Half-Square Triangles...HSTs

Peg's comment, "One of my bug-a-boos is those *** triangles - somehow they always end up out of square!! Got any tips?" 

Well, I don't think any of this is new, but I'll show you what I did for my November block. This may be new to someone...

I cut out two 2+7/8" squares of fabrics.

Then I draw a line, corner to corner.

Then I stitch a scant  1/4" seam from the line on one side...

... and another "scant"  1/4" seam on the other side of the line.

I end up with this...

I cut on the drawn line, and have two triangles...

It is very important to set the seams with the iron at this point. Doing this sets the stitch line into the fabric, which aids in a finished crisp seam. 

 At many retreats, I see a lot of quilters omit this step.

Then I open the triangle, iron a nice crisp seam, and I have one of two HSTs. I check to make sure I haven't ironed a fold in close to the seam, which would reduce the size of the HST.

Now I check to see if I've got the proper 2+1/2" finished HST.

 You can see I have a tad to cut off. This is because I used a scant 1/4". It is better to have some to trim off at this point, than to be short... I make sure my diagonal line on my ruler is on my seam line before I cut...

My trimmed HST. Oops! My ruler shifted when I grabbed my camera, and didn't notice till my photos were on the comp...

... and here is the 2+1/2" HST.

Sewing the two HSTs together... 

 I made sure my seam was just shy of a 1/4". When you have a lot of pieces like this in a block, you can easily loose 1/8" to 1/2" in your finished block.

Two joined HSTs... Measures 2+1/2" x 5+1/2"...

 

 In this sample I used two 2+7/8" squares, to end up with two 2+1/2" HST sections, like in my November block.

There was a lot of dense seams/intersections on that block, so it is equally important on how you direct the seams while sewing. and then pressing, so the block lays as flat as possible and hopefully end up the correct size... I lucked out on this block!

 In my September block, I started off with two 4+7/8" to get two 4+1/2" HSTs.

In this October block I started off with two 3+7/8" to get two 3+1/2" HSTs.

I hope this info is helpful to some of you quilting blog readers...

Happy stitchings...

Myra

CCC Group BOM Project...

My November Block is done!!

Two weeks ahead of time yet!! Not like me at all... I knew it was going to be a hard one, so it would be best to get at it right away... Now it is out of the way "YAHOO" and I can focus on my row for our Row Robin Project that is due soon...

This block had seams galore!!! Too many in my mind, considering that this was supposed to be a BOM of simple blocks... I know many gals in my group will struggle with this block also...

I did lots of picking and resewing...

I did manage to achieve a 12+1/2" finish though...

Hard to do with so many seams...

I made duplicates of the first 2 blocks, and made a simpler November block for myself, though the 4 patch is quite striking in appearance, I wasn't about to battle another today... 8-)

Tomorrow I will show you some Show & Tell photos...

Happy stitchings!

Myra

CCC Group BOM Project...

This is October's BOM that my group is doing.

It is due tomorrow...

You can find September's block here...

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An observation... I have noticed, finally, that a lot of my posts are way too long... Lots of photos are fine, but I am getting too long winded, which takes too much time to prepare.
Also, I know for myself, I don't care to read posts that have too much to read, cause I don't have time for that, as I would imagine this to be for others... I am not a good "skim" reader...
So, I have been trying, but now I am challenging myself to always do short posts from now on...

This is the first one... Or was it too long?
Do you think I can do it?

Myra

PS: Just had to fit this in! Check out this post on Lizzie's blog. Amazing!

Retreat Photos...

Here are the gals that attended our Fall Retreat!
Where's Waldo Myra? 

Where's K from QGBs? I'll never tell! You will have to ask her... 8-)

On Saturday morning I was the first name pulled/called for a door prize!!! I rarely win anything!!! Woopee!!!
This is a great book!!! Love it! 8-)

Then, after lunch, the gals presented me with this yummy cake as a thank you for organizing the retreats... I enjoy doing this for them... and attending them myself of course!!!
This was our 7th retreat in 3 years!!! Wow! 

