Making HST

If I am making up my own pattern--for hst cut 2 1/2" sqs; place 2 sqs right side togther; draw line diagonally and sew 1/4" on each side of line and cut in half and press. Each blco should measure 2" if not trim down. Better to have too much than not enough :)

-- Kathy in CA Quilting Stuff:

Thanks Kathy But if you need a lot of HST the same, does the strip method work or not? Thought I would ask. Will probably play around and experiment with the strip method to get the right size of hst

Ann

I thought the rule was add 7/8th to the finished size for HSTs? See although your seam will be 1/4th inch from your cut, it will be more than

1/4th inch along the side of the triangle. So your squares will come out too small.

Elena, having made that mistake before!! Don't ask!! But, going to doublecheck somewhere online.

I have seen descriptions of the strip method for making HSTs, but I have never tried it. It is one of the methods described by Fons & Porter in "Quilter's Complete Guide". I think there would be quite a bit of waste, especially if the squares are not real small. You could minimize the waste by using more than 2 strips; that is, use several strips of each color and sew them together, alternating the colors. If you cut the strips on the straight grain of the fabric, all the sides of the finished squares will be on the bias, so I think it would be best to cut the strips on the bias.

Julia in MN

When I made my Amish quilt this was how the blocks were made. I've never made the HST before and got to thinking that sewing the 2 strips together would be quicker but it didn't occur to me that this way would create HST on the bias. Thanks for pointing that out.

Ann

You can do it the way you describe but the strips need to be bias cut otherwise your finished edges of the squares will be on the bias - it would be easier for you to cut multiple hst by the block and grid method. Jennifer in Ottawa

------- Sun, Aug 10, 2003, 9:17pm (EDT+4) From: snipped-for-privacy@telusplanet.nospam.net (Ann) Thanks Kathy But if you need a lot of HST the same, does the strip method work or not? Thought I would ask. Will probably play around and experiment with the strip method to get the right size of hst Ann "Kathy in CA" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@corp.supernews.com... If I am making up my own pattern--for hst cut 2 1/2" sqs; place 2 sqs right side togther; draw line diagonally and sew 1/4" on each side of line and cut in half and press. Each blco should measure 2" if not trim down. Better to have too much than not enough :)

I took a quilt class a couple of years ago, and it included using strips to make HST - but the teacher taught to cut the STRIPS on the bias - and then the HSTs would come out with straight sides. She also used 4-5 alternating colors of strips. It's a great way to make LOTS of HSTs in a hurry. ME-Judy

on> the bias. Thanks for pointing that out.

hi Ann, always add at least 7/8" to the finished size of the hst you need. this will also give you enough for the seam. so for a 2inch hst when its in the quilt, start with 2 7/8" sqs of fabric. two different fabrics back to back, draw diagonal line across and sew a scant 1/4" either side of the line, then cut on the line. press towards the darker fabric.

you can start with strips of 2 7/8" wide or bigger sqs/rectangles of an appropriate size. i'm off to find some of the urls i got in my favs folder with pix of some of the various ways.

geez, half the sites i got bookmarked dont exist any longer, how rude!!! hopefully these two, arghhh only two sorry bout that, will show you an easy way for you.

by the way if you dont trust your scant 1/4" or just want to err on the side of caution, cut your starting sqs at one full inch bigger than you need. then you can/might have to trim afterwards. hope this all works out for you. good luck, jeanne*

I add 7/8ths too thats how I was taught Flossy Malvern England

***** Queen of Plaids ******

Thanks everyone for your insight!! I was wanting to "mass produce" hst so was curious about the strip method. Then I remebered I had bought a package of Thangles. They were 2" finished size so I worked with those last night. Turned out great. Now if only I was happier with my colour choice. I started doing the tumbling blocks using the hst pattern. I am doing it mainly in purples and the one colour is too dark.

However, it's only a lapsize and I wanted to do something in hst before I start on the Barrister Block pattern that I really want to do. So all is not lost.

Ann

Ann, if you are doing a Barrister's Block, please consider using the strip method. I made a basket quilt last year with LOTS of HST's in it, and the strip method saved my bacon! And the answer to your original question is: make the bias strips one inch wider than the finished width of the square...so for your 2" finished sqs you would cut 3" bias strips.

I also recommend the Fons and Porter book "Quilter's Complete Guide". It is really quite excellent. Only criticism...the table of contents could be a lot better!

Cheers,

Lynne in Toronto

.................................

Ann wrote:

I'm back and will commence rabble rousing tomorrow!

Cheers,

lynne >

Lynne, have you made the Barrister Block? I saw the pattern a couple years ago and knew I had to make it :) My colours are pink and burgundy.....very subtle pattern.

The Thangles are a hst template. Cut at 2 1/2" wide (same width you would cut your strips) with cutting and stitching lines right there for you. They are really slick

However, I will probably try the bias strip method when I start the Barrister Block. Maybe this winter when I have more time to work on quilting.

Ann

The problem with this method would be that all the outside edges of the HST units will be bias edges. Are you sure you want to do that?

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That's the one. I bought the bias-rectangle ruler a few years ago, but the instructions were missing. I dug out that book and found I already had all the instructions I needed.

Hullo Mardi The strips are intended to be cut on the bias themselves. Then the triangles are all right. . In article , M. Wetmore writes