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Thursday, January 5, 2012

HST Block of the Month: January

Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month January Quilt Block Tutorial - In Color Order
Welcome to the Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month! For each month in 2012, I'll present a quick tutorial for a traditional quilt block using half-square triangles (HST)! It's going to be a lot of fun, feel free to join in at any time! For past posts see here.
 

Happy January! Today I'm sharing with you the first block of our block of the month series! This block is a fun variation on the traditional Sawtooth Star! Let's dive right in!

Cutting
Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month January Quilt Block Tutorial - In Color Order
Block of the Month: January, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.
Traditional Method:
- (8) 4" squares from background fabric (white)
- (4) 4" squares from print fabric (navy)
- (2) 4" squares from second print fabric (turquoise)
- (2) 4" squares from third print fabric (green)

Alternative Method:
- (4) 6" squares from background fabric (white)
- (2) 6" squares from print fabric (navy)
- (1) 6" squares from second print fabric (turquoise)
- (1) 6" squares from third print fabric (green)

Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month January Quilt Block Tutorial - In Color Order
Block of the Month: January, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.
1. Assemble your half-square triangles using either the traditional method, or the alternative method. Press seams open.

2. Trim your HSTs to 3.5" square.

Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month January Quilt Block Tutorial - In Color Order
Block of the Month: January, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.
3. Arrange your HSTs as shown in the image above.

Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month January Quilt Block Tutorial - In Color Order
Block of the Month: January, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.
4. Sew your HSTs into four rows. Press seams in alternating directions as shown above.

Half-Square Triangle Block of the Month January Quilt Block Tutorial - In Color Order
Block of the Month: January, a photo by jenib320 on Flickr.
5. Sew your four rows together, pinning where the seams match up. Press seams open. Trim block to 12.5" if necessary.

Voila! You're done with the first block! :)

If you create a block using this tutorial I hope you'll add it to the flickr group!

Happy Sewing!

24 comments :

  1. Great instructions! I love the colours you picked too :)

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  2. GAH! What a good idea. I'm hooked. Can't wait to begin. :) Will all the squares be the same size so we can make a 12-block quilt at the end of the year (a tiny quilt)?

    emilyaj2(at)yahoo(dot)com.

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  3. ooo! This is awesome. Consider me in!! Such a great idea to think of all the awesome blocks we will have by the end of the year! I'm making this tonight. Thanks Jeni!

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  4. Jennie! This is fun! I've picked out my fabrics to make this block. I wasn't planning on it but when I saw it, I couldn't resist! It's a nice manageable fun thing to do. I'll try to do it this weekend. Thanks! Toni

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  5. This is awesome! I might just have to make this tonight.

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  6. Lovely block. I wish you would make the tutorials in pdf for easy printing.

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  7. Oh, WOW!!! My computer's been down, I get on and you've got a project going I *MUST* do! THANK YOU, I am SO excited to do this! Do you hear me squealing from delight from IN? I think I'll talk my girls into it too...
    Lucy~

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  8. I'm trilled to have found your blog and what a great way to start 2012, at least one quilt will be completed this year, LoL.

    I wanted to ask if this is a controlled pattern or will batiks and/or scrappy work?

    I have a couple of 'fat quarter bundles' (dark colors from Thimbleberries that I'm not real fond of) most of my fabric is yardage (I'm an old seamstress and it's a hard habit to give up "gimme-2-yards" HAHAHA

    Now I've something special to look forward to each month ... THANKS

    PS: Your tutorials are wonderful and so easy to follow, thanks for the time it takes you I appreciate your hard work!!!!!

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  9. @Wivi - I found the directions/tutorial easy to copy and pasted into MS Office that way I get the pictures and if there are links I get those too.

    It's easy-piecing together, then I save them into a separate folder under my main folder "Jens Quilt BOMs 2012".

    Hope that helps a bit :D

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  10. How fun! I think an HST along is a great idea. I will have to bookmark this for later, but I will definitely enjoy seeing your version come together!

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  11. I really love this. I've been thinking about finding a good block for HSTs since I've got lots of fat quarters and scraps. Very, very pretty!

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  12. Looks like fun, I've never done a BOM, gonna give this one a go! Thanks!

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  13. Linda White aka wildyardJanuary 9, 2012 at 11:47 AM

    count me in on this one, I'm excited to join in on my first BOM ever.

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  14. Can't wait to get going on this fun project during our hot summer here in Australia!

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  15. I'm really keen to give this a go ~ I'm determined to learn more about quilting this year, and this seems as good a way to start as any! Thank you for putting this together, I am looking forward to getting started!

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  16. I am so glad that I stumbled upon this BOM project! In 2011 I did a block of the week...got behind a couple of times...My first thought was to do it super scrappy but I think I have changed my mind :)

    Happy sewing everybody and I look forward to seeing your blocks!

    Lori

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  17. Hi Jeni,
    LOVE your blog! I've made a couple of things using your tutorials and find that they are always well written and easy to follow! So looking forward to doing this BOM! I like the first one so much that I might whip up a lap quilt using just this block!
    Thanks!
    Karly

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  18. Hi! I am following along and I just wondered why you press the seams open? Is this a personal preference you use on all of your quilting, or is it something special for HSTs?

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  19. I've never done a BOM, and I'm really excited to try this one out. Thank you for the clear instructions and the pattern itself! You're amazing! :)

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  20. I have never pressed seams open before but I just made a different block with half square triangles and some corners are a bit bulky. I think I'll try seams open but I wonder if this weakens the seams.

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  21. Vou experimentar fazer...Obrigada pela aula !!!!
    Seu trabalho é lindo!!!!
    Bjs

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  22. I've trimmed to 3.5 but if I 've no seam allowance for my points on my squares ? Wondering what I've done wrong :/

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