Half-Square Triangle Tricks
Welcome to day 3 of the Minnesota Designers Blog Hop! The excitement and activity are only getting better each day! For more information about what this Blog Hop is about, click here.
Let me introduce myself, in case you haven’t stopped by before. I am a quilt pattern designer and have been in business since 2002. I learned to sew when I was about 7. My mom taught me while she made clothes for all four of us girls. I loved playing with the fabric scraps and making Barbie clothes from them 
.
As part of this Blog Hop, I am doing a tutorial on making Half-Square Triangle Blocks (HST for short). When I write my pattern instructions, I use the traditional (Finished size + 7/8″) measurements for cutting squares to make half-square triangle blocks. This measurement is just a starting point. You can use triangle paper, Thangles (TM), Tada Triangles, or whatever technique suits you.
The formula for cutting a square to make a Half-Square Triangle Block is: Finished size + 7/8″. For example, if your HST is supposed to be 2″ finished; cut the square 2-7/8″.
TIP - If you prefer to square-up your HST blocks, add 1″ to the finished size. The units will be a little bigger than they need to be and you trim them down to the right size.
Here we go….
Method 1: Sew Before You Cut
1. Square is 7/8″ larger than the finished size of the Half-Square Triangle Block (HST for short).
2. Draw a line from corner to corner on lighter fabric.
3. Sew a scant 1/4″ from both sides of the line. Scant means just a thread less than a full 1/4″.
4. Cut apart on drawn line to get two HST blocks! Press to the darker fabric and trim to size as needed.
Method 2: No Math Method
1. If you are using 3″ squares to make a block like this one and need to make an HST that will fit, simply use two 3″ squares; a light and a dark.
2. Place fabrics right sides together and draw a line from corner to corner on the lighter fabric.
3. Draw a SECOND line 1/2″ away – this will give you a bonus HST that is 1″ smaller than the large HST.
4. Sew ON THE LINES, actually just a hair inside would be even better.
5. Cut apart between sewn lines and press to the darker fabric.
6. The large HST will fit perfectly with the plain 3″ squares in the four patch block above.
7. The BONUS block can be squared up to 2″ and saved for a scrappy project.
BLOG HOP GIFT: Today only (June 24) if you order anything
from my website, you will receive an additional gift valued at $5.00.
What a lovely idea this blog- hop is. Good luck with the next days.
This is how I make my HST too. I have a little box of all my bonus HSTs, it’ll be time pretty soon to put together a mini or something. This blog hop has been a fun experience.
Thanks for this great blog hop. Your tutorial is concise and easy to follow, thank you! I will be back!
Thanks for the great tip!!! I know it will come in handy.
My aha moment with HST! Have avoided them until now. Thank you!
Thanks for the tips!
I will look you up the next time I come “home”. MN is my original home (Minnetonka area), I now live in MT
Another tutorial that will come in handy for future projects. Thanks so much for taking the time and posting fotos and descriptions for the “rest of us”!
Thanks for the triangle tips. I do a lot with charm packs. This adds to my triangle ideas.
Great blog. You’re bookmarked now. Thanks for the information.
Thanks for the tips.
I love the no math method. Thanks.
Great Ideas….Amamzing how univeral this blocks can be applied! Love UR blog
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Thanks! I really like the no math version – will try it on my next invented block!
Thank you from a beginner. This will be so helpful to me.
I like that no math trick! There are so many scrappy HST patterns that I love but the thought of making 200 or so HST’s for them sounds insane. If you use that method, you can just collect them over time! Thanks!
I usually avoid patterns with triangles but after reading your tutorial, maybe I’ll give them another try. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing the tutorial on HST. I love to use thangles myself… Have a great day..
Evelyn
Very great tip. THx.
Thanks for the fabulous info.
Thanks for the great HST tips….always appreciated and very useful!!!
Thanks for the great tip on half square triangles, can’t wait to try it out.
Thanks for the HST tutorial; I like to make them bigger and
trim them to the right size also.
Thanks for the great tutorial. I’m especially lovin’ the 2 for 1!!!!
Love HST quilts. The second method is really neat. Never thought of it. Thanks
Thanks for making the hst’s easier to understand. I’m loving this Minnestota shop hop.Barbara
I like your tip on the method that makes a large and a small HST. I’m enjoying the hop. Happy summer to you.
Kathie L.
Thanks for the wonderful tips for half square triangles and for participating in the blog hop.
I have never made a large and small triangle this way…will have to try it. This hop has a lot of good information. Thank you
I have never done a large and small triangle, what an idea!!!! Very clear directions.
Had to try this out right away, so EASY!! Thanks!!
wow – what a scroll down for us late bloggers!!
hmmm….. does this make HST more fun??
I will try. maybe I will become a HST convert
Thanks for the tips! I’ll have to try the no-math method next time. I’ve always liked your patterns, now that I know about it, I will vist your web page. I’m really enjoying the blog hop, even if I am a little late.
Thanks for the great tips!
Thanks for the tutorial on half-square triangles. They aren’t my favorite thing to make but necessary for almost everything, it seems!
Thanks for the lesson.
Great tip for triangles and thanks for speaking at our guild meeting in June. Enjoyed your visit tremendously. Karen
wow! You Minnesota ladies are ubber talented!!! Thanks for the tips!!
Wonderful tutorial on the hst. Do I ever feel smarter!! Rebecca
Thank you sooooooo much for this trick. I think I have tried everything to work this one out, and it is just soooo simple. Will have to link you to my blog so that I dont forget the formula. Such a top idea this blog hopping.
thanks for the tips….
What a great idea.So fast and so useful.
Thank you for the presentation of the participants.
Ulla
Thanks for a chance to win and thanks for the tutorial too.
this is indeed very cool, I always sew my HST like this
[...] Half-Square Triangle Tricks [...]
Thanks for the tip. I usually make mine a little bit biggr, then trim them. I don’t like the extra step, but they are a perfect size.
I’ll have to give this a go!
Thanks for the tutorial.
What a cool idea – I’ve never seen them done this way before. This hop is a lot of fun!
ANY help with HSTs is greatly appreciated! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your descriptive tutorial on HST’s. I’ve often wondered what to add to get a certain size and didn’t know what the 7/8′s was for so I didn’t try it.
Gloria Uehlein