Civil War Tribute Quilt

Civil War Tribute Quilt
Another UFO

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Directions for Cutting Half Square Triangles Using the Half Square Triangle Ruler

This method of cutting Half Square Triangles will save you time and fabric.
1. Determine the unfinished size of the unit needed. Example: If the finished size of the Half Square Triangle is 4", add 1/2" to get the unfinished size. (The extra 1/2" is for the seam allowance.) Cut a strip of fabric the unfinished width. Example: If the unfinished size is 4 1/2", cut a 4 1/2" strip of fabric.
2. Use the Half Square Trianlge Ruler to cut Half Square Triangles. Find the 4 1/2" measurement on the ruler and place at the edge of the strip, as shown. Cut along the diangonal edge of the ruler. If you are cutting several HST units, stack several strips and cut several at a time. You can stack up to 4 strips to cut.


3. The unit will look like this:
4. Flip the ruler over and cut another Half Square Triangle. Line up the angled edge of the ruler with the angled edge of the fabric (as shown above). The top edge of the fabric should be at the 4 1/2" line and the tip of the ruler should extend beyond the bottom edge of the fabric.

5. Turn ruler around, line up on HST and cut off tip. Stack several HST and cut several at one time.

6. When sewing these units together, line up the pieces and sew ont he diagonal edge. Press to the darker fabric. The "dog ears" are already cut off, so you will save time not having to do this after sewing.

7. If you are cutting squares the same size ase the HSTs, cut them from the same strip of fabric.

2011 Current River Scrappers Quilt Guild BOM

We are starting a new Block of the Month at the Current River Scrappers Quilt Guild for 2011. Join me each month to get the pattern and directions for each block. Directions posted here will use a Half Square Triangle ruler and a Quarter Square Triangle ruler. You can use any brand you want. They all work the same. Most, if not all, the blocks are cut from 2 1/2" and 4 1/2" strips. I purchased a Fat Quarter bundle and some yardage for the background for my quilt. You may use scraps, Fat Quarters, or purchase yardage. In the FQ bundle I purchased, there were 4 colors of fabrics: Blue, Red, Brown, and Beige (which I used for the background).

I will also be posting a Setting Block for the quilt later this month. There are 13 Setting Blocks for the quilt. With a 6" border, the finished quilt will measure 96" x 96". Please post pictures of your progress and your finished quilt. I would love to see what you did.

January's BOM is called Water Wheel. Instructions are for cutting Fat Quarters.

Block #1 Water Wheel

Fabric B (Background) - Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip: Cut 4 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangles (HST)*

Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip: Cut 8 - 2 1/2" squares

Fabric A - (Fabric A is the main color of my quilt) - Cut 1 - 4 1/2" strip: Cut 1 - 4 1/2" square and cut 4 - 4 1/2" Half Square Triangle (HST)*

Fabric C - Cut 1 - 2 1/2" strip: Cut 8 - 2 1/2" squares


Sew Fabric A - 4 1/2" HST to a Fabric B - 4 1/2" HST to make a 4 1/2" HST Square. Make 4.

Sew 2 Fabric B - 2 1/2" squares to 2 Fabric C - 2 1/2" squares to make a 4 Patch unit. Make 4.

Lay out Block as shown below. Sew rows together. Press seams away from HST. When sewing rows together, the seams should lock together for easy sewing.

*[See Directions for Cutting Half Square Triangles Using the Half Square Triangle Ruler]