Back in the day when difficult blocks like this had to be set in or made with "Y" seams, you wouldn't have found me within a mile of the pattern. Now, though, people like Deb Tucker have made the lives of us quilters so much easier! It seems like every other week, someone else comes up with a new tool or ruler to make quilting easier. Lets face it, without rotary cutters and rulers, most of us wouldn't have the time to make quilts. For longarmers like me, the easier quilts become to make, the more people make, and the more business we have:) It's all good!
There are so many rulers and tools available, sometimes it can be overwhelming as to where to start (and stop) buying! Every quilter needs the basics: a mat, a rotary cutter, a 6 X 24 ruler, a 6 X 12 ruler, a 6 X 6 ruler, and a 12 X 12 ruler. Beyond that, I would recommend Eleanor Burns' Triangle Trimmer Ruler, Fons and Porters little 1/2 square triangle rulers that are 1/2 inch wide and either 6 or 12 inches long, and Lazy Girl Designs Flying Geese X 4 ruler. Other rulers that I would recommend, or have enjoyed success using include: Twisters, X -Blocks, Lazy Angle Ruler, Strip Tube Ruler, Eleanor Burns' Day and Night ruler, and any ruler by Deb Tucker! You can check out Deb's rulers at: https://www.studio180design.net
Anyway, no matter what rulers are your favorites, there are always new ones coming out. The next one I want to purchase is for making perfect pineapple blocks. I've always wanted to make a pineapple quilt--looks like I waited long enough for a ruler to make my job easier!
