Half-Square & Quarter Square Triangles

Hi

I am still working on my Quilt As You Go.   I need to finish sewing down the sashing on the back and adding borders.   I wasn't sure if the quilt needed to have borders, but have decided to add them.

While I am waiting to add more on my Quilt As You Go (QAYG) I thought I would share with you a few different ways to make a "half-square triangle" block.   I am going to show you how to make 2,4 and 8 at a time.    I am also going to show you how to make quarter square triangles.

Making 2 half-square triangles - The Drawn Line Method

1.  Cut 2 squares of contrasting fabric   The formula for this is add 1 inch to the unfinished size of your squares.   For example if your square is 3 1/2 inches unfinished you will cut your squares 4 1/2 inches

2.  Place your two squares right sides together

3.  Draw a diagonal time

4.  Sew 1/4 inch on both sides of the diagonal line

5.  Cut of the diagonal line

6.  Open and press to the dark

7.  Trim the block to the desired size.   You can do this block by add 7/8 rather than 1 inch, but I like the extra size in case I am not precise in my sewing or cutting.


Making 4 Triangles at a time

 1.  Cut two rectangles from contrasting fabric.  The length is is the unfinished size x 2 + 1.   For example if your unfinished square is 3.5 - it would be 3.5 x 2 + 1 =8
The width is 1/2 the length.  So if the unfinished square is 3.5 the length would be four.   I f you want you could add an extra 1/4 inch.  Which would make the length 8 1/4 and the width 4 1/8th

2.  Draw a line down the middle of the length of the rectangle.   Then draw 2 diagonal lines  from the center line to the outer corners

3.  Just like you did above sew 1/4 inch on both sides of the two diagonal line.

4.  Cut along the middle line.   Making 2 squares.

5.  Cut on the diagonal line of both squares. 

6.  You have four half square triangles.   Press to the dark and trim to desired size.






There is another method for making 4 HST by Jenny Doan from the Missouri Star Quilt Company.  Instead of me copy what she does here is a link to her tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5_Y5aanFwM


Making 8 Half-Square Triangle (HST)

1.  Cut 2 squares in contrasting fabric.   The squares are unfinished size x2 + 1.   (This is the same as the length above)  example - 3 1/2 unfinished square x 2 + 1 = 8

2.   Draw two diagonal lines making an X

3.  Sew 1/4 inch on both sides of the diagonal lines.

4.   Cut the large square through the middle in both directions.  You will have 4 smaller squares.

5.  Cut the diagonal line in all 4 small squares.

6.  You now have 8 HST.   Press to the dark and trim to desired size.

Quarter Square Triangle.

Once you know how to make a HST a Quarter Square triangle is very easy

1.  Make  2 HST using any method you want.

2.  Place squares with right sides together and opposite fabric touching.  For example with the squares above have the blue touching the white and the white touching the blue.

3.  Draw a diagonal line.   This line will be in the opposite direction from the previous line.

4.  Sew 1/4 inch on both sides of the diagonal line. 

5.  Cut of the diagonal line

6.  Press and trim






I forgot to take a picture when I was done, but here are two pictures from a block that I made with this quarter square triangle

Snowball Block

Hi

The other day I showed  you all how to make a Wonky Nine Patch block which is going to be part of my reversible "Quilt As You Go"  baby quilt.   The other block in my quilt is the Snowball Block.  This is a very easy block to make. 

Directions

1.  Cut a large square  in your print fabric.   The square will be cut to the size you want plus 1/2 inch.   I wanted this block to be the same size as my Wonky Nine Patch so I  cut my squares 9 1/2 inches.  I cut 20 squares since that was the amount I needed for my quilt.

2.  Cut 4 small squares from a white fabric.   The way to calculate the size of the small squares used to make the corner triangles:  Take the desired size of the finished block (for my block that is 9 inches) divide it by three.  Add 1/2  to that and you will have the size of your smaller corner squares.  My squares were 3 1/2 inches.

