Tri-Recs Rulers

Tri-Recs rulers are specialty rulers that can be used together or separately to turn elongated triangles into various blocks. Colleen Tauke shows you what they are and explains step-by-step how to use them to make several block variations.

Tri-Recs Rulers

Colleen begins by showing the rulers and explaining how they can be used. While most specialty rulers will come in packaging with instructions on how to use them, which these rulers do, they also have helpful instructions printed directly on the ruler. Colleen explains what some of the numbers on the rulers mean and how you can use them to know what size of fabric strip to cut to use with a specific triangle size you are wanting to make.

She then talks about some of the other attributes of the Tri-Recs rulers which include some blunt edges on several of the triangle points. She explains that these not only help when aligning and piecing the triangles together but help you differentiate between which sides of the triangle so you will always have your pieces going in the correct direction.

Colleen then talks about several of the block variations you can make using the Tri-Recs rulers and shows how to cut out the fabric pieces for each. Depending on the end result unit, you either need all matching pieces or mirror images of one another.

Once the pieces have been cut out, Colleen shows how to assemble the triangles, demonstrating how to use the blunt edges to ensure the shapes are properly aligned. While some basic triangle shapes can be cut using standard rulers, having a specialty ruler like the Tri-Recs tool can be a fun addition to your tools.

For more fun sewing tool must-haves from other instructors, check out how to use a pressing cloth and find out how a stiletto tool can help with your next quilting project.