Kas

Ok. Just one more! this quilt has half square triangles added to the end of 6"x18.5" unfinished rectangle. I don't want to just cut a 6" square and flip it because that wastes so much fabric that I can't afford to waste due to yardage challenges :roll: . What size square do I need to cut so I can cut two triangles from it that will fit my 6x18.5 rectangle?

MTS

Sorry had a typo. All fixed.

A 4.25" square should be almost an exact fit, with a thread or two over.

Six divided by 1.414 = 4.243

I'd cut the square at 4.5" and trim it down after you've attached it to the rectangle end. Just make sure you've centered it, and not stretched the bias edge.

Kas

Do you mean 6.25"? I tried to just reduce by .5 like I did on the other pieces, but it is still too big. So I will try to reduce it by .75. Thanks!

MTS

I think we have a little communication problem here. :mrgreen:

I should have asked for a picture of what you were doing, as I'm still not sure (see below).

Below are three options:

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I read in your op that you wanted to cap the top of the rectangle with the triangle (see purple below). And my typo fix last night apparently didn't go through - sorry - as the square should have been 4.75" with the inclusion of 1/2" for seam allowance. The square would be cut in half ONCE diagonally to make two HST's. Is that what you wanted - were these for corner triangles?

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However, if you need it to be like the pink triangle, there are two options depending on where it's going.

The starting square would be 6 3/8 exactly (just as if you were making a HST).
5.5" + 7/8" = 6 3/8"

You would match up the right angles when you attached it, and the little dog ear would hang over the edge.
But ...what goes on the other side of of the pink triangle to square it off????

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OR
are you really trying to make setting triangles because your blocks are set on point? Big difference. HUGE difference.

THOSE triangles would not be HST's (cut once diagonally), but QST's (cut twice).

Then you would start with a 9 1/8" square and cut it TWICE diagonally to get 4 QST's. You might want to starch the squares before cutting them, and handle the triangles carefully as there will be 2 exposed bias edges.

Here's the calculation:
5.5" (Finished size) x 1.414 plus 1.25" = 9.027 (round up).

That way the outside edge of your quilt (or block) would not have any bias edges (which is a good thing). ;-)

Again, you would always start by matching the right angles when attaching the triangle. Don't pull on it or stretch it when placing it. And before you sew the stitch line, just open it up a bit to make sure you have the triangle going in the right direction.

Also note that all the square sizes above are exact measurements. I always like to add a little fudge room in, so I would cut them a little bit bigger.

Play with paper first if you're trying to conserve fabric - but make sure to mark the grain on the paper before cutting.

Thusnelda

Why don't you try drawing it on a piece of paper? That's what I have done in the past. If you see the geometry it's way easier doing the math or rather you don't have to do the math because you just add the seem allowance on paper and measure the resulting triangle.

JulieTN

Another way to make a triangle is to cut a square and add 2 smaller triangles to the corners... you m ight try that. Scrappy trick
Julie

Kas

I think I need to post a picture. It would be like the pink one except you need to flip the light pink down onto the dark pink. I am making the rectangle into what looks like fletching on an arrow. I will have to post a pic.

MTS

Off to look up what the heck a fletching on an arrow looks like. :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


OK, that didn't help. :lol: :lol:

A picture of the whole block or quilt would be very helpful.

This?

Kas

Nope! :lol: :lol: :lol: You know the shortcut where you take a rectangle that is say 3 x 6 and then take a 3" square and lay it right sides together over one end. Then you sew from one corner to the 3" mark at the other, far corner of the square. Next press the loose corner of the now sewn square toward the other corner so the right side of the square is now showing, but now it is a triangle. It's a short cut for making star points and such.

candi

Do you mean flying geese?

See if this helps you.

http://www.patchpieces.com/files/flyinggeese.pdf

Edit: sorry, forgot you are working with rectangles not squares...I am sure MTS has an answer for you though :thumbup: