Measurement Help?
 

Howdy y'all :c)

I'm about to start on a quilt for my sister for her birthday. Each block is made up of 4 squares that are made up of half-square triangles. I want the blocks to be 12" square, and need to know how big to make each of the squares that I'm going to cut into triangles to achieve that size.

I know someone out there can help me, and I'm anxiously waiting for the answer. LOL! But for future reference, is there something I can print out somewhere that will give me an idea of how to do this without bugging you nice folks? I'd sure appreciate it! :c)

Donna

Well on half-square triangles the rule is, take your finished size and add 7/8" to it.

If you want a finished 12" block using only 4 half-square triangle block each block would be 6" finished - so the squares that you start with would be 6-7/8" then cut diagonally. A lot of people overcut these squares, cut diagonally then after the 2 triangles are pieced together and pressed cut them down to the correct size (in this case 6-1/2" unfinished).

You may want to wait for another answer to validate this!!!!

quiltstringz is right on the 7/8" for HST, but I usually just add an inch to whatever size HST I want to end up with, for me, the 7/8" is sometimes "pushing" it to end up the right size.

7/8'" is correct, if you cut larger you can cut down to perfect size.

If you cut to the 7/8 you must be very careful on the diagonal seam. I have learned that it must be exact at a scant 1/4". Full 1/4" seams make the square a bit too small. It is much easier to make the initial square larger and cut down when the two triangles are sewed together. This is where an investment in a 6.5 ruler pays for itself.

The above method is correct to give you two HST's. Sounds like you're making a pinwheel block, or similar - if you want all four HST's to be of the same two fabrics you can do it the MSQC way - two pieces of fabric for four identical HST's (stitching on all four sides of a square and cutting twice diagonally to get four HST's). To do this, start with two squares each 9.25 to end up with a block to be slightly trimmed down...or maybe not, depending on your stitching

Kate, do you have a link to the method you're talking about? The quilt I'm trying to make is pictured here:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sSKk-8G0hG...0/IMG_0640.JPG

Thanks! :c)

Donna

If you do your HST's this way: http://www.studio180design.net/videos/?id=8

you do not end up with bias edges on the outside edge of your blocks.

donnafreak - here is a link to the tutorial on doing the pinwheel HST's the way I described. This technique does give you hst's with two edges on the bias. if you've uncomfortable with bias edges (they don't bother me) then the link Mom3 provided above works for making 2 at a time. Let me know if you have any other questions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekYpJzHoW6E

Another method of doing this quilt would be to make flying geese units. You eliminate the center seam that way. But you asked about doing HST. I would do the grid method described here:
http://www.patchwork-and-quilting.co...triangles.html

If each angel is to be a different color mark your grid on the light fabric 2 x 1 (2 squares side by side). So cut a rectangle of each fabric, light and dark a little over sized (if I were doing it I would cut 7 1/2 by 14 1/2" rectangles) and draw two side by side squares that measure 7" square. Draw your diagonal line through each square and sew a 1/4" on both sides of the diagnal line. Cut apart on all your drawn lines and you will have 4 HST that you can trim down to 6.5". Then sew together your angel blocks.