1/2 Square Triangle Tutorial :)

Shortcuts, Tips, and Tools!!

for making your ½ Square Triangles.

Using Bloc_Loc Rulers allows you to be consistently accurate which will save you time and energy.  You do need to add a little extra fabric to your estimates but it is worth the time you save!


Below you will find 2 ways to Shortcut making your 1/2 Square Triangles.

(Sizes chart to cut fabric for multiple sizes of ½ Square Triangles is at the end of this post.)

THIS is a link to download the 6-page PDF below.

Hope this helps you with your 1/2 Square Triangles!
Enjoy!

Octa-Go-Round NHMQG BOM June

Here's the NHMQG BOM for June 2014

(yes, I know it's July!)

Pattern: Octa-Go-Round PFD download.

(This pattern works similar to last month's 

Octa-Go-Round

 which includes an applique video. You can check that out here)

Step 1: Cut Background fabric 14” square (will be cut down to 12 1/2” when all applique is done).   Fold background in half 14”x7”, iron, then fold in half 7”x7”, iron, then fold one outside corner to top to make triangle, iron, then tip over and do again with other side, iron.  This should leave you with a square with 1/8 triangles ironed as shown below that you will use to line up your Octagons.

Step 2: Layer 2 pieces of Freezer Paper, draw Octagons Templates onto the Freezer paper and cut out the Freezer Paper Templates.  (I cut the number of  each Octagon needed to make the process quicker—amounts needed are given on each Template.)

You can stack  pieces of fabric then iron freezer paper to top leaving space for seam allowance. (I used 6” squares of each fabric stacked so I could cut several of the  at once.)

Cut Fabric using the Octagon template made from freezer paper adding with 1/2” seam allowance all the way around using your clear ruler and rotary cutter. Remove Freezer paper.

 

Step 3: Take one piece of fabric base bottom/back side facing up.

Take freezer paper with shiny side UP and center on fabric. Fold Octagon side #1 onto freezer paper (see template A for order), iron fabric.  Turn Octagon to side #2 repeat, then repeat until all 8 sides are ironed down.  

 

I found that I needed a little glue to hold down sides 5 through 8, use sparingly.

Step 4: Leaving freezer paper in, using glue stick, place glue along folded/ironed fabric on back.  

Tip your Octagon over and place your first Octagon into the middle of the 14” square using your ironing lines to center it.  Iron down. 

 

 

Tip the fabric over and iron again.  At this point you can continue to place as many of the 19 Octagons onto the background as you have ready or you can add them one at a time.  *** Allow for space as noted between the Octagons.  I used my eye for what looked good to me. See picture for details.

 

 Step 5: Once your Octagon(s) are ironed down you will machine applique the base Octagons onto the background using Mono-poly Thread. 

***You will work from the biggest to the smallest Octagons removing the Freezer paper as you go.  You should NEVER be sewing into more than one piece of Freezer paper. And NEVER THROUGH THE FREEZER PAPER, only at it's edge.

I use a simple zig-zag stitch set at 1 for width and 2 for length.  Using NEEDLE DOWN is helpful as you pivot the corners.  I set my foot so that the Left stitch is JUST inside the Octagon then the Right stitch is just outside the Octagon on the background fabric.  If you stitch too far in then it will be difficult to remove the freezer paper in the next step.  I always backstitch 3 stitches at the beginning and end of sewing each Octagon down to lock the thread.

Link to video of Applique with Mono-Poly Thread Tutorial

Step 6: Once you have sewn your first layer Octagons onto the background, tip over the block.  Using a seam ripper, make a hole at 1/4”-1/2” from your stitch line.  Take a pair of scissors and continue to cut out the small shape of the Octagon from the background fabric. Pull on the sides of the fabric and the freezer paper Octagon will detach from the stitching.   Remove the freezer paper.  I like to iron the block again before moving to the next step. 

 (Hexie pics shown - same technique)

Step 7: Tip the block back over and using the same steps place the next smaller size Octagons centered on the larger Octagons. Place, sew down, remove the freezer paper.   For the center Octagon which has three layers you will repeat this step again.

Here is my collection of NHMQG - BOM so far

 I'm loving this color scheme :)

BOM #4 is Paper Pieced - demo by Susie B!  

Check back after our July 8th meeting for more details and the pattern!

Circle Tutorial plus NHMQG BOM!!

Hello,

Here in Southern New Hampshire we have started a new Modern Quilt Guild - New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild.  Trish and I are co-VPs which means we get to run programs!  We introduced a 12" modern BOM last month using the Modern Quilt Guild's 100 days _ Week of Techniques _ Target Practice Quilt Block

 I adapted the block down to a 12" and presented a tutorial on Easy Set-In Circles. 

This is the Tutorial for the circles, also known as the 6-minute circle, and there is a video of the sewing at the end.

For this tutorial we will be making a circle in a square.  

