Square dancing ~ testing out my Fast Patch square ruler

If you're familiar with rotary cutting, you will know that it's a great way to quickly and easily cut your pieces for a quilt.  If you're not, then you really should try it out!  If you have any reason to cut out squares, rectangles, or triangles, whether they be for quilt blocks or not, I'm sure you'll find rotary cutting just makes that task sooo much easier.  I've been quilting for about 9 years (not counting the two attempts at patchwork that I made in my youth) and at first, I had to beg or borrow the cutting equipment from anyone willing to lend it to me.  Once I had a mat, ruler, and rotary cutter of my own, I started cutting everything that way...skirts, skirt yokes, plackets, pockets, sashes, scarves, frills, bags...you name it, if it's a rectangle, I rotary cut it...even when there is a pattern piece available, I'll rotary cut rather than use the pattern piece.  It's so quick because you can cut several layers at once, you measure and cut all in one step, and it's always exact...but this isn't supposed to be a post about rotary cutting...

The other day, I was cutting some rectangles that were 9" by 12" and I realised that my 6 1/2" ruler was letting me down, and what I really needed was a square.  So when I my Dad asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I knew just what to ask for.

Today, I tried out my square for the first time.

It was so easy to use I wished I had more rectangles to cut out!  A really fantastic tool.  The measurement markings and numbers are on the sides and the middle, so it's really easy to find the line you want. Much easier than using two rulers, or the marks on the mat, as I have done in the past.  The only thing I would say, is if you want to get a square, get a big one!  Mine is a 15" (Dad asked "why does it have to be so big?").  It's like a cat door...a little cat can fit through a big door, but not vica versa...you can cut little squares with a big square, but if you've got a little square, then that's all you're going to cut.

I want to say "but wait, there's more!!" ...

...but that's actually all there is                     :)