I see alot of people struggling to piece 12" quilt blocks that have HSTs in them or triangles. I realize not everyone is going to piece things the way I do. But I would like to share with you the way I do it. If it works for you then great! and if it doesn't thanks for looking!!

I use this same method for most of my quilt blocks. It doesn't matter if you are making a 12" quilt block or a 6" quilt block the steps are the same.

The problems I see coming up are sections are not square or they are 1" short or they are not fitting right for whatever reason. If you are trying to follow a complicated number of steps that can be so confusing.

So let me show you how you can have sections or blocks that fit together right and will help you make this quilt block without any frustration. At least I hope it doesn't frustrate anyone!

Beginners can do this. It isn't complicated if you know the tricks and the steps to make this quilt block.

Take a deep breath and here we go!!

First I want to show you the progression of how the quilt block comes together. Then I will break it down into 4 patches and a 9 patch.

Okay now let's talk about the HSTS and the Boston Blocks I use to make this Quilt Block.


I use what I call my cut down method which means you sew pieces of fabric together and then you cut out a square from the center with a template.

You will need a 2 1/2" template to make a 12" quilt block.

If you don't have one I can send you a free one. Just let me know by email or by pm. My email is [email protected]

Ok you will need:

8 red/green Half Square Triangle blocks
8 blue/green Half Square Triangle blocks
8 Boston Blocks
4 red blocks for the center or fussy cut a square the same size as one 4 patch.

First let's address the Half Square Triangles

I cut two strips and sew them together. Then I iron the seam open and lay it face up on a cutting board. Using your template lay it on the fabric so that two opposite corners lay on the seam.
Cut out around the template and don't let the template move. The more attention you pay to this step the more accurate your square will be and the less frustration you will have. LOL

Continue to move the template up the strips and continue to cut out HSTs. After you have cut out all you have room for you can pull apart the strips and sew them together on the other side and continue to cut out HSTs.

Now that wasn't hard was it??

Ok now let's do the Boston Blocks.

These will use 3 pieces of fabric. I measure from the center of the template to the corner and add 1/2" for two seam allowances.

So for a 2 1/2" template you need

2 1/2" square of Green
2 1/2" square of Blue
4" x 2 1/2" rectangle for the bottom part.
You can use a triangle with a 4" base if you want to cut back on fabric.

I recycle any leftovers so I don't have much waste.

You will need 8 of these Bostons - These are not hard to make!!

You will need to make 4 of these with the blue on the right and the other 4 the blue needs to be on the left so you end up with mirror images!! This is extremely important for this quilt block. It will vary depending on the quilt block you choose to make.

Ok We are done making the HSTs and the Bostons.

You should have:

8 - green/red HSTs
8 - green/blue HSTs
8 - Bostons
And you need either 4 red 2 1/2" squares or a fussy cut square the same size as the 4 patches. should be 4 1/2" square

Now let's make 4 patches. We are going to make:

4 - Corner 4 patches
4 - Middle 4 patches
and 1 center block

Following along so far? If not send me a pm or email and I will be glad to help.

Here is the Corner 4 Patches

Remember you need 4 of these corner sections

Now we are ready for the middle 4 patches. They go together just as easy as the above 4 patches.

The only caution is to pay attention that the corners where the seam comes to the point makes sure the seams meet and aren't off. This will make a clean match or a crummy match. If you find your blocks don't come out right this is what I check on.

You need to make 4 of these middle sections

Ok now we need to sew the 4 patches into rows. If you look above where we started. You will see the 4 patches all laid out.
They are now in a 9 patch configuration.

So all you have to do is sew them into rows and then sew the rows together into the quilt block.

You can use this same method of construction with any quilt block that uses this same layout. I make 4 patch squares and use them as a block(unit/section) or HSTs or Bostons or my Star Point blocks. There are any number of HST quilt blocks that have the 6 blocks across by 6 blocks down you see in the layout of the block units above. Or you can make bunch of HSTs and or Bostons or what ever block and sit down at the table and play with them to see what pattern you get when you turn the in differant ways.

BTW all of my pictures here with the exception of the directions for cutting the HSTs were done on my EQ5. Love love love my EQ5!!

Hope you will see the possibilities in using this method of construction. Once you have the HSTs or Bostons or whatever made you can use them in any number of quilt blocks!!!

