Welcome back to my Block of the Week sew along. If you haven’t figured out the theme to the blocks yet, you will soon. These blocks are all fun to make and, although some are a little more involved, I still think they are easy enough even for beginners. If you missed the start of the BOW sew along, you can find the first two posts here: BOW 1 and BOW2.
All these patterns are free too! That makes it even more fun. By the end of this sew along, depending on how many of each block you make, you can have enough blocks for a wall quilt, lap quilt or even a bed size quilt. As you will see below, I am making two of each blocks, one with a light background and one with a dark background. I may put them all into one big quilt or I may make two wall quilts, one light and one dark. We’ll see! On to block 3.
Block of the Week – Block 3
Once again I am using two of my favorite quilt designs in this patterns, churn dash and stars. This is kind of a reverse of block one with a twist. Here it is:
I call this block wagon wheel. Find the free instructions for this pattern here: 2026 BOW Block 3.
Here’s my version of the block with the dark background:
On to the tip of the week.
Making Multiple Half-Square Triangle (HST) Squares
This tip will not only come in handy this week (if you’re making multiple blocks), but may come in handy with other BOW blocks and other quilts you are working on.
Most of us know the standard way to make HSTs two at a time and the instructions for this are in the block pattern. But if you want to make even more at one time with less waste, here are the instructions. If you are applying this to a pattern you are working on that does not use this method, it may take a little math on your part to re-figure fabric needs.
Four HSTs at a Time: To start, you need to know the size of the unfinished size HST you want to end up with to know what size to cut your fabric pieces for this technique.
If you need your HSTs to measure 2 1/2 x 2 1/2″ (that includes the seam allowance), you divide that number by .64 and then round up to the nearest whole number. Here’s how that formula looks in action:
2 1/2 ÷ .64 = 3.906 – that number is then round that up to 4″
So, you will cut two squares each 4 x 4″ from the two different color fabrics you want for your HSTs. (first photo below), lay the two squares, right sides together, on top of each other and then stitch with a 1/4″ seam around the outside (last photo).
Since my thread doesn’t show too well on the above photo (finger is pointing to the seam), here’s a drawing of what it should look like:
The final step is to cut the unit apart as shown below and then press open the resulting units for four HSTs.
Since the size of the squares used here are rounded up to make these HSTs, they may need trimming to measure the unfinished size needed for the pattern you are making. Be sure to lay the 45 degree line of the ruler you are using for trimming on the diagonal seam for accuracy.
Eight HSTs at a Time: If the quilt pattern you are making has a large amount of HSTs made from the same color combinations, then the eight at a time method will be more efficient for you. Start with 2 squares that are each 2 times the size of the HST square you are making plus 1 3/4″. For an HST squares that measure 1 1/2 x 1 1/2″ (includes seam allowance) , here is the calculation:
1 1/2″ x 2″ = 3″
3″ + 1 3/4″ = 4 3/4″
So, you need two squares each 4 3/4 x 4 3/4″.
Draw two diagonal lines on the wrong side of one of the squares (photo on the left below) and then place your squares right sides together like in the four HSTs at a time instructions above. Pin the unit and sew a scant 1/4″ on each side of each drawn lines (photo on right below).
Cut the unit apart into 4 squares and then cut each square apart on the drawn diagonal line. You will have 8 units (last photo)
Once all the pieces are cut apart, you can use your Quilt in a Day triangle square up ruler like I do to make sure they measure correctly. If you don’t have that ruler, press them open for your eight HSTs and trim if needed with a traditional ruler.
So that’s all to making multiple HSTs! I recommend practicing with scrap fabric prior to cutting into that new fabric you just purchased to make sure you have the technique down.
A Little History
Half-square triangle squares, or HSTs, have been used in quilts as early as the 1790s with blocks designs like Broken Dishes or a simple Pinwheel. The 18th and 19th century way to make HSTs was to cut individual triangles, not the 2 square method we use today. Since this exposed the fragile bias edges, they often used paper templates to keep the fabric from stretching. Another method was to carefully cut two squares in half while they were right sides together and then hand stitched the seam on each set with as little handling as possible.
Sounds tedious! Thank the stars for sewing machines. But, we still need to be careful when handling these bias edges, especially if we have to “un-sew” some HSTs. You also need to press them open carefully, no back and forth ironing, so you don’t stretch the seam that way.
That’s it for this week! Join me next week for block 4.
Happy Quilting!
Deanne
