We have an easy clue today! You’ll just be cutting up the blocks that you’ve sewn.

If you’ve been sitting on the fence, wondering if you should play with us, it is not too late! Material Girlfriends Shelter in Place Mystery Clues #1, #2, and now #3 are hidden on inbetweenstitches.com. Click the link on the main page and then hunt for the pink Mystery Icon to download for the clues. The Clues are delivered every other day. Clue #4 will be released Wednesday, April Fools Day. Then on April 3, we will release the final Clue #5.

Here are some tips on cutting Clue #3.

Your blocks should measure 10″ x 9″. The 10″ length is what is getting trimmed. The edges are probably a bit uneven so squaring up will make your block look nice and clean.

For ALL of the blocks, trim a little off both sides to make the block 9″ x 9″. For accurate cutting, have good light, wear your pretty glasses, and stand while cutting at counter height.  Cut with a sharp rotary cutter and away from your body. Hold the ruler with a flat hand, not the spider finger tip hold. If you anchor your pinking finger on the mat off the outside of the ruler, it helps to keep the ruler from sliding and keeps the important fingers out of the way of the rotary cutter.

Next, you’re going to cut ALL your blocks, twice on the diagonal. This is when you’ll want to get out your rotating mat if you have one. If not, a small mat spins quite nicely on the kitchen counter.

There are 45 degree lines on your mat. Ignore those. In a perfect quilters world the blocks would be 9″ square and fit within those lines. In reality, your blocks are probably a little cattywampus and won’t fit perfectly. Check first that you don’t have an overlap of fabric from pressing. Repress if necessary. Align your ruler, corner to corner, and cut. Rotate your mat and cut corner to corner again.

Fun!! Can’t wait for the next clue!

Absewlutely,

Lisa Norton