QF - HST

 

General description of patch:  the dreaded "Half Square Triangle", which is neither a half square nor a triangle, is a basic element in many quilt designs.  There are several ways to make them.  I prefer starting from squares because they are easier to work with than triangles.

Cutting directions:  In order for Quilty Friends blocks to consistantly create secondary patterns,  I have created them to be symetrical.  The pattern is the same in each quadrant of the block.  Consequently the half square triangle patch, in the Quilty Friends context, always comes in sets of 4 and is always in the position of edge patch.  These directions are for 4 patches.

• Cut 2 light 5 1/4" squares
• Cut  2 dark 5 1/4" squares. 

Piecing directions:

• Draw one diagonal line from corner to corner on the wrong side of each 5 1/4" square of background fabric. (You should have 2)
• With right sides together, sew background squares to coordinating squares just shy of 1/4" from the line on both sides of the line. This will result in a square of fabric with two parallel lines of stitching about 1/2" apart running diagonally across the square.
• Cut along the drawn line creating 2 triangle shaped pieces from each square.
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, open the triangles and iron seams toward the darker fabric.
• Trim squares to 4 1/2" inches.

QF Hour Glass

 

General Description:  This block is made from four small triangles with two of them the same color.  When placed in the edge position on a Quilty Friends block the same colored triangles will either create an on point square around the center block, or better yet points to an eight pointed arrow.

Cutting Directions: to make 4 blocks, for a total of 16 pieces

• White -
• Cut 1, 5 1/4 square.
•  Sub-cut this diagonally twice into 4 small triangles. .

• Blue  -
  • Cut 2, 5 1/4 inch squares.
  • Sub-cut these diagonally twice into 4 small triangles each for a total of 8 small triangles.

• Red  -
  • Cut 1, 5 1/4 inch square.
  • Sub-cut this diagonally twice into 4 small triangles.

Piecing directions:

• With right sides together, sew 4 small blue triangles to small white triangles making 8 large triangles.  Sew them with the same orientation each time.
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, iron seams toward the white fabric. The finished large triangles should be identical.
• Sew 4 small blue triangles to small red triangles.  Again, you want each set to look just like the one before it.
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, iron seams toward the red fabric. The finished large triangles should be identical.
• Snuggling seam allowances together (they should be going in opposite directions) and pinning at seam, sew large triangles, in pairs, to create 4, 4 ½ inch squares. These squares should have an “hour glasses” of blue fabric. The other two sides of the squares should not match each other.
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, pop center stitch and iron seams in a spiral. All 4 squares should be identical.
• Trim squares to 4 ½ inches.

QF Square in a Square Plus

General Description:  This block is a square in a square.

Cutting Directions: to make one block

• Pink - cut 4, 2 1/2" squares
• White - cut 1, 4 1/2" square

Piecing Directions:

• Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of each 2 1/2" square (there should be 4)
• Align a 2 1/2" square with a corner of the 4 1/2" square with right sides together and drawn line parallel to the corner.
• Sew next to the diagonal line.  Place your stitches just tot he corner edge of the line.  I used the presser foot as a guide and let the line go under the metal right at the edge of the sewing area.
• Fold 2 1/2" piece back to reveal a 4 1/2" square with one colored corner.  There should be three pieces of fabric meeting in one corner.
• Press toward corner.
• Do this to each corner of the 4 1/2" square.
• Leaving a 1/4" seam allowance, trim the excess fabric from the back of block.

Helpful to remember:  To alter the size of this block....

• Determine the size of the finished block that you desire.
• Add 1/2" to all sides (seam allowances)
• Cut a square of fabric this size for the base of your block.  (That would be the white in the example above.)
• Divide length of patch cut by 2 and add 1/4"
• Cut four squares of fabric this size for the corners of your block.  (That would be the pink in the example above.)

Using the example above the math works like this.

• My finished block is 4" square
• Add 1/2" to all sides and I get a 4 1/2"
• Cut a 4 1/2" square for base of block
• Divide 4 1/2" by 2 and get 2 1/4"
• Add 1/4" to that and get 2 1/2"
• Cut 4, 2 1/2" squares for corners.

QF House Block

General Description:  This block is made of two fabrics with high contrast.  The finished element resembles a house, or a very fat flying goose.

Cutting Directions:  for one block - 3 pieces

• White - cut 1, 4 1/2" square
• Green - cut 2, 2 1/2" squares

Piecing Directions:

• Draw a line, diagonally on the wrong side of each 2 1/2" square
• Align a 2 1/2" square with a corner of the 4 1/2" square with rights sides together and the drawn line parallel to the corner.
• Sew next to the line.  Place your stitches just to the corner edge of the line.  I used the presser foot as a guide and let the line go under the metal right at the edge of the sewing area.
• Fold 2 1/2" square back so piece is a 4 1/2"  square with one colored corner.  There should be three pieces of fabric meeting in one corner.
• Iron toward corner.
• Do this a second time on an adjacent corner.
• Leaving a 1/4" seam allowance, trim excess fabric from the back.

QF Corner - Basic

General description of block: This is a half square triangle block with one side bisected.  It is the corner stone (no pun intended) for the Quilty Friends block of the month program and will create a secondary pattern of pinwheels when constructed correctly.  The directions for this block are written using the colors in the diagram above - in order for the pinwheels to appear you must use highly contrasting colors when you design your quilt.

Finished size of this block is 4" (4 1/2" actual, including future seam allowances)

Cutting directions: (12 pieces)

• Red-
• Cut 1, 5 1/4 inch square.
• Sub-cut this square diagonally into 4 small triangles.
• Yellow -
• Cut 1, 5 1/4 inch square.
• Sub-cut this square diagonally into 4 small triangles.
• Other -
• cut 2, 5 1/4 inch squares.
• Sub-cut them on the diagonal into 4 large triangles for corner blocks.  

Piecing directions:

• Sew one dark and one light small triangle together to make one large triangle.
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, iron seams open.
• Sew each set in the same order.  The finished large triangles should be identical.
• Using the right angle to align the pieces, sew each two colored triangle to a large single fabric triangle. Trim the excess seam allowance (this should all be from the large single fabric triangle).
• Being careful not to warp the triangles, iron seams toward the large single fabric triange. (The side with the least number of seams) Trim square to 4 ½ inches.
• Make 4 identical squares