What do you do with your bonus triangles? Those are those triangles that you cut off when you make snowball blocks or other types of blocks.
I ended up with a shopping bag full of baggies of bonus triangles. I held on to these, wondering what I would ever do with them. They make such small half square triangles. So much effort for such little blocks.
Well, I learned from Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville Quips & Snips! ) that instead of using a scrap between sewing pieces, to actually sew a small piece that you would use. Well, I decided to start sewing these triangles.
First I tried with 1/2 square triangles. I sewed an ice cream containers worth. While they are nice 1/2 square triangles, they finish at 1 1/4". When I tried to sew them into a 4-patch, the bulk at the center seam was awful, given the size of the block.
Then I decided to treat them as 1/4 square triangle blocks. This means the bias is all on the outside. Well, I found that 1/4" seam needed to be extra scant. More than a scant 1/8" seam.
Note that I spin the center seam to reduce bulk.
This give me a 2 1/2" (2" finished) quarter square triangle block. Or a 6" finished 9-patch.
Now I got all the bonus triangles from other quilters. Quilters really can throw away a lot of fabric when they cut blocks such as snowball, or corner triangles. Now, I have made a lot of quarter square triangle blocks, and have sewn a number into 9-patches.
This really is free fabric, except for the alternating 2 1/2" squares that I'm using to eliminate the bulk of all the triangles meeting up.
What have you been sewing during the pandemic and social distancing?
I ended up with a shopping bag full of baggies of bonus triangles. I held on to these, wondering what I would ever do with them. They make such small half square triangles. So much effort for such little blocks.
Well, I learned from Bonnie Hunter (Quiltville Quips & Snips! ) that instead of using a scrap between sewing pieces, to actually sew a small piece that you would use. Well, I decided to start sewing these triangles.
First I tried with 1/2 square triangles. I sewed an ice cream containers worth. While they are nice 1/2 square triangles, they finish at 1 1/4". When I tried to sew them into a 4-patch, the bulk at the center seam was awful, given the size of the block.
Then I decided to treat them as 1/4 square triangle blocks. This means the bias is all on the outside. Well, I found that 1/4" seam needed to be extra scant. More than a scant 1/8" seam.
Note that I spin the center seam to reduce bulk.
This give me a 2 1/2" (2" finished) quarter square triangle block. Or a 6" finished 9-patch.
Now I got all the bonus triangles from other quilters. Quilters really can throw away a lot of fabric when they cut blocks such as snowball, or corner triangles. Now, I have made a lot of quarter square triangle blocks, and have sewn a number into 9-patches.
This really is free fabric, except for the alternating 2 1/2" squares that I'm using to eliminate the bulk of all the triangles meeting up.
What have you been sewing during the pandemic and social distancing?
You are so right, we do throw away a lot of fabric! Your blocks are so pretty! I save my little squares to make tiny 16 patch blocks that are then sewn together. Perhaps they'll be a colorful tablecloth! Thank you for sharing!
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