my duplicate thread. Thanks!]

I find "drawing the stitch line" time consuming, but I've never been good at eyeballing the bias correctly, either, so joining strips (for binding, sashing, or JR rugs) has been kind of a buzzkill.

I began cutting the end off my strips first, using my Quilter's Rule mini-triangle 45degree Diamond ruler, and it has made the process so much faster and more accurate for me. Here's photos to explain:
I line up my selvage edges (or just one edge, if it's a start or end piece)


I line up the ruler, with diagonal edge of the *printed triangle on the ruler* (NOTE: not the edge of the ruler) with where I want the stitch line to be


My ends now look like this


I simply line up the bias edges and stitch a 1/4" seam (I love my #57 piecing foot for my Bernina 1130).. So, one of the other things I was always doing (before this trick) was sewing the seam the wrong way. That's much harder to do with this technique, because if I put the right ends together, they will sit perpendicular to each other, like in the picture. (If I put the wrong ends together, the strips will lay right on top of each other)


And it's done!


I find this technique is quicker, because I've taking out the "drawing a line" step, and more accurate, because no more "eyeballing". I hope this helps anyone else who has trouble with those pesky bias seams when joining strips.

[jjkaiser]

Thank you for this clever idea. I have actually joined my ends with the seam going in the wrong direction and I won't tell you how many times! I am definitely trying this.

[justLyn]

This does look like a clever idea. I, too, have sewn my strips together wrong more times than I will admit.

[amartin24]

Thanks for the great tip! It makes a lot of sense and easier to do it this way.

[Rhonda K]

Love your idea for those pesky joins!

Another helpful tip:

Remember this little ditty when joining the ends.

Put the two strips-right sides- together on a 45. Leave a little edge of about 1/4 inch on the ends. Think of the ends like pant legs hanging down. Sew across the waist line.

[Granny Fran]

I think this will take as much time to do as marking with a pencil. It will take all the guesswork out of the stitching line. Thanks for the idea and especially the photos.

[Thayer Abaigael]

I think this will take as much time to do as marking with a pencil. It will take all the guesswork out of the stitching line. Thanks for the idea and especially the photos.

You have to trim your stitched seams anyway. This way you are doing that before you sew your seam, instead of after, so no additional time is added. No need to go back to your cutting table, and you can head straight to your iron after stitching.

[Claire Hallman]

I have always cut my strips on a 45% when I am have enough cut to size. I also press them in half before I join the lengths as it is so much easier to press a 40" strip than one that is 6 or 8 times that length. Then I just have to press the joins and roll it up to use later.

[Thayer Abaigael]

I have always cut my strips on a 45% when I am have enough cut to size. I also press them in half before I join the lengths as it is so much easier to press a 40" strip than one that is 6 or 8 times that length. Then I just have to press the joins and roll it up to use later.

I hear ya! Coming from the costume sewing world, I originally cut all my strips on the bias, too. And then I kept seeing all the tutorials where they didn't, and everything still worked out well. So now, unless the bias edge create an interesting design detail, or I'm working on a project that has rounded edges, I cut my strips across the straight of goods.

Pressing them in half before joining is a great tip. You're right, much easier to do that. Thanks!

[Jean Sewing Machine]

I drew a line on my machine for the seamline. As long as my notch from where the two strips cross stay on that line, the seam will be a perfect 45 degree angle. Much faster to sew first then cut.