Check this out. Here's an easy, quick, and super-precise way to make half square triangle with strips. Lie the strips right sides facing, and sew a 1/4" seam down BOTH long sides.
Then slice it up like this using a 45 degree triangle ruler. It's important that you line up the measurement consistently to the stitched seamline.
The little sewn tips just pull apart. Open them all up and press. Done. You just need to clip the little ends off. This method has no waste except for the ends of the strips.
You can do this with any size of strip. Mine made 3.25" squares.
And check this one! My blogpal at Describe Happy uses charms to make them. You end up with 4 matching ones which makes instant pinwheels or bears paw toes. : ) Click here to see her post!
Another tip is to chain piece. Instead of stopping and starting, you just do your machine piecing like this, all in a row and clip later. Just keep feeding them through. It will look like this:
And lastly, to get the PERFECT 1/4 inch seam, take a ruler and measure one of your sewn seams to find out how big it really is. If you seams are off a bit, you can adjust where the needle falls by setting it yourself (use the stitch width button on straight stitch setting for computerized machines). If you love to use a 1/4 seam guide foot but cannot adjust the machine needle yourself, then your tech can.
Share your tips below or link to relevant blogposts you may have pertaining to PIECING. And thanks for sharing!!
~Monika
10 comments:
Love this tip using the long strips! I have something in mind with HSTs...this tip will come in handy. Thank you!
Check out Michelle's post on the Periwinkle Quilting blog, March 19/10 for a quick easy way to make scrappy four-patches.
Joyce
So cool!!! Both tips! Now I want to do some triangle blocks!! Here's a blog post I did last fall with 9-patch blocks: http://becky-beckysblabber.blogspot.com/2010/10/9-patch-quilt-tip.html Basically you just sew them in the order that they're going to be in. Makes it easier to keep it all organized.
Oh, your good!! I can't wait to give those strips a try -- seems nice and easy! And I'm blushing... thanks for sharing the pinwheel method!! I never consider myself an expert, but am happy when I can share something to make it easier for someone to give it a go!
I {sew} enjoy these tip days!!
p.s. thinking of walk should totally count! Does snow shovelling count? We are getting nearly a foot again today --booo!
Hi Monika, another new idea (at least for me) for making pinwheels I learned this week from Jenny Doan at the Missouri Quilt Company in an online class.
Lay two 5" charm squares right sides together, stitch a 1/4" seam around all four sides...then using your ruler, cut diagnoally one way, flip it around and cut diagnoally the other way. You now have 4 half-square triangles from one 5" block!
Love these Tuesdays, I learn so much from you all...so thanks, and stay warm!
Darn, should of checked out "Describe Happy"'s blog before I posted above, that's exactly what I was talking about....oh well, I tried. LOL!
Ah! Great minds think alike. That's what Christie did at the link to Describe Happy. It's jsut SO cool, I had to link it. I'd never seen that before!!
I have another tip... always press before and after everything you stitch. Having the seams lie nice together by pressing in opposite directions makes piecing so perfect.
FUN FUN
any more!? I'll go look up Michelle's post. Thanks everyone!
Hi! Love your Tips on Tuesdays idea. Just keep in mind that with sewing your two strips together and then cutting triangles to get your HST's, you now have bias edges on all four sides of those HSt's - unless you cut your strips on the bias to begin with... Same with Gailanne's idea above with the Charm Squares - sounds great. but again gives you all four sides on the bias.... Just sayin'....
Right about bias edges. Most people hate them. I always use an even feed foot and have never had problems fortunately.
: )
Monika
petite leçon de patch interessante merci
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