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    Half Square Triangle Short Cuts: a Video Demo

    Last Modified: August 13, 2022 by Amy · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 21 Comments

    Half Square Triangles are one of the most common building blocks for many quilts – traditional or modern. I thought I’d share my favorite tip for getting them done quickly and accurately.

    Half Square Triangle Short Cuts featured by top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter: Amy Smart Hopscotch Quilt Pattern - made by Katie Blakesly for Pattern Drop

    How to Make Half Square Triangle Quilt Blocks:

    My Hopscotch quilt (pictured above) is an example of a quilt with a lot of repeated half-square triangle pieces. Since this pattern has a bunch of half-square triangle blocks, I had some help from Katie Blakesley of Swim Bike Quilt shooting a video with some helpful tips for mass-producing lots of half-square triangles at once.

     

    This video shows how to make 16 half square triangle blocks (HST) at once. You could make more or fewer triangles- just draw your grid with half the number of squares you’d like to make at once. (If you need 18 HST blocks, draw a grid with 9 squares, if you need 24 blocks, draw a grid with 12 squares.)

    This method will work on any sized HST blocks. To modify for other sizes: draw your grid squares  ½″ bigger than the size of the finished HST blocks. So for example: in this demo we need 4 ½″ x 4 ½″ finished HST blocks -> therefore we draw 5″ x 5″ squares. If you need 3″ finished HST blocks, draw a grid with 3 ½″ x 3 ½″ squares, etc.

    Keep in mind: each drawn square only requires ONE diagonal line.

    And sew the ¼″ seam allowances on both sides of the diagonal lines – not the straight grid lines.

    Half Square Triangle Short Cuts featured by top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter

    Finally, this Quilt in a Day ruler* is still my favorite. It makes such quick work of squaring up HST blocks.

    There is a 6 ½″ x 6 ½″ version as well as a bigger 9 ½″ x 9 ½″ option.

    Half Square Triangle Short Cuts featured by top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter: Short-cuts for making and squaring-up multiple Half Square Triangle Quilt Blocks at once. Video tips and time-saving tutorial.

    The ruler basically cuts your squaring-up time in half since you’re only cutting two sides, instead of four. Keep in mind as you use it that you are always lining up the corresponding marked measurement for the size you need on the seam of the block you are squaring-up.

    Half Square Triangle Short Cuts featured by top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter

    So there you go! This half square triangle method is especially helpful when you’re making LOTS of HST blocks at once. I know it can feel tedious, but having an accurate HST block will make a huge difference when you go to piece your quilt!

    Hopefully these Half-Square Triangle tips will save you lots of time and help you get quickly through that least favorite (but oh-so important!) job.

    Grey and white modern neutrals quilt

    You can find more information about the modern gray and white quilt in the photos here.

    Half Square Triangle Short Cuts featured by top US quilting blog, Diary of a Quilter: Short-cuts for making and squaring-up multiple Half Square Triangle Quilt Blocks at once. Video tips and time-saving tutorial.

    Did you find this half square triangle blog quilt tutorial helpful? Pin this image so others can find it too!

    *FTC Disclosure: this half square triangle post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of those links I may receive a small commission, so thank you for supporting Diary of a Quilter when you shop! All of the opinions are my own and I only suggest products that I actually use. 

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    Filed Under: half-square triangles, Sewing for Your Home, Tips and Tricks Tagged With: Half Square Triangles, short cut, tutorial, video

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. dolores

      December 08, 2017 at 8:23 pm

      Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant!!!:)
      xo

      Reply
    2. Mabel

      December 09, 2017 at 4:48 am

      You are the Best! Thank you for this tutorial. Thaks to you, I made my first HST quilt 3 years ago and Quilted too.
      Wish you and your family a wonderful Holidays ???

      Reply
    3. Susan

      December 09, 2017 at 4:49 am

      Great video, allows you to make any size you need.

      Reply
    4. Patricia M Simmons

      December 09, 2017 at 6:17 am

      Great tutorial Amy!

      Reply
    5. Linda

      December 09, 2017 at 9:32 am

      Awesome! So helpful. I have that lovely ruler and didn’t know that was how I can use it!! I’m starting a new quilt with lots of HSTs so this will help me tons! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Abbie

        December 10, 2017 at 3:06 pm

        Same here Linda! I had that ruler forever and did’t know how to use it until I took a HST class at Quilt Con last February!

        Reply
    6. Mommaknowsbest

      December 09, 2017 at 3:50 pm

      Excellent, excellent, excellent! And pretty darned good, too!

      Reply
    7. BjoLiz

      December 09, 2017 at 9:42 pm

      Nice video. Thanks for the clever tips.

      Reply
    8. Adriene O'Connor Grzenia

      December 12, 2017 at 7:18 pm

      I love, love, love your tip for squaring up. Awesome

      Reply
    9. SaraJane

      December 12, 2017 at 10:39 pm

      Great video! It was so helpful as I am a visual learner. I just added that ruler to my shopping cart.

      Reply
    10. Gloria Elswood

      March 19, 2019 at 8:40 pm

      WILL this work with stripes and one way fabric?

      Reply
      • Amy

        March 20, 2019 at 7:43 pm

        It will work, but the stripes will be going different directions.

        Reply
    11. Linette Stewart

      April 27, 2019 at 7:07 pm

      You always have the best tips and tutorials Amy – thank you!!!

      Reply
    12. Alvine

      June 02, 2019 at 7:16 am

      Thank you for this video I am going to try it now..you are great with sll your tips.

      Reply
    13. Anne Wheeler

      May 02, 2020 at 5:14 pm

      Your blog is my favorite quilt blog: so informative and user friendly! Thanx!

      Reply
      • Amy

        May 02, 2020 at 8:31 pm

        Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that!

        Reply
    14. Theresa

      March 31, 2021 at 11:17 pm

      Haven’t tried the tip but very excited and I really appreciate the video

      Reply
    15. Teresa

      June 18, 2021 at 5:54 am

      I am currently working on a half square triangle quilt and my next project has some too. I will use your method on it to get it going quickly. Thanks for the clear directions.

      Reply
    16. Kathryn Linn Bruhn

      July 26, 2022 at 12:18 pm

      thank you, I love HST Quilts. I will have to try this soon.

      Reply
    17. Marilyn Curtis

      January 03, 2023 at 9:32 pm

      If you make a HST and trim before you open it by lining up on your seam line – won’t it be a bit off as when you press the seam it takes a bit of the 1/4 Inch in the pressing and then it be be slightly off?

      Reply
      • Amy

        January 04, 2023 at 12:17 pm

        Great question. My blocks come out accurately sized every time. You can experiment lining up the ruler just a thread above the seam line if needed so that you get the accurate size block when you trim. Thread weight can play a factor – if you’re using a heavier thread it will cause more bulk in the seam line. I use a 50 wt thread for all of my piecing.

        Reply

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