Bucket of Half Square Triangles To Go...

For me a bucket of anything to go is good, but a bucket of half square triangles is even better. Do you remember a few posts back when I was making the 1930's spool blocks? I had mentioned that whenever I am sewing squares on the diagonal, I take the time to sew the extra seam and it gives me all the extra half square triangles (remember the bucket of them in the clamp Tool Time Tuesday). Well, here is a little tutorial on how I square up the little 1.5 inch half square triangles without using a rotary cutter. With this technique, you can square them up while watching tv, out on your porch, in the car or like me today...at the beach. I get antsy at the beach, so I always need something to do!!!!
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Here's the spool block.
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The 2 outer rectangles of the block are white and have 2 squares placed on each end. I drew the black line so you could see the direction of where the stitching will be.
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I sewed the first stitching line from corner to corner. Then I sewed again a 1/2" away from the first stitch line. I use a piece of blue painters tape to mark my machine so it goes faster.

Now simply cut between the 2 stitch lines.

For each of the 2 rectangles that you need for the spool block, you will get 4 little extra half square triangles.

The 2 on the left are for the spool and the 4 on the right are your extras, all ironed and waiting to be squared up.

Here's my bucket to go!!!!

The next few pictures are the tutorial for squaring them up without using a rotary cutter.
spaceFirst take the square and measure it. Mine are a little larger than 1.5 inches.

Take a piece of medium weight plastic, somewhat see through. I used a notebook divider. You can also use template material.

Cut a square to your desired size. Mine will be 1.5 inches. With a permanent thin tipped marker, draw a line from corner to corner.

Now place your plastic square on the fabric half square triangle and match the black line to the diagonal line of the seam.

With little sharp scissors, trim the excess fabric and the little pieces that are sticking out.

Here you have a finished half square triangle that will finish up in a quilt at 1 inch. Tiny I know, but oh so cute in a mini quilt!!

The next few pictures are different arrangements to use them in mini quilts or borders.

These last 2 pictures are of a little quilt I made using this technique. This was made with the extra half square triangle from a Thimbleberries quilt. I trimmed them all to 1 inch and the finished squares are 1/2 inch. The mini quilt is 7" x 9" with a matching pillow sham. I certainly didn't waste any fabric on that one!!!

I hope you can use this idea the next time you have to trim your squares. Just imagine yourself in a comfy chair, instead of hunched over your rotary mat with a pile of half square triangles staring at you.

Hope you have a great day,

~Karen~