Tools Tuesday - Tri-Mate

Are you up for another Tools Tuesday?  This week I'm blogging about the Tri-Mate by Joy Hoffman for EZ Quilting.

This tool is for cutting triangles that are four times as long as they are tall!  When I first read online the purpose of this tool I thought, "good grief, what would I do with a long skinny triangle".  So I asked around and found out there are several things you can do with a long skinny triangle. (Thanks Sinta & Carrie)

You can make these these blocks

or make a jazzed up sashing or border.   This tool works with the Tri-Recs ruler, which is why it is called the Tri-Mate.

I thought I would try adding a border to a simple star block.

Technically you're supposed to cut a strip 1/2" wider than the finished height of the desired triangle.  For example, a triangle with a 2" finished height is cut using a 2 1/2" strip.  Since I was just using scraps I didn't bother cutting strips.

Quick and Easy!

Slide the ruler down to the bottom edge of the strip to trim the corners to make alignment simple when joining the triangles.

So here's a simple 6 1/2 " star block, 

that I turned into a 9 1/2" star block with a fancy border.

The next time I'm wanting to make a block larger, instead of adding simple square sashing, I think I may give this a try.

I'm keeping this tool and I think I'll use it!  My only complaint is the poor job the EZ Quilting website does in providing examples of what you can do with this tool, it does however provide good directions on how to use the tool, for free.  (an improvement over the Starmaker 8 website)

If you have an experience using this tool, good or bad, be sure to share it with us!  Thanks so much!


My friend Sandy at Textile House has caught the Tools Tuesday bug and blogged about an interesting ruler she uses regularly, be sure to check it out!

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BOM Rehab . . . . .

There's nothing like having a Monday BOM Rehab deadline to turn a lazy Sunday afternoon into a productive one.

One focus block done, 

6 more to go!

My strategy of making all the setting blocks was a good one, it made selecting the fabric for this block very easy.

I hadn't noticed until I made this block and put it on my design wall with the setting blocks how the two sets of blocks work together so nicely.

Just in case you missed the last time I blogged about this BOM, it's Northern Lights designed by Marti Michell.

This is what I'm shooting for.

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Christmas in July . . . .

Have you been wondering what to make with that lovely bundle of Sentiments by 3 Sisters for Moda fabric you bought?  Or worse yet, not bought that line of fabric because you didn't know what to do with it?  Well your troubles are over!

This is Amaryllis designed by Monique Dillard for Open Gate.

The quilt on the pattern cover was made using Sentiments.  I know because I pieced it, way back in April, when Monique was getting ready for market.

The fabric has a wonderful vintage romantic feel that I fell in love with.  

Don't like Sentiments, you only need 8 fat quarters of one fabric, 8 fat quarters of a contrasting fabric and 8 fat quarters of a background fabric to piece the blocks. Add less than 2 yards for the border and you've got this quilt.

This pattern is made up of blocks that look hard but are not.  There are a few half square triangle units involved but I love hsts, I always make them bigger then square them up.  Every now and then someone will leave a comment saying they avoid quilts that use hsts, I don't know how they do it, some of my most favorite quilts are made entirely from hsts.

Here's a close-up of the pieced blocks.  The pattern for Amaryllis should be available in your local quilt shop, but if it's not, you can buy it online here.

Amaryllis is Lifetime Quilt Number 85

It has approximately 1,352 pieces.

If finishes at 63" x 79" (perfect lap size)

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Free Spirit Medley Update . . . .

So here's what I'm aiming for,

this is Free Spirit Medley designed by Judy Martin.

And here's where I am.

It's slow going because I'm doing a block at a time and working from the inside out.

Right now I'm a little disappointed that the design doesn't pop like the pattern, but it's not unusual for me to become disenchanted with a project, then love a project, then become disenchanted again.  I'm going for another row, maybe that will be the next love it stage.

The fabric is by Minick and Simpson for Moda.


Also, I've updated my Tools Tuesday post to reflect some information that folks shared regarding the Starmaker 8 ruler.

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Tools Tuesday . . . . .

So for this Tuesday I just grabbed the ruler that was on top of my research stack.  

It's the Starmaker 8, designed by Kaye Wood.

I bought this ruler at least 5 years ago, at the Paducah AQS Quilt show, after seeing a demonstration by Kaye Wood herself.  I was very new to quilting and I must have been impressed by something this ruler could make, but I don't remember now what it was!

So I went to www.kayewood.com to see if I could figure out what to do with this ruler.  I had high expectations because the ruler has markings for dresden plate fans, a 4 and 8 piece wedge (I have no idea what that means!), and Kaleidoscope.  Plus it's called the Starmaker so I figured it would be used to make some sort of star.

Here is what the website said about the Starmaker 8,

 "The Starmaker® 8 will make perfect 8-pointed stars, that's what the 8 means. But, it is also a master template for many quilt patterns such as fans & wedges, Dresden Plates, diamonds, chevrons, stars and Seminole. It also has 3 different angles, identified by the numbers 4, 8 and 16."

Sounds pretty good to me, however, this is the only instructions I could find on the site that were free, and I found them lacking.

There were patterns, books and a DVD available for purchase from the website that would use this ruler.  I didn't see anything that appealed to me or motivated me to part with any more of my money.

So unless someone leaves a comment telling me what a wonderful tool the Starmaker 8 is, it's not going back into my tools drawer.


Added later


Thanks so much for all the helpful comments on the Kaye Wood Starmaker 8 ruler.


I found a video on Youtube that used the Starmaker 8 ruler that explained how to make a topless triangle and using that piece how to make a wall hanging - click here

I also found information that the ruler could be used to make flying geese and a kaleidoscope block, but could not find any information on how to do so.


I don't see any reason for me to ever use this ruler in the future so it's not going back into my tools drawer.  


I'll try to pick a ruler next week where I actually make something, the purpose of these Tuesday posts is for me to learn something new and share it with you, not tell you about my poor purchase decisions.  But I do feel better knowing I'm not the only person who owns the Starmaker 8 but has no idea how to use it.  That must be some demo, to talk so many of us into buying it!

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