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."