Skeeter Bug Quilts - New Pattern Coming Soon!
Half Square Triangles (HSTs) | Two-at-a-time
What is a Half Square Triangle?
It’s the work horse of many quilt designs! It is often one of the first block designs new quilters learn. Why? Because it’s super easy to sew, and it’s incredibly versatile. The variations of color and orientation create endless possibilities. Our Mid Mod quilt is a super easy pattern, made entirely of HST blocks.
The HST can stand alone as a block, or it might be a repeated element in a more complex block. I’m a big fan of tree blocks and basket blocks. While these are usually more advanced blocks, most of them have at least one HST. Can you identify the HSTs in the blocks below? Check out the Spring Garden block!
(Note: My source for the blocks below is The Album of Patchwork Patterns, by Jinny Beyer, published 2009. I've credited the blocks as shown in this book.)
Tree of Life, published 1949 by Marguerite Ickis, The Standard Book of Quilt Making and Collecting
Mrs. Hardy's Hanging Basket, published 1906 by Clara Stone, Practical Needlework.
Spring Garden, published April 29, 1942 by Nancy Page, Birmingham News
This Way That Way
Mid Mod
Skeeter Bug
When will you use the two-at-a-time method?
It is more common to use the eight-at-a-time method for most quilts; however, there are times that the two-at-a-time method is more appropriate.
- The two-at-a-time method is beginner friendly, so most new quilters start here.
- If you’re using fabric scraps for your quilt, you may not have fabric pieces large enough to use the eight-at-a-time method.
- The pattern you're using may not have eight HSTs of the same fabric.
So Let's Get Started!
Here's a list of what you'll need:
- A rotary cutter
- A cutting mat
- A square quilting ruler (you may also need a larger, rectangular ruler if cutting squares from a larger piece of fabric)
- Fabric marker
- Straight pins (optional but recommended for beginners)
- Thread (I like polyester for piecing, but you may prefer cotton)
- Iron and ironing board or wool mat
- Fabric squares cut to size
Now, follow the instructions below to complete your HSTs:
1) Cut your fabric. You’ll need two squares of fabric that are the same size. If you’re super accurate with your measuring, cutting and stitching, you can add 7/8” to the finished size of your HST. Want a 3” HST in your quilt? Cut a 3-7/8” square. When you finish, the HST will be 3-1/2”, ready to be pieced into your quilt design.
If you’re new to quilting, you can cut the squares a bit bigger to give yourself a margin of error. You’ll then need to trim the HST to the desired size. So, for the 3” finished HST, cut two squares 4”.
2) Using the quilting ruler, draw a line diagonally on one piece of fabric from one corner to the opposite corner.
3) Pin two pieces of fabric right sides together with the marked square on top.
4) At the sewing machine, sew a scant ¼” seam on each side of the line. A scant ¼” seam is just what it sounds like – a seam that is just shy of ¼”, but more than 1/8”. This is because a small amount of fabric is used up in the seams, and you don’t want the HST to be too small.
5) On the cutting mat, cut the square along the line that you drew in step 2.
6) Press the HST to set the seams.
7) Open the HST and press the seams to the side of the darker fabric.
8) Align the 45° line of your square quilting ruler with the seam of the HST. Trim the HST and remove the ‘tabs’. Allow enough room to trim the other two sides.
Rotate the HST and trim the two remaining sides to the desired size. The HSTs above are trimmed to 4" to create a finished size 3.5" HST.
9) That's it! These HSTs are ready to be stitched into your next quilt project.
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With the HST block in your arsenal, you have a powerful tool for creating unlimited quilt designs!
Questions? Please reach out to me with any questions or feedback. I’d love to hear from you!
