Tag Archives: Quarter Square Triangles

BlockBuster #9 – Three In One

This block requires your Tucker Trimmer I and V Block tools. BlockBuster 09 Three in One provides 3 different possible block layouts. The block is made up of V Block, Combination & Quarter Square Triangle units. I’m making Block 1 as a 12″ block, with 4″ finished units.

All of the units in these three blocks are the same (and placed in the same location), yet just by rotating the units and changing your fabric placement, you’ll get three very different blocks.

These are my fabric choices. I will be making Block 1. I decided where I wanted my fabrics in the block by looking at the colors in block 1 and assigned my fabric choice for the units.

I need four V Block units with the center triangle cut from the background fabric and the side triangles cut from each of my four fabric colors. For a 4″ finished unit I cut a 5″ WOF strip of the background and each of the four fabric color groups. (check the Size Cutting Chart in the tool instructions and on the tool itself.)

The center unit is a Quarter Square Triangle made from each of the four fabrics. I cut a 5 1/2″ square from each of my four fabrics. ( Check the Size Cutting Chart in the tool instructions.)

The corner units are Combination Units. Each combo unit is made from fabrics that match the side triangles on either side of the V Block units and the background fabric. Cut 2 each 5 1/2″ squares from each of the four fabrics and four 5 1/2″ squares from the background fabric.

V Bock Units

Everything you need to know for making V Block units is in the tool instructions. I’m starting with the V Block center triangles. To cut the center triangles, layer no more than two layers deep. Fold the ends deep enough to accommodate the slanted cut for a 4″ finished unit and finger press it.

Position the tool on the strip so that the dashed line labeled “Fold Line for Center Triangle” is aligned with the fold and the correct size line of the tool is against the bottom edge of the strip. Trim along the slanted edge of the tool and unfold to reveal the center triangle pieces.

Move the cut triangles to the side and flip the strip over from top to bottom. Align the center triangle trim line with the previously trimmed edge and cut your next pair of center triangles. For this block you need four center triangles.

For the Side triangles. place the strips facing each other, either right sides or wrong sides together on the cutting mat. Locate the bold solid line on the tool that reads “Cut Line for Side Triangles”. Position that line against the trimmed end of the strip and the proper size line against the bottom of the strip. Trim along the slanted edge of the tool.

Cut one set from each of the four fabrics.

Lay out the V Block units, making sure you are lining up the long edge of the side triangles with the edges of the center triangle. Position pieces right sides together lining up the slanted cut edges “tip to tip” and stitch one side triangle to the unit. Press toward the side triangle. Position second triangle, stitch & press as shown. Repeat with the other V Blocks.

Lay the V Block unit on the cutting mat with “V” pointing toward you. Lay the tool on the unit aligning the “Finished Size” measurement with the seam lines. Trim up the right side and across the top. (For left hand cutting directions see tool instructions.)

Lift the tool and rotate the unit. Reposition the tool on top aligning the correct “Cut Size” measurements with the previously trimmed corner and “X” with the sewn seam intersection. Trim up the right side across the top.

Quarter Square Triangle – Center Unit

Check the Size Cutting Chart to determine size of the starter squares. For 4″ finished units cut one 5 1/2″ square from each of the four colors. Make half square triangles (HST) by marking two diagonal lines on the back of 2 of the fabric squares with your Magic Wand, stitch on the lines and cut apart. Press seams toward the darker fabric. Do Not Trim. Check your fabric placement choices to determine which fabrics to make HST’s out of.

Note: When making half square triangles, combination units and quarter square triangles, you will be making two units at a time. You can make two blocks or save the units for something later.

On the back of one of the HST’s, use your Magic Wand and mark two diagonal lines. Position the HST units right sides together, carefully nesting the sewn seams. Stitch on the lines, cut apart and press swirling the center.

Position your Tucker Trimmer over the pieced unit. Carefully align both the common diagonal and the size diagonal lines over the sewn seam lines. Trim up the right side and across the top. Lift the Tucker Trimmer tool and rotate the unit. This time be sure to position both the common diagonal, the size diagonal lines and the outline of the square to the exact measurement desired. Right hander’s trim up the right side and across the top, while left hander’s will trim up the left side and across the top.

Combination Units

Check you fabric placement choice to group your fabrics for making the combo units. There are three 5 1/2″ squares (one background & 2 darker fabrics) for each combo unit. Start by making half square triangles (HST) by marking two diagonal lines on the back of one of the darker fabric squares and placing it right sides together with the other dark fabric square. Stitch on the lines and cut apart and press. Do Not Trim. Do this for each color group.

