Half Square Triangles

I prefer not to cut a square diagonally and sew two triangles together to make a square. I do not like those small points entering my sewing foot space or my feed dogs. Especially when I have to make 112 of them. 

I prefer Jo Morton's method of cutting squares, marking two diagonal corners and sewing on each diagonal 1/4 " away from drawn line on both sides.

Once all four lines have been sewn then comes time to cut! First cut a horizontel and vertical cross on your square.

Then cut on your drawn lines that are diagonal.

You now have eight half square triangles. You must now trim them to the size you wish. To do that I use My Eleanor Burns half triangle square up ruler! Love this ruler!! You leave square folded flat do not press yet. You will trim al sides at once , so coooool!

I needed a three inch half triangle block so I put ruler with 3" marking on the seam line and cut both sides!

Until I had a pile like this. Sweet! As my grandson would say, or is the correct wording "That's Sick!"  Sometimes I really do not understand their slang. It is ready to press open now. The formula that I use to figure out what size square to cut is 2 A (A being size of block when finished,mine was three) plus half of an inch (Mine would be 2(3  !/2 ") = 7 "  So I used a 7 inch square to make eight half square triangles. Now I only have an eighth to trim off if you want a bigger leeway in trimming add more than a half of an inch.

I also finished another diamond!

Another peek at Virginia's star quilt...

I have got to get back to work, chit chat later! Martha.