Scrap Half Square Triangle Quilt - with Text!

Although this quilt looks complicated - it's really a "two color quilt".  One side is text fabric, the other ... scraps!

Using the AccuQuilt Half Square 2" Finished Triangle die to cut all the fabrics - it was super fun sewing a HUGE pile of little squares. 

An alternative method is to rotary cut using a template like this one which I use when I snowball a corner.   This blog post explains one way to use the Folded Corner Clipper, along with some video links: HERE.

There are 1,980 pieces in the quilt top but just pace yourself, take your time - and think of this as a long term project that is something easy to pick up and leave. Or, make a small quilt just for the enjoyment of sewing little pieces fast & furious!

Make all your blocks with the diagonal going the same way - 3 half square triangles across.  Sew three rows together and start again.   (The top square in the diagram.) 

Lay 4 blocks out - rotating each one to form a 'white' or 'text' diamond in the center.  Sew together and trim to 12" x 12".

My blocks were not square due to a multitude of bad ironing habits (steam, ironing every which way, etc.) - and since I wanted the final assembly to be a happy experience and not a 'hair tearing out experience" - everything was trimmed to the same size - regardless what got chopped off! This was a fun, non-perfect scrappy quilt and definitely not a heirloom item! 

There are 30 HST units across & 33 HST units down.  With this 'design' your numbers should be divisible by 3 - since your base unit is 3 half square triangles.  Over the months (maybe years), I didn't realize how big the top was getting.  So, to finish this journey I took all the remaining misfit pieces, sewed them together with no regard to the original pattern and attached them to the sides to make things even.  Quilt finished. 

This blanket is my quilt life flashing before my eyes.  10 years of projects rolled into one quilt with a rainbow of colored fabrics softened by various text designs.  I liken this quilt to finger painting - tons of enjoyment with lots of messy bits!

Materials:

Text fabric / Scraps

AccuQuilt Half Square Triangle - 2" Finished Square-Multiples

     #55063

Backing:  Fairy Frost /  Michael Miller 

Warm & White batting 

Aurifil 50wt. thread #2311 & #1248

Size: 58.5" x 64" 

July 2021

A Finished Star Like Quilt

Making its debut, this Star like quilt is made with just 2 blocks -  a square and half square triangle (HST) both unfinished at 4.5".  The tutorial and diagram on how to assemble the units are in the blog post HERE. 

Simple wavy line quilting with a pale pink thread (Aurifil 50wt. #2415) on the top, and white (#2024) on the bottom.  I put a mark at each seam junction - and sewed on the diagonal to make pretty diamond shapes on the front and back. No need to mark the entire quilt but sew through the center of the squares by eye - easy peasy. 

The fabric is Regent Street Lawns 2016 by Moda, an eclectic mix of strong colors that  surprisingly harmonize when assembled.  The background fabric is Bright White Cotton Couture by Michael Miller.

As I use up my existing stash of fabric, I do treat myself to new stripped binding from Hawthorne Supply Co.  

As I get my minky from there,  its super fun to match up their vast color palette of 'candy stripe' cottons with a current project.  This bold binding is candy stripe in Petunia.  

This is a very beginner friendly quilt which really is more about accurate trimming than anything else.  Tip for this quilt is to use a Topstitch Needle size 90/14 when sewing with minky!

Materials:

Regent Street Lawns 2016 / Moda

Cotton Couture in Bright White / Michael Miller

Aurifil 50wt. #2415 & #2024

Warm & White batting

White minky & Petunia candy stripe binding printed on 56" wide quilting cotton from  Hawthorne Supply Co. 

Size: 53" x 53"

May 2021

A Star like Quilt - with only 2 blocks!

Here's what is almost finished on the layout board today.  A simple design that consists of only two blocks and looks pretty dynamic.  A little concentration on how to position the units creates a star like look.  I made a larger, but very similar version HERE.

I am not a pattern maker but this is how I made this quilt - please forgive the rough diagram. 

The final size for this quilt is 53" x 53".  All units are 4.5" x 4.5" unfinished.  

You will need:

(64) focus fabric squares - indicated in dark blue

(25) white squares - for corners and between "stars"

(80) half square triangles - trimmed to 4.5" x 4.5"

There are many tutorials that show how to make HST (half square triangles).  I opted to begin mine a little larger than necessary and cut my HST starting pieces 5.25" x 5.25" so I could trim down. 

No matter what size you choose to begin your HST's - you will need 40 focus squares and 40 background squares.  

This will yield you the necessary (80) Half Square Triangles for the design above.

