Half square triangles advice needed
 

Okay, so I am making triangle squares using this method http://www.patchwork-and-quilting.co...triangles.html

Here is the problem. Doing it this way, each side ends up on the bias. Now depending on the fabric, my square ends up wavy and funky once pressed. I wonder what ya'll do to keep these little creatures in line!

I have tried starching the two pieces before sewing and cutting, but still they get misshapen.

I just cut two squares about an inch bigger than I want my finished triangles, I then stitch 1/4inch on Esther side of a line I draw down the middle cut them on the line press and trim them with a square ruler....

In hindsight, great idea! I have already pre-cut all for this current project so that is a good plan for next time :)

It seems to me that each *seam* is on the bias, not each edge. But that aside, if you are getting misshapen squares - are you pressing or ironing? It is easy to stretch the squares out of shape if you iron them (the motion of the iron will distort the fabric.)

Pressing, no, ironing...UGH!

Buy yourself a June Tailor Half/Quarter Square Triangle ruler and you will have PERFECT ones each and every time. Cut your swatch of fabric about an inch bigger than the finished one you want (maybe less), use the ruler to mark the SEWING lines, not the cutting line. So much more accurate and easier than trying to stay 1/4 inch from the cutting line. You can use the ruler to zip cut the two apart, press it, and then square it up to a perfect half or quarter square. I had so much trouble with these before I got this ruler. Now, I don't know how I could live without it. Her rulers, including the Pro Shape Cut ruler, have laser cut lines where your rotary cutter glides down, never straying off to the side. Quick. Zip, zip, zip. The only problem with these rulers is that the cutter nicks the teardrop making it difficult to do any zip, zipping. I keep an exacto knife close by, and with the littlest of effort, smooth off the teardrop making it brand new again.

I got this link today from F&P on my facebook page. It is pretty nifty and I never thought about doing it this way. This video shows how to make 1 1/4" squares but you could adapt the strip widths for larger HST blocks.

http://www.fonsandporter.com/articles/bias_strip_piecing


Here is a tutorial I found that makes 4 HST at once. http://www.cascadequilts.com/2010/04...m-2-charm.html

Sorry you got into such a pickle. That's the problem with some of the clever and quick methods. Make more trouble than they are worth. I would not press the seams after the last cut. Just match the seams in whatever method you choose, open or butted, pin and sew with minimal handling. It's a pain in the neck, but you will master this after a few tries. Be cool and patient, I know you can do it! Good luck.

It sounds like you have pre-cut your triangles. Looks to me like the directions tell you to put 2 squares together, mark center diagonliy and then sew 1/4" on each side of line. then cut on line this should give you a square when pressed and open up. This is probably the easist and most commonly used method

The method on that site is for quarter square triangles and it sounds like you want half square triangles. Here's a link on that same site for half square triangles: http://www.patchwork-and-quilting.co...triangles.html.

I starch the fabric before cutting. Then I cut my original squares a little bigger than the directions call for. Then I mark the diagonal on the back of whichever fabric is easier to see. Some press a diagonal line into the squares instead. I sew a scant 1/4" away from both sides of the diagonal. Then I touch all those now sewn squares with a hot iron to set the seam before cutting them. Let cool a minute or two. Then finger press them open with whichever side you want the seam to go. Then I lay the hot iron on them again to press them. No squiggling around with the iron.

I will also add that I pre-wash my fabric. Some of the thinner fabrics and fabrics that have metallic woven into them seem to shrink or warp every time a hot iron hits them and no amount of starch or pre-shrinking seemed to help. Cheap muslin seems to be the main culprit it my stash now but before I started pre-washing & starching all my fabric before cutting, I had the problem a lot.

LOL, I know. I could not quickly find the HST method online in my fibro fog last night. I know what I was thinking, just could not remember how to describe what I was doing. I like the prewash advice. I have never prewashed fat quarters because I am afraid the washer will mistake them for socks and they will wind up in sock purgatory.

Hst
 

Maybe some help here:

I put a piece of fusible stabilizer from corner to corner and no more stretch or waves at all. I buy it a Amazon. Or you could cut your own.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg

Wonderful idea!

I have the same problem that you do. What I did this last time, was to forgo the sewing a 1/4 in from the middle and just went ahead and cut them apart diagonal corner to corner ( right sids facing) and then took them straight to the sewing machine and sewed them together. Then I starched and pressed them and pressed the seam open. They were almost perfect every time with this method. Good Luck. Gina

I do them basically the same as Gina -- cut a square an inch larger than the unfinished size I want ... cut on the diagonal, sew them, set the stitches, iron the seam open (finished pieces lies a LOT flatter) then square them up. Yes, there's a little waste, but my HST's are perfect. Every single time. When I tried to draw a line first I found many times my squares were no longer square! I now avoid ANY technique that requires me to draw a line on the fabric if at all possible.

I think if you cut them on the diaginal before sewing you're really cutting/sewing on the bias and you seams will stretch. by sewing before cutting the fabric will keep the diaginal from stretching. -

Try the Quick Half-Square technique on that site. Just cut your squares of material 1" larger. No bias edges to woryy about. Then when done use a Bias Square ruler to trim it to size. [I like the That Patchwork Place/Martingale Bias Square ruler the best.]

ali

Thanks for a really logical solution to not having to do a bunch of math for these. I will try it next time.

In a moment of temporary insanity, I decided to make a queen sized quilt made entirely of half-square triangles, 1-1/2 finished size-over 1,400 of them. Eight rows to the block, with the top four mirror image of the bottom four so it seems like each row is different. I calculated how many packages of Thangles I would need, and plunked down my credit card. Worth every penny to have each one come out perfectly sized!