The very first quilt I made was in the Churn Dash Pattern.I can’t believe I actually, intentionally, picked something with so many triangles in it!And, that quilt turned out so badly that it made me never want to try triangles again without the use of paper foundations.I don’t feel that way anymore, thanks to this method of rotary cutting and piecing that I would like to share with you.
The traditional way of making half square triangles (HST) is actually a very good one.Let’s say you want to make a 3” finished square made of 2 HST.
You need to cut squares 7/8-inch larger than the finished measurement.After cutting 2 squares to a 3 7/8-inch size, you then have to cut them in half diagonally and then stitch them together again.After pressing them open, you realize that your 1/4-inch seam was just a bit bigger and that your square is too small, or you see all the little “ears” sticking out from the seams that you now have to trim, or your fabrics slipped just a bit and the corners aren’t quite matching up.These problems don’t always occur, but it happens to me just often enough to frustrate me.Well, here is the solution:
Please note that all instructions are for a 3” finished block/square, but can be adapted for any size.
Cut 2 squares of contrasting fabric to 4¼”.Then, cut in half diagonally, being careful to cut from corner point to corner point.
Place triangles right-sides together, and stitch, using ¼” seam allowance. Press seam open (your block will lay flatter, and won’t be any weaker than if you pressed to one side). Lay your block on your cutting mat, using the diagonal line marking to make sure that your seam line is completely lined up.You’ll notice that your block is slightly larger than the 3½” size that is should be.
Using your ruler and rotary cutter, simply trim the block to the correct size of 3½”.You now have a perfect half-square triangle block.Please note that trimming can be tricky until you get the hang of it, so be sure to practice a bit before you use that expensive fabric.
