Tips: Getting Ready: HST

Half Square Triangles (HST)

Missouri Star Way

Missouri Star Video

Easy to do even with smaller sized squares....

1. Put two squares good side facing each other.
2. Sew around all four sides with a 1/4 inch seam.
3. Cut the square at the diagonal.

Creates 4 HST - the outside edges are on bias.
5 inch square give 3 inch unfinished HST. (Probably will need to trim to exact size.)

"Whip Up" Blog Post with different measurements.

HST by other attendee

Pinwheels by other attendee

The other attendee used the Missouri star method and made a lot of pinwheels - she started with 9 in squares.  Told me she is going to try to make some more starting with 6 inch squares.  I'm not sure what method she used for her excellent HST!  Aren't her colors beautiful? She has all the pieces trimmed up so nicely too.



Lucy in the Sky - Quilting Board Way

Lucy in the Sky - Quilting Board Directions

This way requires marking - still just have four seams - but there are 8 cutting lines....

1. Put two squares good side facing each other.
2. Draw both diagonals on the lighter fabric.  (I also drew the 4 sewing lines.)
3. Sew 1/4 inch on either side of each diagonal.
4. Carefully cut the block into four so you see four squares (in the diagram it's the lines that extend out of the square.
5. Then cut the original diagonal in each of the resulting squares.

Creates 8 HST - the outside edges are on the straight edge of the fabric.
5 inch square gives 2 inch unfinished HST.  (For sure will need to trim to exact size.)


Left Over from Geese Way

Left over made squares and cut apart goose

When making geese the traditional way you can stitch the left over triangles to get HST - they are a little too small but by using a smaller seam I think it would work to get sizes that would fit with other pieces.

I also experimented with just cutting geese in half and then sizing up the results to get HST - seems like a lot of work though - but if the geese weren't going to be used or if they didn't turn out the expected size this would be a good thing to do....




Added 3-15-12:

QuiltingBoard - Rhonda's Really Easy Half Square Triangle Blocks
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutorials-f10/really-easy-half-square-triangle-blocks-t37915.html

Basically, cut your strips.  Sew together.  Then use template placed on the sew and cut.  She shows two different ways to do it on the  web.  For one way she sews the strips into a tube and alternates where she cuts cut (fewer cuts but she now prefers pressing the seam open, cutting, then going back and sewing long sides together and cutting again.) There is very little wasted fabric as she uses the four large bits to sew together and make an hour glass block. For five 2.5" inch blocks she sews two 2.5" x 11" strips together.

Formula for HST - from QuiltingBoard
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1/formula-half-square-triangles-help-t42546.html

Missouri Star Quilt: HST Pinwheels and a Leaf and a 3-Patch Rectangle

I was traveling around the web yesterday - looking at triangles as that is the next row for the Liberated Round Robin....

I came across a blog entry called "My First Pinwheel" she had a picture indeed of her first pinwheel - it wasn't the entire quilt or a stack of blocks.  My kind of person, someone who celebrates the little steps.

She used this tutorial from Missouri Star Quilts...


What a wonderful way to think of HST! I know it's not liberated stitching as all the triangles will turn out perfectly - but the thinking behind coming up with the technique is very liberated!

I want to sew up a lot of these!  I have a stack of assorted fabrics that I cut up in charm squares with the acucutter and a stack of smaller squares that I received in the WW Swap.  But it will have to wait until next week as I'm away from the sewing machine for the long WPI Reunion weekend.....  I do need to develop some skill in a hand craft so I can create something while on these trips....

Added:  I started with 5.5 charm squares and my sewing wasn't perfect so my squares ended up being between 3 and 3.25 inches.  I'll verify when I return from this trip.

I did get some sewing done - back to little blocks, but it's still satisfying:

• Friday's Block Party - Week 22: Liberated Leaf
• Block Lotto - June 2011 - Block 3-Patch Rectangle