Fairybread Quilts: Thangles

I have started the Civil War Diary Quilt today by making some of the blocks that can be rotary cut, while I wait for my CD to arrive from across the high seas. Most of these blocks have had Half Square Triangles (HSTs) in them, and my fave method to make them is by using triangle papers. I will use Triangles on a Roll if I want to make heaps of the same colour, but if I only want a few, I use Thangles.

Every time I use them after a certain period of time, I forget all the tricks, and make the same mistakes over and over. I often remember that there is a "trick to this" or "trick to that", but forget what that trick is. So, after today's little HST session, I have decided to record what I know to ensure instant success in the future. Most of you will be smarter than me and know what to do, but for those dummys like me, or for those that haven't used them - perhaps I can save you a little of the pain!

Step 1 is to get your fabric strips in the right order (see above). If you put the lightest strip up against the back of the paper, when you iron them all the seam allowances will be pointing to the dark side (see below). The 2 on the paper means that your HST will be 2 inches FINISHED, therefore you cut your fabric strips 2 1/2 inches wide, which is the width of the paper.

Step 2
Pin between each diagonal line, and sew up one dotted line, then skip across and sew down the other side. I have to take my 1/4 inch foot off as it has one of those irritating little guides on it that goes below the edge of the fabric. Use a fairly small stitch.

Step 3
Then cut them apart along the solid line. You don't have to be too accurate between the stitching lines as this is in the seam allowance, but it is good to cut the horizontal line with care. I sometimes use the rotary cutter or a pair of sharp scissors.

Step 4
Then to the ironing board. Put the little triangle paper-side down, then pick up the top piece of fabric, which will be the dark side, and flip it over and press. This is when the magic with the seam allowance happens.

Step 5
This part makes a big difference to the finished HST.

When you take the paper off it is very easy to start pulling the stitches out. I find that after the paper is off, the top stitches are slightly looser than the bobbin stitches, as there is a little gap where the paper was. If you start pulling the paper off willy-nilly, the seam often starts to come undone.

This is the best way I have found to do it. Don't pull from the pointy ends - the seam comes with it. Grab the paper at it's widest point and rip it gently to the seam, slightly towards you, then along the seam.

Then rip the remaining paper in the opposite direction, also along the seam.

Then get your fingernail under the paper in the seam allowance, and it should just pull out.

Cut off the little pointy bit sticking out, then you end up with your little HSTs all done with no tricky 7/8th measurements and no stretchy bias edges. Can you tell I just love 'em?

One last word of warning... sometimes it is easy to get distracted. I often find myself wondering which is the dark and which is the light side. Of course if you can't decide between the two, it doesn't really matter which one you put where. I do dwell on this, however, having had The Rules beaten into me.

(BTW, are you aware that there is an "Iron Your Seams Open" revolution building up momentum?)

Anyway, please notice the results below of not paying enough attention. I did notice while cutting them apart that the red was very vibrant, and had ironed two open before I realised my mistake.