To recap you need: 

  *(64) focus fabric squares,  (unfinished 4.5" x 4.5")

  *(25) white background squares,  (unfinished 4.5" x 4.5")

  *(80) Half Square Triangles  

           made from 40 focus/40 background squares

           final trim size unfinished 4.5"x 4.5" 

           

  

I opted to sew the (16) four-patches together first - and add the HST's as a second phase.  It's all up to you.  If you layout everything without sewing the four-patches first - you can sew everything together ... row by row. 

Important Note:  If you sew the four patches together like I did above - you will need to sew SOME of the HST's together first - top to bottom.  Basically, the ones that nestle up to the four patch  See pix below. 

I was so focused on balancing all the center squares, (there are 35 different colors & patterns), I didn't think ahead to the construction phase.  

Anyway - keep laying out according to the 'rough' diagram at the beginning of the post. Enjoy seeing your quilt come alive as you arrange the 13 blocks across and 13 rows down.  This is a good time to try something simple with just two blocks that show lots of pretty colors and fabric patterns.

Materials:

Regent Street Lawn 2016 / Moda

Cotton Couture in Bright White / Michael Miller

Aurifil 50wt. Muslin thread (#2311)

Size: 53" x 53"

April 2021

Hourglass Quilt in Le Vintage Chic

Happy New Year and may 2020 be filled with fun sewing and good health!

This quilt is made with hourglass blocks. 
Here are two links how to make this block the traditional way:  many thanks to Hannah from A Half Square Affair  and Leslie from The Seasoned Homemaker.
I have an Accuquilt machine and used the  4" finished half square triangle die. 

These were beautiful left overs from an earlier large economy block quilt here I made for my daughter.  Le Vintage Chic is the collection from Art Gallery Fabrics.

Lay out your pieces (as shown above) right sides together and sew on the right shorter side.  Using a clip not only holds the pieces together but tells you what side to sew. Place the same fabric on top, and the same fabric on the bottom for each pair.

When you sew the same configuration - in this instance - the peach fabric on the bottom, you get two 'arrows' that look similar when the fabric is 'wrong side up." 

Flip those units over to the 'right side up' and place one 'arrow' up and one 'arrow' down - and voila - an hourglass block.

Having said that, it's still easy to make mistakes when the triangles look so similar - so take the time to lay out your pairs on your sewing table just before you sew.  To triple make sure - I stick a sample above my machine!

If you sew a scant 1/4" seam, you will be able trim a 6" unfinished block.  I know the whole point of AccuQuilt is to cut accurately so there is no trimming.  But, whether its cutting with a machine or by hand and using starch - after sewing everything distorts a little.

That final trim enables me to have nice straight seams to follow when I use my walking foot.  

Nothing complicated going on here - just balancing the "peach" colored pieces and making sure those hourglasses all face the same direction.  This square quilt has 9 units across and 9 rows down.   

Quilting was done with Aurifil 50wt. #2415, a pretty pink thread, in wavy line stitching along all the seams.  

And so another quilt goes to college as winter breaks ends - my daughter and her roommate will each have their own Le Vintage Chic blankets.

Materials:
Le Vintage Chic /Art Gallery Fabrics  and white dimple dot minky from Hawthorne Supply Co.
Warm & White batting
AccuQuilt Half Square Triangle die - 4" finished
Aurifil 50wt. #2415
Size: 50" x 50"
January 2020

Starburst Quilt ... Missouri Quilt Co. Style (#94)

I love a simple large scale pattern for novelty fabrics and Starburst from the Missouri Star Quilt Co. is perfect.  While the Starburst tutorial uses layer cakes - I choose to make my half square triangles with fabric yardage and the 6" finished square HST Accuquilt die.

My graphic skills are a little rustic so please ignore the color scheme and focus only on the diagram:  I made my guide with 10 blocks across by 12 rows down. The MSQC tutorial has larger half square triangles, a border and is configured in a square.  This is for a bed so I made the 'pattern' into a rectangle and changed the size of the HST.  It's really a great pattern to alter both in HST size and dimensions.  Making a graph to follow beforehand is very helpful!

I did exactly like Jenny said in the video - working in quadrants which was fun and easy to keep track of.

It's nice to use bold colors. Bright turquoise minky on the back (to match Captain America), and Aurifil 50wt. black thread for the top.  I really wanted those black elongated starbursts to stand out without distraction.

Using a smaller 6" finished half square triangle had some nice benefits.  I could use yardage, not distort the pattern too much when keeping it to 60" wide - and the best bonus of all ... a 'bigger starburst!"  This two tone quilt needed 240 Accuquilt cut HST pieces - 120 black triangles and 120 comic book triangles. 

