Genden

I have a beautiful quilt pattern called My Corner Garden by The Gingham Girls. I am checking the instructions and find that the blocks are constructed with individual small squares and small single diagonal triangles. I am used to doing nine patch in strips so I am not used to working with the small pieces. I guess it has to be this way because the blocks are on point. Before I buy my fabric and begin, I want to know if it is doable for me. How do you handle small squares and especially small diagonal triangles without distortion from stretching? If anyone has finished this quilt, any advice you could give me would be appreciated.

LoriEl

I just looked up the pattern and don't see why you can't do nine patches for most of it. You just need to count how many of each set that you need. Then just set the nine patches on point.

Tartan

If I need half square triangles I over size 2 squares. I place the 2 squares right sides together, draw the diagonal line and use my 1/4 inch foot to stitch down both sides of the line. After the bias lines are sewn, I cut on the drawn line, press my half square triangle squares and trim to size.

tesspug

It looks like you only need triangles as settings on the edge. Just spray them with starch or Best Press and press carefully.

mike'sgirl

You could use a very light stabilizer so your not stretching your bias edges. I just heard recently that many of the professional quilters do this for their show quilts.

Geri B

Looks like all squares except the setting triangles....( those around the edges). The 4 corners are HST ( half square triangles) ...this are created by cutting a square once on the diagonal, thus creating 2 triangles...the only bias there is is the cut from corner to corner, and that will be locked in as you create your rows. The rest of the setting triangles are quarter square triangles...that is a large square cut diagonally twice, thus getting 4 triangles with 2 bias sidesaddle one straight base...those bias sides are again locked into the body of the quilt as you create the rows and that straight edge is the straight edge of your quilt. There should be no reason to use any fusibles.....the dimensions of your pieces should be in your pattern... Just read it a few times and you will be ok.....

Genden

You are all making me believe I can do this. Is it better to use Best Press before I cut the squares on the diagonal? It seems that this would be be more effective in preventing stretching than after cutting. It would minimize stretching in cutting and sewing. I know I will have to handle the triangles carefully while sewing to make sure there is no pull to cause stretching. You are all so helpful. Geri B, you were very helpful in helping me visualize the process. Thanks everyone. If anyone has completed this pattern or one like it, I'd like to hear how it turned out. I am expecting it to be time consuming. I have a thing about points. I am OCD about everything matching.

nativetexan

yes, spray and press dry before you cut.

NJ Quilter

I've not looked at the quilt or pattern but it seems you could achieve the 9 patches and HST's in a traditional fashion...i.e., strip piecing or the 2 squares method of HST without cutting itty bitty pieces and trying to sew them. read your directions carefully about 10x over. You can probably simplify the cutting/sewing process by changing the way the fabric is cut initially. This is something I learned the hard way after doing a quilt with similar sounding directions. Could have made my life far, far easier if I had read the directions a few times beforehand instead of jumping right in.

PaperPrincess

Why don't you just make a test block out of scrap fabric and see how it goes??