This particular quilt block is one of my favorites and I use several variations of this one a lot in my business.

Hope you enjoy!!! Wishing you all lots of sunshine and laughter!!!

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or problems!! Thanks Rhonda

I am a lurker, first time posting.

Thank you Rhonda for the tut on HST. You have made this look so very easy.

Great tutorial - thank you kindly!

Thanks Rhonda, Your good at tutorials.

Hey Rhonda - You're the best.

thanks great info and pics

Yes thanks, that is helpful for all.

Rhonda, you just know how to make things look so easy and you explain things the way I can learn. My personality needs to know why I am doing something. You feed my need. Thank-you so much for teaching us like you do. Thank-you.

Rhonda- I want to thank you for sharing your expertise with all of us. BIG HUG!!
Can't wait to make those "wings" blocks from your e-book - I've been working on the antique log cabins and am going to need a break very soon!!! :D :D :D
Sue

I am glad you all think it is ok. I hope it helps.

I sat down this morn while it was quiet and made some HST's per your tut and they came out wonderful. I have never had them look that good. Thank you.

This looks great.
Thanks for sharing! :D

Thanks everyone. I was putting the pics on and thinking this is such a basic thing is it worth putting on. So I am glad it is of help to you all.

To me making half square triangles is the next step up from cutting plain squares. I hate to see so many struggling with making them so I thought I would post my method.

CJ I am so happy that it works well for you! So now you can put together any quilt block with HSTs and there are tons of them out there!!

Happy quilting everyone!!

Rhonda:
That helps soooo much! My other problem is when I sew the pieces together I can't get the seam going in the right directions then it is lumpy. What do you reccommend.
Sue

Can you explain a little more what you are doing? What do you mean about not getting the seams to go in the right direction?
Give me a little more specifics. If you could post a pic that would be good.

I will get a pic for you. Thanks for your help.

I sew the seam then iron in one direction...usually to the darker side. When I sew the rows together the seams go in different direction. The top might go to left then the next row goes to right there fore it crisscrosses. Am I making sense???

Waiting to see! LOL

Great tute! Thanks!!

Yep I understand. I like to iron mine open. It will sometimes still flip back but I discovered recently if I take the time to spray it with sizing and then iron it the seam will stay put. I don't always take the time to do this and I just do the best I can and sometimes just let them twist. When you put the batting under it you won't notice it so much. Those seams will sink into the batting.

You're welcome!

awesome tutorial and thanks again for all of your hard work, I will try to make some as I am a beginner!

Just how many times do I have to say it. . . . Rhonda, you have made complicated looking blocks easy. You're the BEST!

Thanks Sara!! I hope to offer more in the future!

I will try that, it gets so frustrating sometimes, maybe this will help! Thank you for your help I will try this block and see what happens.

rhonda, I wish you lived next door!!

Rhonda great tute....thanks!!

thank you everyone! I am just passing on what God has given me. God Bless you all!

Clem I frequently wish I was closer to you all but this is the closest I can come! It would be great to have a big get together and do some sort of retreat. I quite often when giving advice wish I could see in person what that quilter is working on.

I appreciate the tut that you did you make things look very simple and easy to understand. Thanks again

Thanks for taking the time to explain all this. I plan to send it to a friend who can't seem to break the Thangles habit.
You're the best!

I only included the highlights of my HST process in this one. Here is the original tute I did and the problem solving tute I did on HSTs and points.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-37915-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-23252-1.htm

This looks so very easy. I made a quilt with Aunt Dinah blocks once which had some areas looking like your Boston Block and part of this set, but had to cut everything a million different ways individually and then sew together. It took me ages it seemed. I plan to try you way from now on for HST. Thank you for your time in posting and illustrating.

Thanks Lucy! Thangles work for some people and that's ok but I could never afford to buy the Thangles and now that I can afford it I don't see the need to. I'd rather spend my money on fabric instead!!

I hope it works for you and I hope you like it! I do alot of scrappy so we cut small rectangles instead of strips for my HSTs but this is what I use if I do alot of the same color HSTs.
It saves time and effort as far as I am concerned. I prefer my cut down method when ever possible. I am an impatient person and I don't like having to cut out so many seperate pieces especially triangles and then sew triangles together. Just me I guess. I am basically lazy!! I am going to do it the easiest way possible.