Mark two diagonal lines on the back of one HST. Place one HST on one background square centering it and stitch on the lines.

Cut apart and press toward the large triangle. When you make combination units with this process, you are making mirror image combo units. You will only need one set of combo units for one block. Deb Tucker has a Non Mirror Combo Technique Sheet that shows you how to make only the combo units you need.

Position the Tucker trimmer over the unit, carefully aligning both the common diagonal and the size diagonal with the stitched seams. Right hander’s trim up the right side and across the top, while left hander’s will trim up the left side and across the top. Lift the tool and rotate the unit. This time line up both diagonal lines and the outline to the exact measurement desired and trim as before.

Lay out your units and stitch into rows, pressing as shown.

Stitch your rows to make your block. I now have BlockBuster’s #1 – #9 completed! Time to make a quilt!

Mini Love

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As an Island Batik Ambassador the products featured in this post were given to me by Island Batik.

Do you like mini quilts? Part two of Island Batik’s Ambassador February assignment was to make a mini quilt 24″ square or smaller. I chose a simple block.

I used Island Batik Neutral Buttermilk & Mini Flower Carnation Pink, plus 2 fat quarters from the Galentine Day Bundle, one red for the star points and another red for the border.

I decided to make 4 blocks. Each block has a center square, 4 two color quarter square triangles for the star points and 4 half square triangles. My block units are 2 1/2″ finished, and the block measures 7 1/2″ finished. I decided to start with the half square triangles (HST). For four blocks I would need 16 HST. With my Tucker Trimmer I, I can make two at a time. Deb Tucker has a new Technique Sheet called “Eight at Once”. This technique sheet has a chart that gives you the fabric requirements for oversized HST in 11 sizes. For 16 – 2 1/2″ finished HST I would need two 7″ squares of the Mini Flower Carnation Pink and two 7″ squares of Neutral Buttermilk.

Using my Magic Wand, draw diagonal lines on the wrong side of the lightest fabric. I also marked the vertical halfway mark & the horizontal halfway mark.

Stitch on all four diagonal lines only.

First trim the vertical halfway mark & then the horizontal halfway mark. Then trim in between the stitched diagonal lines. And, all at once you’ve got 8 HST.

Press toward the pink. Do you know that “what ever you are pressing toward…goes on top”? That means lay your units with pink fabric on top. Set your seams, then push over the pink fabric and press.

Lay your unit on the cutting mat. We always trim our units to the cut size. My units are 2 1/2″ finished, that means the cut size is 3″. Find the whole circle on your Tucker Trimmer, align the 3″ diagonal line on the HST’s diagonal line and center it. Trim up the right side and across the top. Rotate the unit, align the just trimmed edge with the 3″ clean up line, again align the 3″ diagonal, trim up the right side and across the top. If you are left-handed, position your unit to the left and the whole circle on your Tucker Trimmer would be positioned to the left also. You woud trim up the left side and across the top.

Now we will make our Quarter Square Triangles (QST). I check the chart in my Tucker Trimmer instructions. For 2 1/2″ finished units, my starter squares should be 4″. For all four blocks I need Eight Red 4″ squares & Eight Pink 4″ squares. Using my Magic wand I draw 2 diagonal lines on each pink square. Layer one pink square with one red square aligning the raw edges. Stitch on both diagonal lines and cut apart.

We are going to press toward the red , so lay your units red side up and press as before. Divide your HST’s into two even piles. Using your Magic Wand draw two diagonal lines as shown above on half of your HST’s.

Position one HST marked with the stitch lines with a HST without the stitching lines, right side together, and opposite colors facing each other. Align and nest the center seams.

Stitch on the lines and cut apart. Swirl the center as shown above and press.

Position the Tucker Trimmer over the pieced square. Carefully align both the common diagonal and the 3″ size diagonal lines over the sewn seam lines. Trim up the right side and across the top. Rotate the unit, line up the Tucker trimmer again. This time be sure to position both the diagonal lines and the outline of the square to the exact measurement of 3″, trim up the right side and across the top.

Cut four 3″ red squares for the block centers. Lay out the block as shown above.

Stitch the units into rows, press the seam as shown.

Stitch the rows together and press as shown.

Make all four blocks. I added sashing. I cut two 1 1/2″ x 8″ strips and joined the two blocks on top row, and then the two blocks on the bottom row. I cut three strips 1 1/2″ x 16 1/2″. I joined the top row to the bottom row and added a strip on either side of the square. Cut two strips 1 1/2″ x 18 1/2″ for the top and bottom of the square. Note: Always measure your blocks for accurate sashing measurements.