3.   Fold your small squares in half diagonally (making a triangle) and press to make a line to sew on.  You can also do this step by drawing a diagonal line or just eyeballing it while you sew.

4.   Pin your smaller squares to the four corners of your larger block right sides together.  Make sure that the line that you made is running perpendicular to the corners. 

What I did to make sure that they were placed correctly, I folded over the top triangle to make sure it was right.   I did this a few times until I got the hang of it. 

5.  Sew on the creased or drawn line on all four small squares.

6.  Fold the top triangle toward the corner and press with the iron.  Do this is all four corner.

7.   You will have three layers of fabric in the corner of your blocks.  Gentle fold the top layer back and cut the other two layers away leaving about a 1/4 inch.   Some people cut away their extra layers before they press.   I like to wait to make sure the corner triangles are even with the larger square.   If they are not I want to be able to remove them and sew them correctly.   If I have already cut away my extra before I check,  I would have to make my squares all over again. 

As you can see in the picture above the left corner is folded back , but not cut.  The right corner has been cut away.  

Here is a picture of my Snowball blocks

Preview of work

Hi

It's been almost a month since I last posted.   I have been busy with several different projects, but haven't completed any of them.   I am hand quilting an alphabet quilt.  I am about half way done.   I also have been working on my first Quilt As You Go  quilt.   I have my blocks all made and quilted.  I just need to join my blocks.    Here is a picture of my two blocks

The block on the left is a "Snowball" block.  The one on the right is a Wonky Nine Patch

I think that instead of waiting until the quilt is complete, I will show you how to do each step in a different post.   The first block I will be showing you is the Wonky Nine Patch.   The reason I did this block first is because if it comes out bigger or smaller than you anticipated the snowball quilt is easier to make any size.

Wonky Nine Patch

1.  Cut your fabric - You will need to decide how many blocks you will be using  and what size your finished block will be.   My quilt is going to be 4 blocks by 5 blocks and the block will each be 9 inches finished.  The blocks need to be cut at least 2 1/2 inches larger than you finished size.  So I cut my blocks 11 1/2 inches.

I didn't always remember to take a picture working on the same square so they will not always be the same fabric.

2.  Stack your squares and  make a diagonal cut.   You want to be at least 1.5 inches from the bottom edge.

You will do this with all 20 squares.  You probably will not be able not be able to cut all 20 blocks at the same time.  So you will need to work no fewer than 4 squares at a time - going through all the steps or try your best to keep your cuts the same.

 3.  Take the smaller wedges and mix them up.   The two most common ways of doing that is either to flip over your pile or put the top wedge on the bottom.

4.  Take the wedge you have on top and sew it with a 1/4 seam allowance to the block on top.  Your two fabrics should be different.   You will now have a square again.

5.  Cut a wedge is the same way on the other side.   You will repeat steps 3 and 4

6.  Press your blocks.  The instructions I read was to press them toward the middle.   I found out later that it really didn't matter what way you pressed.  What you want is for your block to be flat.

7.  Turn your block so the narrow part of the middle section is on the right.  Make a wedge cut like you did previously.   I realized after that I was a little narrow on the top on my wedge.  Be careful you have the narrow part of your wedge at least  1.5 inches.  1.75 is even better.

8. Mix the wedges and sew a new wedge to the larger piece.   You want your seams to match so you will want to nest your seam. pin and sew. 

It is at this point that you need to be really careful that your cuts are all the same.  If not they don't want to match up. 

9.  Repeat  with the final side.

10.  Square up your blocks.   That means to make sure they are a perfect square to the size you want.  For me that would be 9 1/2 inch.

This is how you make a wonky nine patch.  I am putting mine aside while I make my snowball block which will go  on the other side of my quilt.   But if you only made this block it could easily be made into a quilt.

My next post will show how to make the Snowball Block.