Quilt-along: Raven Stars - Step 1: Cutting

This entire quilt center is going to be pieced from 2.5" strips and will result in very little waste ;0)

I usually do not cut out all of my pieces at the start of a project anymore. However, I have participated in two mysteries recently where the first step was to complete all the cutting, and I must say, it's been nice to have it done and out of the way, so that when steps are posted, I can get right to the piecing!

In all reality, this may just be the most time consuming step of this entire quilt-along. I couldn't believe how long it took me to cut it all out; over two hours certainly. So, take your time; spread it out. Or, you could simply just cut all the 2.5" strips for this step and wait until the steps get posted to cut the smaller pieces/units; the choice is yours.

Cutting Directions
Black
18 - 2.5" strips.
Set 11 strips aside. Using the remaining 7 strips and your TRI ruler, cut 168 "tri units."



Purple
20 - 2.5" strips.
Set 13 strips aside. Using the remaining 7 strips and your EZ Angle ruler, cut 168 HST (half-square-triangle) units.


White
37 - 2.5" strips.
Using 21 of the strips, subcut into 336 - 2.5" squares.
Using 7 of the strips, cut 168 - HSTs
Using the remaining 9 strips and the RECS ruler, cut 168 PAIRS of "recs units."

**TIPS for the "RECS" units**:
Keep your fabric folded in half (wrong OR right sides together; doesn't matter). Do this so that you obtain the required "mirrored image" of each unit in the finished block. Keep the pairs together. You can see a small stack of my "pairs" started at the lower left of the above picture. The picture to the left shows how these pieces will eventually be used in a later step. VERY important to have the mirroring!!!
Cut that tiny notch off the corner. You can see it pictured above. Yeah, it will be putzy, BUT will save you a headache later on when we piece the units together.

That's it!
Remember, borders have not been included yet. I will cut those out once the center is pieced.

Some of you dynamo quilters out there will be able to figure out how to sew some of these pieces together; Go for it if you want!

The next scheduled posting: 2/16/11 - Step 2: 9-patches