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| Quilt Made with Half Square Triangles |
Quilting with squares is a great place to start quilting, but triangles make more interesting designs. Triangles are nearly as easy to work with, and right-angle triangles are half of a square. Some quilting patterns suggest that you cut squares and divide them diagonally for triangles. You have to allow for the middle seam if you use that cutting method. The middle seam takes about 7/8 inch, so if you want 5 inch blocks, you'll need to cut 5 7/8 inch squares to cut diagonally for triangles.
Speed up your piecing. Make two units at a time if you want two-color triangles. Cut the squares, but don't cut them into triangles. Place a light square on a dark square and draw a line for the diagonal.
Stitch parallel to the diagonal on each side at about 1/4 inch distance from the line. Cut on the center line and press the seam toward the dark side. You have completed two units, each with a dark triangle and a light triangle.
Two-color triangle squares are easy to make and have so many possibilities for artistic construction for a pillow or quilt.
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| See How Half Square Triangles Work |
Here's a little variation. This design has one single triangle for half the square, and four small triangles for the other half. The small triangles are 3 1/4 inch squares cut in half on the diagonal, and the seams are a scant 1/4 inch. Four 5-inch squares make the block you can use for a pillow with sashing all around, or make more blocks for a quilt.
There are four pieces in the pieced half triangle pictured here. You can use the same speedy procedure above to make the small dark and light square. Then add a triangle to each side and stitch the center seam to complete the square.
Look at the design difference just by moving the squares around.
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| Change Direction of the Squares |
This gives you an idea of how half-square triangles create versatility in the quilting design. They are easy to work with and points that are sometimes difficult to match are not usually an issue with half-square triangle blocks. Maybe this is the inspiration you need to make a new pillow or quilt top.
I made the blue quilt for my daughter when she adopted two babies last year.
See you soon!
Linda
