Question I'm embarrassed to ask
 

OK...I know this may sound ridiculous to some of you that I don't know this. But here goes....when someone says that they used a certain sized triangle, which side are they measuring to get the size? The short side? the diagonal side?

This has puzzled me for a long time, but I was too embarrassed to ask. But hey, you don't know what I look like, so I know you won't laugh and tell all my friends. :o:o

Good question. Never thought of that! Never be embarrassed for asking.

which triangle are you inquiring about? the half square, equilateral, or other? Usually it pertains to how the triangle fits in to a square or rectangle. At least that's the way I see it ;-)

I use it to refer to the short side. That's the way I learned it, so I've always assumed that's what everyone means. But there's that word - assume!

to me, if i'm cutting a strip into 45 degree triangles, i would say mine is 6 inches if the strip is that wide. the triangle would be set with the six inch measurement hitting the bottom of the strip. But as you say, there are many triangles. What confuses me is hexagon measurements. not everyone does that the same either.

I'm talking about the half-square triangle.

Unless they state otherwise, I just assume that it's a half square triangle and the size refers to the finished size of the square. You can usually look at the picture of the quilt to verify that it's a hst.

That's a good question!

in that case, PaperPrincess' explanation is perfect.

probably in the other cases, too ;-)

This is the way I look at it also.

Your question is not at all ridiculous. Triangles come in all shapes and sizes, and I would not automatically assume that you meant a HST, but since you do, I would agree with the others who would generally refer to it by the size of the finished square. For 60 degree (equilateral) triangles, there are actually differences in how rulers are made to measure them. Some measure from the base to the tip, and others measure the sides. http://www.frommarti.com/mm5/merchan...ategory_Code=R

I agree. Usually, if I talked about a 2" finished half square triangle, it is the finished side of the triangle and NOT the diagonal edge. BUT you have to be careful remembering to ask the quilters if that is the finished or unfinished size. I have no ideal what the diagonal edge of an unfinished 2.5 measures.

I'd be willing to bet that 99.99% of the time when someone says "half square triangle" or "HST" they actually mean a triangle square, the square formed by two 45º triangles. In that case, it would definitely be the length of the side of the square.

There was a whole thread about the HST mis-nomer recently.
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...n-t243673.html

For Half Square Triangles, you measure the side cut on the straight or cross grain of the fabric....or the short side of the triangle in this case. (The long side is cut on a diagonal.)

Jan in VA

Thanks for everyone's responses! I appreciate the info, now I won't feel ignorant when asking about them.

Here's a link to calculate the hypotenuse of a triangle: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourcei...ght%20triangle

Yep, I agree, the finished size of the half square triangle block...dray965 the only question to be embarrassed about is the one you don't ask...good question! :)

I love this interactive site for calculating the diagonal of a triangle.

http://www.mathopenref.com/squarediagonals.html

This is a question to which we do not need to know the answer. I'm glad about that.

I still think HST is an inaccurate descrption.
I heard someone refering to HST as being just half of what we think of as a HST. And that is much more accurate. So the square is made up of two HSTs.
The squares were cut in half on the diagonal, making a right angle triangle that is half of the square. Makes a lot more sense, but I'll bet it won't catch on. That would be almost like changing the qwerty keyboard. Ain't gonna happen!

I agree with sleepiness.....refers to finished size.

Darn! Typed in paper princess and the auto thingee printed "sleepiness". Is there anyway to shut that auto spell thing off on a Kindle Fire?????

I love that you posted this ;-)

Never be afraid to ask questions!There is no such thing as a dumb question, and people here are SO helpful!

No question is 'too embarrassing' to ask if you don't know the answer. We have all been in that situation. Even after many years as a quilter there are lots of questions I have. When one becomes relevant I ask. Triangles are perplexing. Recently, I struggled with directions for using the ruler for Hunter's Star. I just was struggling with it. I took it to a local quilt store and asked for help. It was freely given. My problem was putting triangles together with a trapezoid. Once shown it made perfect sense and now I am on to the next step. Like others, I do believe the measurement you are seeking is for the straight sides rather than the diagonals so that the finished unit (square) has the measurement you require. Another example is the triangle made with the tri-recs tool. When choosing patterns just be sure you understand the directions when you read them. Some pattern writers are much better than others.

Unless they state otherwise, I just assume that it's a half square triangle and the size refers to the finished size of the square. You can usually look at the picture of the quilt to verify that it's a hst.

I've wondered this too. So if they end up with a 5" hst, they started out with two 5.5 squares? right?
In my day as an elementary teacher and equilateral triangle is the same measurement on all sides.

Then when it gets interesting - a quarter square triangle is the same shape as a half square triangle.

I much prefer the term HST UNITS TO HST'S - to me, a HST is a triangle cut from a square - not the two triangles sewn together to make a square.

:eek:....wow, am I ever glad this question was asked!
I never knew this stuff and never even thought to ask.

Normally it would mean the finished size of the square, and don't be embarrassed about asking questions. My favourite saying to my pupils is, there is no such thing as stupid question just a stupid person who doesn't ask!

I agree, if we never ask or don't get to see it done we keep making the same mistakes that cause us to be frustrated with our craft. We've all started some place.:)

I really never thought about this question. I always told my students when I was teaching, "Don't ever be embarrassed about asking a question, because you will never know the answer unless you ask. There may be others who want to know the same thing but are too afraid or embarrassed to ask. Even if someone should laugh, that person probably doesn't know and are only laughing because they are pretending to know the answer, so we need to let them give the correct answer." This statement really helped my shy kids, and they soon discovered those who laughed usually didn't know the answer. There was less laughing and a lot more questions were ask after that.

It still is the same measurement on all sides that's why it's called an equilateral not trying to be smarty pants here, but it hasn't changed-lateral means the sides, thus all sides are equal.

An equilateral triangle (aka an equiangular triangle) has three equal (60º) angles and three equal sides. They are used to make Thousand Triangle/Thousand Pyramid quilts, among others, but not half square triangle blocks.

The triangles used in a half-square triangle block are right triangles, isosceles right triangles to be specific. They have one right angle (90º), two equal sides, and two equal (45º) angles. The third side of this type of triangle will never be the same length as the other two. Fourth grade math. :o