In Saturday’s post, I showed you how I sewed a background square diagonally onto the end of a fabric strip for my Celtic Knots quilt. I promised to tell you what happened to the fabric in that corner!
I don’t like cutting off and throwing away a generous piece of fabric. So, after sewing the first diagonal line, I stitched a second line about 1/2-inch away from the first line…
Before cutting anything apart, I used the ironing method I learned years ago. First, I pressed the larger triangle into place and checked that it was straight…
Then I folded it back and pressed the smaller triangle, too…
Now that I KNOW both seams are properly pressed, I cut between the two lines of stitching…
I pressed them back in place and ended up with the strip I needed for the block and an extra half-square triangle (HST)!…
At some point, I’ll pull out my Bloc-Loc ruler and square up all these bonus HSTs. What will I use them for? Who knows! But they’re ready for a future project instead of going into the trash.
Great trick/tip. I recently attending an in-person where the instructor asked us to do this when we were making HST. She then took those tiny 1 1/2” HST. She made an amazing quilt from the smaller HST from the same class the previous year. It was an amazing piece. Your suggestion to press both at the same time great.
That is what I am hoping to do….use the smaller HST’s on the same quilt!! I have seen them used very effectively as borders. The pressing works great although it does take a bit longer to do!!