Thanks ladies! 8-)

Now for some of the projects worked on over the weekend...

These photos may not show very well due to cropping them from much bigger photos... I missed taking lots of photos at this retreat... I was so wrapped up in this new facility we tried out, that I was out of sorts for the most part...

This is our CCC's BOM November Block, that Gb handed out over the weekend...

... and here is her sample for us...

Lots of fussing in this one...

We are having such unseasonal weather here that is unbelievable!!! We should be dealing with snow and cold, and instead we are having wonderful jacket-less weather!!! It is suppose to reach 15*C tomorrow!!! Unreal!!! I'll take it!!! 8-)

Myra

Saturday Sampler Blocks & Quilt Retreat

There was a lot of room to spread out at the retreat, so I had the chance to lay out my Saturday Sampler blocks to photograph for those that have requested to see them all together. I had to figure out what arrangement I wanted anyway.

This is not the final layout though, just one of many photos of them... I have gotten a fair amount of sewing done on them this weekend, but forgot to take a photo of them before I cleared it all off the "display" floor... Duh...

This is where our retreat was this time...

Beautiful grounds, and a wonderful facility...

Main Lodge back behind the "slow" post...
Ya! I forgot to take a lot of "good" photos this weekend... 8-(

Everyone had a great time! 8-)

I came home from the retreat to find hubby preparing for a fish-fry (which somehow Ruby ended up with fishy cooking oil all over her head... Great! Time for a bath) dinner for some family members he invited.

Later we had a couple of mean games of Skip-Bo...
Fun stuff! Thanks DH!!! ;-)

More photos to come,,,

Myra

No more Saturday Sampler Blocks @ Six

My Sampler blocks, you've seen all 25 of them in a pile on the previous post ready to go to a quilt retreat this weekend. As you read this I am busy putting them together! "Hopefully" I will have the whole quilt top done to post about next week...

I leave you with a photo of my fur-girls, dressed and ready for a walk with DH yesterday... He suggested putting on their "jackets"... Getting too cold out there for them now, for the long walks...

Hope you are all having a great weekend!

I know I am!!! 8-)

Myra

Slow progress & getting it in gear!!!

 Finally getting my butt in gear and making some progress in the sewing room...

Made my binding yesterday...

 When I make binding for a large quilt I wrap it onto a ruler as I make it to avoid all the tangling...

 Then I slide it off the ruler and store as such till I am ready to use it...

 While I was at it I made binding for another quilt I hope to finish soon too... Hollyhocks wall-quilt!!

Today I made the label for Mr & Mrs Rose's quilt (about time), AND finally attached it and the binding to the quilt. I worked on the binding at my Country Rose group tonight...

When I got home this evening I realized that I am far from ready to go to the quilt retreat this coming weekend, so set to doing that by FINALLY squared up my 25 Saturday Sampler blocks, and getting the rest of my fabrics together to make the top... which should have been put together by now, but that is why I call myself a "sluggish quilter"...

 Here is some Show & Tell from this evenings gathering of the Country Rose ladies...

This is Gk"s place-mats (awaiting binding) to go with newly painted walls in her kitchen... Very cheery! 8-)

 This is Jb's Christmas place-mats. Tonight she was working the binding...
You'll be all set for the festivities J! 8-)

 This is Jb's table topper ready for quilting...
Great colors for Fall!

Pc was binding a big quilt that I've shown before here, and Cd was looking through magazines and entertaining us with conversation as she lost her project bags somewhere between home and the gathering... 

Hey! It happens!! lol!

Sewing related photo & writeup on Lego a Day blog...

Cute! Click on link...

 Dora, "Mom, Ruby won't come out to play."

Ruby, "You know why I don't want to come out!"

 Dora, "Ruby come out to play!"

Ruby, "Nope! You just want to jump me!"

Dora, "Then I'm coming under there to get you!"

Dora has never ever crawled under that chair!!!
(yes there is dog hair on the floor! Pugs shed LOTS!)
8-)

Take care!

Myra