Hello,
My name is Patience, from Va., living in Belize at the moment. I am a new quilter. Been practicing and practicing half square triangles and now I am ready to do something with them. I have seen a pattern called Belle Meade that uses different size hst's. Short of ordering the pattern, I am trying to figure out what size the small hst's are and the larger ones. I have some that I made from 5 inch squares. I don't know measurements well enough to find a starting point. Am I making sense?
I guess I am wanting to know if I have HST made from two 5 inch charm pieces, what size should I make the smaller HST's.
Okay, now that I have shown my total lack of quilt-eze and ignorance, please don't throw rotten eggs at me.
Here is a link to the picture of the pattern.
http://www.oldmadequilts.com/product...de_Pattern.htm

I only throw rotten eggs at ex-husbands. You are safe.

i like your signature quote. very true, isn't it.
I think you must know my ex husband.

The size of the finished larger HST is 3 times the finished size of the smaller HST.

thank you. I am going to try to figure that out math size but that is a good start for me. thank you.

Hi Patience,

When in this situation it helps to sit down with a piece of paper and think through the pattern. As you do this jot down the finished measurements, to start. Then remember to add in the seam allowances for each piece for cutting measurements.

So for this pattern, if the large HST are a finished 5 inch block, they started as being 5 1/2 inch square....right? 5 plus 1/4 plus 1/4 for the seam on each side.

Ok, for your pattern the smaller HST blocks are three sections to the one large section. For having easy math, I would change the large HST to being 6 inches finished, with the three smaller blocks being a finished 2 inch square. You would add the 1/4 inch seam allowance, being mindful that you have seam on each side.

So the large blocks would start with 6 1/2 inch squares, and the smaller would be 2 1/2 inch squares.

Whenever you have this situation it is advisable to make up at least one block and it's sections to make sure that your calculations are correct before cutting out all of the fabric for the project. Once you have your practice block made I always have it right above my sewing machine. That way I can look up to check myself as I'm working on each block and section.

This is where a design wall is very helpful. You can take a simple cheap plastic tablecloth, flannel, or extra piece of batting and pin to the wall with poster pins. There are various other methods of having a design wall depending on your situation and space.

Good luck with your project and please keep us posted on your progress, with pictures if possible.

Pam M

The quilt is a Paula Barnes design from Bonnie Blue Quilts and is available several places online, including directly from Bonnie Blue Quilts.

Here's my HST primer.

The exact calculation for making HST's using this method (right sides together, draw diagonal, sew 1/4" each side of line, cut on line) is as follows:

Desired size of FINISHED HST plus 7/8" = cut size of beginning squares.

Well, working with 7/8" is a PITA, so I always add at least 1.25" to
the finished desired size, make the HST, press AND THEN trim it down to the exact size.

Now, in your case, if you're starting with 5" squares (charm pack?), then the largest finished HST you're going to get is 4". However, working with a finished 3.75" size is much easier.

This means the smaller HST's will be 1.25" finished. You could cut the starting squares 2.25" .

Those are kind of small, so you might want to rethink your proportions.

Each block in that pattern - the large HST bordered by smaller HST on four sides - would be just 6.25 finished.

That requires a lot of HST's. A lot.

Hope that was helpful.

Hello from Western Mountain Maryland !! :-D
I see you got the info, so I just thought I would say " Hi ! " :-D

clear as MUD

:oops: