Happy June, Everyone!
The weather has really warmed up here in North Carolina this week, and the studio has been a busy place. I have been working on graduation quilts, and I narrowed down my fabric choices for the Anniversary Quilt. What sorts of sewing have you been working on? Did you decide to sew along with me?
This week I am going to discuss half square triangles: how to sew, cut and trim them. This tutorial is for finished 4” squares, but you can use the techniques in this tutorial for any size half square triangles.
The formula for half square triangles is side of square + ⅞= the size to cut the squares. So for instance, we want finished 4” squares, so we need 4.5” squares to sew because of the ¼” seam allowance. So our formula is: 4.5+.875=5.375 (41/2 + ⅞=5 3/8) You will need to cut your squares 5 ⅜. For this quilt we will need 196 4” half square triangles. 98 Solid and 98 scrappy for me.
If you are going to start with the 8” squares, then your formula would be:
8.5+⅞=9 ⅜, so you will need to cut your squares 9 ⅜”. For this quilt you will need 32 8” squares, so you will need 16 solid squares and 16 scrappy squares. (When I say scrappy, I mean that I am going to use 16 different fabrics for these squares.)
As I said this tutorial is for 4” finished half square triangles, so I am going to cut strips of fabric at 5 ⅜” wide, and then I will cut 5 ⅜” squares from those strips.
Once you have your solid and scrappy fabric squares cut, then put solid and scrappy squares right sides together. Draw a line on the diagonal of each square stack. For darker fabrics I use sew line chalk and for lighter fabrics I use a pencil.
Draw a line on the diagonal of each fabric stack of solid and scrappy fabric.
Sew ¼” to the left of the line you drew (it will be used as the guide). Turn the square and sew another ¼” line on the other side of the drawn line. You do not have to backstitch to secure the ends. If you mark all of your squares, then you can chain stitch them. Since you need so many 4” squares, you might want to batch them...maybe do 20 at a time?
Sew 1/4” seam on each side of the drawn line.
Place a ruler on the drawn middle line and cut. Press each seam to the darker fabric. In this case I pressed towards the beige because it is slightly darker than the cherries.
Use a ruler to cut on the drawn line.
Now you have two half square triangles.
Press to the darker fabric. In this case I pressed towards the beige.
Now to trim each one to the 4.5” size we need for sewing the quilt. I have a 4.5” square I will use to trim, and a square will be very handy! I will use a 9.5” square to trim my 8.5” squares later. Lay your square out in front of you with the solid fabric in the left corner. Place the diagonal on the diagonal of the square and line the sides up with 4.5”. Trim the right and top of that square using a rotary cutter. Now turn the block so that the scrappy fabric is in the upper left corner and the solid fabric is in the right corner. Match the diagonal and 4.5” on the square again. Trim the right and top of the block.
Beige or solid is in the left corner; match diagonal and trim right side and top.
Turn the square so that the scrappy or non solid is in the upper left corner; match the diagonal and trim the right side and the top.
Congratulations! Now you have 4.5” squares that you can use to piece your quilt!
So! In terms of my fabric choices. I think I am going to use Kona Meringue for the solid in one quilt and Kona Geranium for one quilt...Yes, I think I am going to make two quilts. I have plenty of scraps! Here is a picture of my pull so far!
Please let me know if you have questions! Leave me a comment or go to instagram and send me a DM!
Sending Quilting Love,
Ginger
Coming Next Week: Checking in on half square triangle cutting and sewing!
I am Reading: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson and Man in the Blue Scarf: On Sitting for a Portrait by Lucien Freud by Martin Gayford, Mrs. Bennett Has Her Say by Jane Juska, and Emma by Jane Austin...Wow Emma should really stay out of other people’s love lives!