Product Review: Clover No-Hassle Triangles Gauge

I think I might be one of the few out there that doesn't vocally hate making half square triangles.  Actually, when I am sewing for fun or want something that is instant gratification, I tend to lean towards half square triangles.  And I do them both ways; the "cut square in half diagonally and sew it' way, and the "take two squares right sides together, draw a line corner to corner and sew on either side of the line" way.  Both methods have their purpose and place.  But damn it if I can ever remember what size to cut the original square to to yield the HST that I need.

So there's this.

Specs

• Plastic with movable gauge piece
• Cost: About $15

Pros

• Clear labels make knowing which pieces you need to yield what size HST easy
• The gauge make it it very easy to differentiate square sizes - it clicks in place so there is no confusing what you need
• The gauge itself is a really good double check to make sure your squares are indeed cut accurately

Cons

• This is a one-trick pony.  It isn't a ruler, so can't double for cutting.  All you can really use it for is stenciling in the center line down the block
• Block sizes are limited to 2.5"-7.5"
• There is no no-slip on the back, so it is prone to slipping if you're in a groove and not being mindful

Conclusion

★★☆☆☆

So.  The block measurements are cool!  But...the tracing is all this tool is good for.  To be honest, I use my 1.5" x 12.5" ruler, and I have the block thinger taped to the wall by my cutting table already (thank you Pinterest!).  So, I probably wouldn't get much mileage out of this personally, hence 2 stars, but someone else might find it extra handy!

Product Review: Clover Trace n'Mark Air-Erasable Marker

I don't find myself needing marking pens very often.  I tend to be an old school girl in the sense that I don't need no stinking fancy pen when I have a mechanical pencil in my sewing drawer.  But uh, somethings call for more oomph than what a pencil can provide AND the line needs to go away.  regular pencil is a pain in the ass to get out if you screw up.  I'm not a fan of the water soluble pens, because I so often forget to complete the erasure step, and a lot of the air soluble pens vanish too fast. So I wanted to try something different.  

This is Nancy Zieman's Trace n'Mark Air-Erasable Marker through Clover.  

Specs

• Two sided, thick and thin felt tip pens
• Bright pink ink
• Air soluble
• Cost: $7.99

Pros

• The ink is BRIGHT.  Very, very visible on most fabrics, even in the medium-dark range.  
• The dual tips are cool.  I never thought I'd need the fat end, but I use that more often than the thin one
• The ink stays put for quite a while - takes longer to disappear than other pens I've used.
• It does vanish completely
• Ink is long lasting.  I have had mine for a couple years now and use it with some frequency, and haven't had to replace it yet. 

Cons

• It is absurdly easy to to split the felt tips with the cap - There is a water soluble version of this same pen in blue and I split the tip right away on that one not realizing there is like a little cap inside the cap.  
• The fat tip doesn't fit in most stencils
• If you're looking for the ink to disappear quickly, it might freak you out when it takes longer than anticipated

Conclusion

★★★★✩

I wish this baby came in more colors!  I would buy them all. My only real criticism is how easy it is to damage the felt tip with the inner portion of the cap.