Tuesday Tool: Half-Rectangle Bloc Loc

I've told you before that I think the Bloc Loc ruler is the greatest invention of the 21st Century. I wrote a tutorial on how to use it here.

Now, the inventor of the Bloc Loc ruler has added a half-rectangle to the Bloc Loc family. It features the same channel engraved across the bottom of the ruler as the Bloc Loc square up ruler.

Notice that there are two rulers in the HRT set - one with the channel leaning left, and one with a right-leaning channel. Which one you use depends on which way you want the HRT to "lean."

The set I bought from Julia at Room to Learn included a book with dozens and dozens of block patterns. It shows the blocks in several sizes, each of which can be made with the same HRT ruler set.

This is how I made the HRTs for the "Liberty Block" I tested today.

Cut a light and a dark rectangle for each two HRTs:

Then slice from corner to corner. It is important that both fabrics be cut right-side-up and from the same corner (upper right in this case) on both fabrics:

Place the light triangle on top of the dark, with the points extending approximately 1/4" on each end:

Trim the HRT as directed in the pattern. An easy way to place the ruler correctly is to place the side that reads "Bloc Loc" on the light side of the HRT (assuming you've pressed the seam toward the dark fabric).

Flip the ruler and trim the opposite side:

Each set of one dark and one light rectangle makes two HRTs. For this block, four HRTs are needed:

I made the corner half square triangles (HSTs) using my favorite Bloc Loc square ruler. Here is the finished block:

I think I would like to try this block with the center star in gold and the HSTs in the dark blue. It will make an excellent QOV, don't you think?

I have another project on the design wall. Come back tomorrow for WIP Wednesday.

From the desk of your