As a Patchwork husband

05/02/2009 by Kevin.

Anna seems to give very high level statements about what she does with very little detail - more like bullet points of what she is doing. I have got used to clothing terms during the year and can quite happily talk about blocks, bias, etc.  Now of course patchwork has another realm of terms.So in Anna’s catching up on course work, I can illustrate what I have learnt from her working.  Anna has been working with half squares and quarter squares.  From a mathematician’s point of view - they are the same - both are right angled triangles with 45 degree angles, it is just a matter of size. Of course this is not mathematics this is the world of patchwork. So instead of the logical approach you need to remember that these are fabric - and fabric is not an even material.  It has a grain (or weave direction as I would see it- going across and along the length of fabric).  It appears in patchowork world - on quarter squares the two equal sides (non hypotenuse side) runs across the grain, while on the half square, the hypotenuse runs diagonal to the grain.  (Or to think of it another way if you cut a square of material out logically (sides along the grain) then if you cut it diagonally you get a half square (and hypotenuse is diagonal to the grain) if ou cut it into 4 (across the diagonals) you have guarter triangles - the hypotenuse along the grain)So you see, unfortunately when you are not even in the world of patch you still have to still an listen to all this  - and I do listen.

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