sandyms

Get some "practice" fabric, some starch, an Easy Angle ruler, and ENJOY!! I use to "hate" making the HST - not any more. In fact, I keep getting drawn more and more to patterns with HST's in them. Good Luck!! You can do it!!

Rose Marie

There are many ways to make HSTs and some are really bad. Beware of methods that leave bias edges on the outer sides. An example of this is the sewing of a 1/4 in around the outside of a large square to make many triangles at a time.
If you sew an x on a large square to make 8 at a time you will not have any bias edges. But these methods do require squaring up over sized HSTs. If you prefer to square up I recommend Quilt In A Days triangle square up ruler that uses one cut to square up.
I bought the Triangulations cd and am not impressed. I do not like using paper to tear off. It does make exact size triangles. It was expensive and you can draw your own paper patterns without the cost of $22 dollars.
I have a set of Ta Da interfaced triangles this leaves interfacing inside the triangles. Great to use as a pattern for exact size paper triangles.
After trying many different ways for many years I recommend the Quilt in a Day way over all the others. Your triangles come out perfect every time with just one investment for the triangle square up ruler. It is also faster and easier to do. No paper to tear off and squareing up is just one cut.
By squaring up you know they will be perfect every time and you make 8 at a time.

redmadder

Use your least favorite precious fabric and make some practice blocks.

Geri B

triangles are not evil........hst(half square triangles) are a good way to start....I really recommend Eleanor Burns patterns....she approaches patterns with simple and complete illustrations and explanations.....If I am making a lot of hst for a pattern I will buy triangles on a roll......easiest way for me.....otherwise there is a template named Easy Angle which makes them almost foolproof........You must expand your horizons....that goes for any "hobby"...each time you accomplish something new it give you a lift. I personally do not starch anything and have no problems....but each of us finds what works for us. good luck in your new challenge

Cottontop

I think the key words are calm and patient. Rhonda has a super great tut on hst, makes it fast and easy to consttruct. When press, don't move your iron back and forth, just press downward. Goodluck. you'll do fine.

annthreecats

I love HSTs. That the was first thing I did when I started a few months back. They are fun and you can make so many different fabric combinations. Love them.

karenpatrick

I would be hard to find a quilt pattern lately that didn't have SOME triangles in it so you should learn to do them. Practice on some scrap material and use Thangles or there are place on the web where you can print patterns for HST and QST. Good luck and practice makes perfect.

raptureready

If you purchase and USE the templates by Marti Michelle, triangles come out perfectly every time. But you HAVE to make use of the engineered corners---cut them according to the template and then just sew them together.

pollyjvan9

I think spray starch is the secret to triangles (or any bias edge). I spray starch, and press dry, at least twice before I cut any strips for triangles. It really helps and the dollar store has spray starch really cheap.

RonieM

My sister says triangles are evil and points are overrated!! LOL I say jump right in there, the only way to get proficient with piecing is to keep doing it.