Bethany Reynolds

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Trimming "Dog Ears"

Here's how I like to trim the triangle tips or "dog ears" from seam allowances. It is quicker than trimming each tip individually, and it reduces the bulk at the intersections.

	Before pressing the seam allowance open or to one side, trim the tips at an angle, beginning at the edge where the stitching stops. In the detail, the red line shows the right angle from the seamline - notice that the cut is a little steeper. You can trim with scissors or a rotary cutter. Be careful not to cut your stitching.
	When trimmed this way, the seam allowance will not extend beyond the edges of the pieced unit.
	This trimming method is especially helpful on pieced units that have skinny tips, like the Butterflies quilt in "Stack-n-Whackier Quilts." In this case, the cut should be at a very steep angle. Look at the angle of the fabric on the left side of the seamline. The trimming angle should be a little sharper. With a little practice you will be able to "eyeball" this angle.
	This trimmed unit will be easier to match at the next piecing step, and will be less bulky when multiple seams come together at the skinny points.