Riley Blake Designs -- Cutting Corners: Building Blocks II

Building Blocks II - TRIANGLES

Posted by deonnstott on Tuesday, July 12th, 2011

Building Blocks II - TRIANGLES

"Pieceful Beginnings"
Building Blocks II

New to quilting?
Want to try some quick, fun techniques?
Want to perfect your awesome skills?

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This series of Quilting Basics lessons explores basic quilt blocks used in nearly every pieced quilt. Gather a few of your favorite fabrics, follow along and you’ll have enough blocks to make a fabulous quilt! Later we’ll follow up with “Finishing School” lessons on setting, sashing, borders and how to “grow” your quilt to any size you’d like. Are you ready?? Let’s quilt!!

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: Deonn Stott at Quiltscapes

COURSE SUPPLIES:

If you are just joining us, get started here with Tips, Tricks & Tools to assemble a basic sewing kit, then see last month's lesson, Building Blocks I - SQUARES.

Yardage Requirements:
Print #A .................................... 3/8 yard
Coordinating Print #B ............  1 Fat Quarter (18” x 21”)
Background #C ....................... 1/2 yard
Inner Border #D ...................... 3/8 yard
Outer Print #E .........................  3/4 yard
Binding ..................................... 1/4 yard
Backing ..................................... 1-1/8 yards

Helpful Tools:
Triangle Square-Up Ruler by Quilt in a Day (Love this cool ruler from Eleanor Burns!)
Starch or Sizing

COURSE INSTRUCTIONS:

Lesson II: TRIANGLES
PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS

When sewing triangles, one of the biggest issues is the stretchiness of stitching a seam on a bias (45-degree) cut of fabric, the "Bias-Edge Blues". For that reason, I use SQUARES to make my TRIANGLES! Begin with two squares, one print, one background... and remember to sew with a consistent, accurate 1/4" seam allowance.

Here are a few great triangle tips and tricks to try that will save time, increase accuracy, and will yield great results! The following photo tutorial will take you through some simple steps from squares to half-squares then quarter-squares in just minutes.

Here is a link to my Flickr set with detailed step-by-step cutting and stitching instructions:

PHOTO TUTORIAL

View as a slideshow, or click ↑ on each picture for details.

Now for some QUILTER'S MATH!!

Calculate the size squares to cut to achieve the desired finished size units:

HALF-SQUARE = FS + .875
Finished Size + 1/2" for side seam allowances + 3/8" for the diagonal seam.
(aw, heck, I just round up to 1" for good measure! Then I can trim to size.)
Yield: 2 HST (Half-Square Triangle) units

HALF-SQUARE, SQUARED = (FS + 1") x 2
Finished Size + 1" for seams, then double that measurement
Yield: 8 HST units

INSIDE-OUT HALF-SQUARES = (FS x 1.414) + 1.25"
Finished Size x 1.414 (calculate square root)
+ 1/2" for side seam allowances + 3/4" for two diagonal cuts.
(Confession: I always round up to the nearest 1/8")
Yield: 4 bias HST units

QUARTER-SQUARES = FS + 1.25"
Finished Size + 1/2" for side seam allowances + 3/4" for two diagonal seams.
(Yes, I add another 1/4" here, too!)
Yield: 2 QST units

Friendship Star

Shoo-Fly

Friendship Star & Shoo Fly Blocks

Fabric A: one 8" square, two 3-1/2" squares

Background print C: one 8" square, eight 3-1/2" squares

Ohio Star

Ohio Star Block

Fabric A: two 4-1/2" squares, one 3-1/2" square

Background Print C: four 3-1/2" squares, two 4-1/2" squares

PRINTABLE INSTRUCTIONS

Each of these blocks and methods can be used for an entire quilt. Next Month, tune in on the 2nd Tuesday of the month for FLYING GEESE!

Hope you had fun trying some of these techniques! If you have any questions, please post a comment, send an email or stop by my blog for a visit. Your comments are always welcome! Happy Quilting!