If you are making your own half square triangles - here is a good tutorial from Jacquelynne Steves and a wonderful chart on what size to cut your squares.  She gives two sizes - one that allows wiggle room and further trimming - love that.  
If you are making this quilt in two colors you need 60 squares in each color.  Using a generous 7.25" square for your half square triangles so you can trim them after sewing - 2.4 yards of each fabric is the math.  I would go a bit more generous and get 3 yards but I always err on more than less.  The extra can always go towards the binding.

Materials:
Marvel Retro Comics Covers fabric
Wintergreen Aged Solids / Moda
Aurifil 50wt. #2600 (Dove) #2692 (black) #1148 (Turquoise)
Warm & White batting
Dimple Dot Minky in Peacock / Hawthorne Threads
Accuquilt Half Square Triangle 6" finished square
Thanks to Missouri Star Quilt Co. for the Starburst tutorial
Thanks to Jacquelynne Steves for the HST tutorial 
Size: 60" x 72"
March 2018

Half Square Triangle Quilt (#79)

A small half square triangle quilt made with Colette by Brenda Watson and shot cotton by Kaffe Fassett.  A great way to use left over fabric from quilts here and here.

It was fun to make a smaller quilt and try and use every scrap possible.  The half square triangles were cut using the Accuquilt 4.5" finished die.  

I used Aurifil 50wt. Neon Orange (#1104) to quilt in a wavy lined grid and love the way it showed up on the dark blue.  

My new goal is make a little quilt with the left overs after I finish a bigger quilt and it is proving quite enjoyable. I call them my "Franken-wennies" (homage to Tim Burton) - quilts that start out with no set design or size ... improvising all the way.

Materials:
Colette by Brenda Watson / Blend
Wovens in Blue Jean / Shot Cotton / Kaffe Fassett
Aurifil 50wt. #1104 / #2600
Warm & White batting
Minky / Azurite / Hawthorne Threads
Accuquilt Half Square Triangle / 4.5" finished
Size: 51" x 53"
June 2017

Heart Quilt (#76)

There are lots of different ways to make a heart quilt.  This time I wanted one BIG heart that could use up lots of red stash fabric.

It's fun to see how versatile half square triangles can be for the same motif - both quilts were made using the 4.5" finished Accuquilt triangle die.

To offset all the white on the top and bottom, I choose red minky for the back. The only compromise you have to make when using a dark minky on the back is that some of the colored minky may pull through and show on a light fabric top because it is so 'fuzzy'. A little color show through is a small price to pay for an overall great soft minky quilt.

Quilted with Aurifil 50wt. #2311 (muslin) in a wavy stitch, I followed the seams first and then sewed down the middle (right to left & top to bottom) to create little "pillows" that are about 2" square.  

Once it is all washed and dried these little quilted pillows create such a nice texture.  After making more than 30 quilts with minky backing I find simple grid quilting works well. 

Materials:
Various scrap fabrics
Warm & White batting
Dimple dot minky / red
Aurifil 50wt. #2311
Accuquilt 4.5" finished HST die
Size: 60" x 70"
April 2017

Gypsy Caravan Half Square Triangle Quilt (#72)

Amy Butler's Gypsy Caravan was just being re-printed in 2012 when I started to quilt - how lucky am I.  No matter what quilt block I have used - this eclectic collection never disappoints. 
                Here is how I made the blocks:  

Starch and iron fabric - and cut with the Accuquilt 4.5" finished Half Square Triangle die. For each block you need:  12 HST in white and color - and 4 HST in all color.

Layout your block as shown above.  It helps to have one handy on a wall for reference. To complete the quilt I just made more half square triangles to fill in the edges.

Aurifil 50wt. Muslin (#2311) on the front and variegated French Lilac (#3840) on the back were my secret weapons for quilting - along with lovely Kona white.

I have had quite the hoard of Gypsy Caravan over the years - and grabbed up enough Turkish Paisley in anticipation of having it for a quilt back one day.  

Why it is easier to start a new project than finish old ones - this quilt top was made in 2014.  For no real reason it just sat there while I sewed a ton of other quilts!  I forgot how big I trimmed the squares, how many triangles to cut ... so many details.  

I look forward to the day when my orphan projects are finished and white knuckle it to do only one at a time ... here's hoping anyway :)  

Materials:
Gypsy Caravan by Amy Butler
White Kona
Warm & White batting
Aurifil 50wt. #2311 and 3840
Accuquilt 4.5" finished HST die
Size: 62.5" x 81"
February 2017