Half Square Triangles
Cutting and prepping half square triangles can be done a few different ways. Each method has it’s pros and cons.
Method 1: Cut out triangle shapes, and stitch the connecting seam. Makes 1 unit. Pro: Accurate. Con: Time consuming
Method 2: Cut out square shapes, stitch a 1/4″ seam allowance on either side of the center diagonal, and cut the triangle units apart. Makes 2 units. Note: The “Magic 8” is doing this 4 times on a single larger square and then cutting apart, which makes 8 units. Pro: Fairly accurate. Con: Measuring and drawing the seams and cut line can be time consuming.
Method 3: Cut out square shapes, stitch a 1/4″ seam allowance around the perimeter of the square, and cut two diagonals. Makes 4 units. Pro: Easy. Con: Bias placement causes stretch.
Method 4: Cut long rectangular shapes (strips), stitch a 1/4″ seam allowance along the long edges, and cut alternating triangles from the strip. Makes ? units (dependent on the length of the strip and size of the triangles). Pro: Can make large volumes of identical units. Con: Measurement needs to be spot on.
