Your favourite tool.............

That was on facebook last week on one of the sites I visit.  Some kind of a contest........I can't find the darn thing now.  I wish facebook would leave things alone.  They re-did something and now all the ones I love to follow I can't find.  Pain in the neck.

I posted that my "iron" was my favourite tool and it is one of them.  I like my rotary cutter and my boards but over the week-end my rotating cutting board was my favourite.

I am making a quilt out of left-over fabric from Christmas.  I re-thought my panel way back in December and now have all this fabric left over.  I had a quilt designed and thought it looked good.....................

sooooooooooooooooooooo I made all the blocks and put it on the flannel board.  I didn't like it.  I re-did it and now its -- ummmmmmmmm -- okay.

These aren't my fabrics.  I picked them from EQ7.  Mine are more yellow.

Well, not only did I not like my first plan, I messed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
My 9 patch blocks ~~ each square cut 2 1/2" to make an unfinished block of 6 1/2".......................then..................................I cut my solids 6".  Where was my brain?  On holiday.

I had to trim down my nine patch blocks to 6".  I took out my rotating cutting mat.  There are times this is the best thing I ever bought and then there are times I don't even think about so I can't consider it my favourite tool.  It is a convenient tool for me.

For those that haven't seen one, this is a rotating cutting mat

I centred my 6" ruler on top and then proceeded to trim.....

You will have to hold your ruler very securely for this

I trimmed UP one side and across the top....................always  move the cutter away from you.......

then I rotated the board.  I ended up with this.  A perfect 6" x 6" block

The board is only 12" x 12" and if I had waited 2 more years I would have been able to buy a bigger one.  I'm not going to buy the larger size.  I don't use it often enough. 

One tip for you.............................the cutting board sits on top of the rotating board......

I wiped it off before I took the picture.

make sure you keep the two surfaces clean.  Every once in awhile, give them a good wipe down.  They will turn better for you.

Now when I need to purchase a notion I always check out Michaels first.  I don't know about the girls in the U.S.A., but up here we get 40% off coupons from this store on a weekly basis.  Patti told me a long time ago, if you signed up for their newsletter (scroll down the page on the link from above), you can get your coupons right into your inbox.  I did and I do.  I buy my rotary cutting blades at the store all the time.  I pick up my pillow forms and sometimes batting.  I also buy my embroidery floss there although I don't use my coupon for that.  Well, you can't be that cheap, can you?

What's you favourite tool?  No, this isn't a contest, cause I have no prizes for one.  Its just a curiosity thing.

P.S.  I went back to facebook and I found the contest.  It was Benartex....no I didn't win.

And here is one more Henrietta Whiskers.  This one was done by Susan, who lives in Melbourne, Australia.