From another Galentine Day fat quarter I cut 3″ outer borders. I finished it with my Hobbs Cotton Batting. I stitched in the ditch and bound it with some Island Batik Neutral Buttermilk. It was pieced & quilted with Aurifil Mako 50 thread.

This is a sweet simple quilt. Reminds me of Forest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get”, these blocks look like nicely wrapped chocolates. Happy February!

BlockBuster 4 – Capital T Variation

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This is a great block. 04 Capital T Variation requires the use of your Wing Clipper I, & Tucker Trimmer I. You’ll be making flying geese, combination units and quarter square triangles. The supply list shows 3 block options. I chose the first 3 color combination because I’m using some Kim Diehl fabric with a cream background for all my BlockBuster’s so I can make them into a cohesive quilt when I’m done. You have 3 size choices. I chose to make mine 12″ blocks with 4″ finished units.

All the instructions you need to make the units required for this block are with your Wing Clipper & Tucker Trimmer. In both there are size charts that tell you what size to cut your starter squares depending on the finished or cut size of your units. When making your block you will want to pay close attention to your color placement.

Remember when making your flying geese, your large square becomes the body and small squares become the small triangles in your geese. I have cut my starter squares to make 4 geese with a blue body and gold wings, and 4 geese with a gold body and blue wings.

On the backs of my small squares draw 2 diagonal lines using your Magic Wand.

Position two small squares on your large squares right sides together as shown above paying attention to your fabric choices. Nudge your small squares in toward the center just a thread or two (about a 1/16″). This will give more to trim off later.

Stitch using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance.

After stitching, cut apart.

Press toward the small triangles. Remember “what you are pressing toward – always goes on top”!

Position one small squares on the corners of the previously pieced units, nudging the squares away from the edges as before.

Stitch using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. Cut apart.

Press toward the small triangles.

Position your flying geese unit pointed toward you (left handers see your Wing Clipper instructions). Align the diagonal lines on your tool with the seams in your unit. As you can see I’m am making a 2″x4″ finished flying geese, so the cut size is 2.5″x 4.5″. Trim the two sides as shown.

Rotate your unit and reposition the Wing Clipper to align the previously trimmed edges and the X at the top with the intersection of the seams and trim again.

Repeat with all your flying geese units. I now have two sets of 2.5″ x 4.5″ flying geese.

Combination Units: after checking my size chart I know my starter squares for 4″ finished units are 5.5″. I cut one gold, one blue and two background squares, all 5.5″.

Combination Units start by making half square triangles.

I grabed my Magic Wand and drew two diagonal lines on the back of one of my gold 5.5″ square. Position the gold square on the blue with right sides together and align the edges. Stitch on both lines using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. and cut apart.

Press toward the dark triangle. Grab your Magic Wand again and draw two diagonal ines on the back of both Half Square triangles.

Position each half square triangle on a 5.5″ background square, right sides together centering it. Stitch using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. Cut apart as shown above.

You now have 4 combination units. Note: this process creates units that are “mirror images”.

Position the Tucker Trimmer over the unit, carefully aligning both diagonal lines with the stitched seams as shown and trim.

Rotate the unit and line up the Tucker Trimmer again. This time be sure to position both diagonal lines and the outline of the square to the exact measurement desired and trim again.

Four beautifully trimmed combination units for the corners of our block.

Quarter Square Triangles: Check your size chart. These are 5.5″ starter squares.

On the back of my gold square I have again used my Magic wand to draw to diagonal stitching lines.

Position the gold square over the blue square, right sides together, aligning the edges. Stitch using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance and cut apart.

Press toward the dark triangles. Using your Magic Wand Draw 2 diagonal lines on the back of one half square triangle.

Position the two half square triangles right sides together, making sure the colors are opposite each other (my gold is against the blue and vice versa) carefully nesting the seams as shown above.

Stitch using a scant 1/4″ seam allowance. Cut apart and press swirling the centers as shown above.

Position the Tucker Trimmer over the unit carefully aligning both diagonal lines over the seams lines of the unit. Trim two sides as shown.

Rotate the unit and line up both diagonal lines again along with the outline of the unit to the exact measurement desired and trim. Only one quarter square triangle is needed for this block center.

Layout your units as shown above being careful of color placement. Notice the body of my geese follow the colors in the quarter square triangle. And the colors in the combination units are the same as the wings on the geese.

Stitch your geese together in pairs as shown above.

Stitch 3 units into a row as shown above.

This shows how I pressed the block. The outside rows were press toward the combination units, while the center row was press toward the quarter square triangle. This allows the rows to nest nicely.