Tuesday, June 29, 2021

Tuesday Tutorial ~ Faster Way to Square Half Square Triangle

 

     If you eliminate 2 steps in squaring a half square triangle, will you save time? Of course you will! 

   Then what if you eliminate 3 steps and just cut once to square?
    
    Here's how!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Recently, I was given a  pile of triangles.
I normally make my half square triangles (HSTs)
in another way.
Looking back over my Quilt Blocks page
I found these techniques for makine HSTs @
 

Quilt Shot Block #97~ Double X 

Quilt Shot Block #78 ~ Colorado 

Quilt Shot Block #77 ~ Shoo Fly

 Quilt Shot Block #68 ~ Missouri Star

 Quilt Shot Block #58 ~ Woven Friendship Star

 Quilt Shot Block #106~ Paper Template Half Square Triangles

 

I would check the squares on all four sides,
and sometimes have to trim all four sides. 
That's FOUR steps!
Then while I happened to be researching rulers the other day
(for my wish list)
I saw a ruler made to square half square triangles by using the bias line of the square.
I found 2 of my smaller square rulers have this line.
I didn't have a right square triangle ruler which might would work as well?
So I gave both of these a try.

 
Just lay the bias line on your stitching line and trim the 2 sides.
No rotating around.
Just up and over.
The 6 inch ruler with rotary cutter worked well at the cutting table
in assembly line fashion.
 
When I HAD to sit down,
I found due to the small size of 2½ inches,
I was able to hold the ruler on the bias stitched line
and trim with my clippers 
around the 2 edges, if needed.
Because, I DISCOVERED
Most of the time I could align the stitching line 
on the bias line
AND 
line up the upper edge so
all I needed was
to trim ONE side!
ZIP, Done!

 
Dad always said,
"You spend more time finding a faster way."
 


 

 

 

 
 
 

2 comments:

  1. I'm all for a faster way! Trimming HSTs is not my favorite thing to do - thanks for the tips!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well - how clever is that!! I have a couple rulers with those bias lines and never could figure out a use for them. Tried once or twice and ended up cutting all wrong so gave up (too soon, obviously!).

    ReplyDelete

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