Make 8 Half Square Triangles at a Time

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A Simple Formula Produces Finished Half Square Triangles in Any Size!

Half square triangles are used nearly as often in quilt designs as squares are. Therefore it will save you a lot of time to find a technique for making them that consistently works well for you.

Beginning quilters often cut triangles and stitch them together. Because this requires sewing across the bias, it’s easy to end up with distorted triangle squares.

Many methods have been developed for preventing stretching while stitching two triangles together.

The technique demonstrated in the video below will show you how to make 8 triangle squares at a time, and may be the quickest method we’ve seen. It’s very accurate, too, with little chance of stretching while stitching across the bias.

Make 8 Half Square Triangles at a Time

Image from “8 Half Square Triangles at Once Tutorial” from Patchwork Posse.

To start, use this formula to determine how large to cut your beginning squares:

  • the size of your finished half square triangles x 2 + 1 3/4″

So, if you want 2″ finished triangle squares, do this:

  • 2″ x 2 + 1 3/4″ = 5 3/4″

The number you end up with is the size to cut your beginning squares, in this case 5 3/4″ x 5 3/4″.

The ladies in the video like using a Quarter Inch Seam Marker (ruler) from Fons and Porter. It’s not necessary to have this tool but it will save you a considerable amount of time if you’ll be making a lot of triangle squares.

Get the Quarter Inch Seam Marker here.

Click here to watch the video at YouTube if it doesn’t play on your device.

 

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