Supplies:

1 - piece of fabric - outside 8"x8"

1 - piece of fabric - center circle 6"x6"

Iron / Ironing surface

Scissors

Freezer Paper (shining side adheres - iron on dull side)

Acid free glue stick (I like the purple - the color disappears but you can see it as you are working along)

 

On your ironing surface gather your supplies.

 Cut 2 pieces of 8"x8" freezer paper and iron one onto the other.  

Doubling up the freezer paper makes it much sturdier and easier to work with. 

*Always iron on dull side of freezer paper.

Trace a 5" Circle in the center of the freezer paper and cut it out as shown above.

Iron the freezer paper onto your 8" piece of fabric 

(my freezer paper is cut to 7" so that you can see the fabric on this demo.)

 Flip the fabric/freezer paper over and iron the fabric side down to be sure that it is well attached.

 Flip the fabric/freezer paper back over and pinch the fabric up and cut into the fabric about 1 inch from the freezer paper. 

 Continue cutting all the way around the circle.

 You then begin making cuts from the center to just outside the freezer paper.

  

NOTE: You do NOT have to go all the way to the freezer paper.  I cut to about 1/16" before the freezer paper and you will see in following pictures that the fabric very smoothly folds onto the paper.

 

Next you take your glue stick and run a LIGHT layer of glue all the way around the circle on the freezer paper.  

(Light on the glue as you will be releasing the fabric later and what goes on will have to be taken off!)

 

 You will now take the fabric and carefully pull it up and place it onto the glued area of the freezer paper.  Do the first one or two as shown below to get it started.  You may find a Purple Thing, or other tool may be helpful, but I usually just use my fingers. 

 If you look closely at the picture you will see that once you have the first piece of fabric pulled up it pulls the next and so on.  Now take your Iron (I use a cotton setting) and working your way around the circle, iron the fabric onto the freezer paper.

 Once you have all the pieces ironed to the freezer paper you will run another LIGHT layer of glue onto the fabric (it's ok if it hits the freezer paper but easier in the last step of this project if you don't)

 

 

Next line up you 6" square evenly over the 5" opening as shown.

 

  

Once you are sure it is centered, iron it down.

Flip over the block and iron the front as well.  Look closely at the edge.  
If you have any areas that aren't flat now if the time to fix them.  
You can easily release the fabric from the freezer paper and replace it if needed.

Once you are happy with your block, lift the front fabric off of the freezer paper but 

DO NOT REMOVE THE FREEZER PAPER!  

Many tutorials tell you to remove the freezer paper at this point but I leave it in. The freezer paper makes a perfect circle for your sewing needle to sew just inside.

Now you take the circle to your sewing machine.

NOTE: USE NEEDLE DOWN!

 Using Needle Down will help you as you are working along to pivot the circle as you go.  You will now sew JUST INSIDE the freezer paper.  

(If you happen to hit the freezer paper it can easily be pulled out after.)

When you have worked all the way around the circle continue on top of the original thread for an inch or so to lock down the thread.

 Now is when you remove the freezer paper.  Push the fabric away from the freezer paper until the glue lets go.  Work your way around the circle until all of the freezer paper has been released. 

TIP: if the paper isn't releasing easily there is probably a lot of glue.  Use your iron to heat up the area which will make the paper remove more easily.

 

 Once the paper is out turn over the block and you have your circle!

Iron the circle flat.

 

 The last step is to trim the smaller square and glued fabric to 1/2" from the sewn circle.  Be careful to hold the fabric away from the front.  

 Flip it over, iron it one more time, and you are done!!

Here's a video of the sewing that I thought might be helpful!

VIDEO of sewing the circle:

Having trouble viewing? Here's the YouTube link!

Here is the information from the BOM & the link to the MQG original block tutorial:

NHMQG -  April 2014 BOM

Target Practice

12”x12”

Supplies:

1-14”x14” background fabric

8-6” right triangles (replaces 10”)

8-3” right triangles (replaces 7”)

2-14”x14” freezer paper sheets

1-acid free glue stick

NOTES - changes from MQG's original version to the NHMQG BOM block: 

We will be resizing Target Practice Quilt Block to 12”x12”.  The supplies in the alternate sizes are listed above.  The web address for the tutorial is:  http://themodernquiltguild.wordpress.com/2012/03/11/100-days-week-of-techniques-tutorial/  
 

Please note the following changes to the tutorial:

1) 10” convert to 6”, 7” convert to 3”. 

2) Skip steps 8 through 11 & use your favorite circle tool or household items that measure 9 ½”-10” and 4”+-

(I found a plate and candy dish worked for me)

3) CHANGE - Step 18 – use light coat of glue stick (see next step below)

4) CHANGE - Step 20 – LEAVE THE FREEZER PAPER IN! while you sew, AND sew with NEEDLE DOWN just inside the freezer paper as this makes it much easier to work with. THEN remove the freezer paper.  (You don’t need heavy glue doing it this way.)

Would love you to add any circles you make to the comments so I can see them!

Huge thanks to hubby Eric for the great pictures and video!!

Marie