Saturday, June 10, 2017

Mastering the HST

Jo's Little Favorites II
Half Square Triangle Challenge
17 x 20 1/2
Fabric from Stash

In 1961 Julia Child released her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  If there is one thing I have learned about quilting it is the role and importance of the HST.  I believe early in her quilting career, Jo Morton must have recognized and learned the importance of the HST.  She has mastered the skill of making HST and she isn't afraid to use.

  One of the quilts in Little Favorites II is called the Half-Square Triangle Challenge.  Jo choose to use two colors in this quilt:  pink and brown.  Since pink is not one of my favorite colors, my stash is limited with this color.  I choose the next best thing--pinky reds.  Red while a bold color sometimes have a pink color or orange color.

Here are some of the things I learned while I am on my journey to Mastering the Art of the HST:
  • Triangle papers are a girls best friend.  It is amazing how accurate and fast HST can be sewn together using triangle papers
  • No matter how accurate I sew and press, HST always need to be measured and trimmed.  Yes, cutting off those dog ears does make a difference
  • Itty Bitty Rulers are also a girls best friend.  
Gardening work (pulling weeds) has cut into my sewing time, but has not stopped me from digging into my fabric stash and pulling fabric for my next HST challenge.

Meadow by Blackbird Designs
(Backing fabric)





8 comments:

  1. That is one of my favorite quilts in that book. I only love pink when combined with brown, but red and brown are another winning combo! Looks really good in your quilt.
    I agree with the things you mentioned learning--ALL of them!! : )
    I also concur that gardening season curtails quilting time. Three hours in the flower beds this morning--would have been longer, but DH helped--more to do when it cools off this evening
    Oh, I love that backing fabric. Very pretty!

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  2. I purchased that backing fabric to make a beautiful mini from Jo Mortons little favourite book 1! Definitely going to try HST papers, hate loosing points.

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  3. Your HST challenge quilt looks super. Way to go! Looking forward to seeing what you do with that lovely BBD fabric.

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  4. That is a beauty of a challenge quilt, every seam intersection looks spot-on! I've never tried triangle papers but may just have to get some. Like you, I've always made mine a tad large and trimmed them to size.

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  5. This quilt is just amazing! Loe the colors and the triangle design. Janice

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  6. From here it looks to me as though you've got it mastered! Well done!

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  7. HST papers sound so good! I've never used them, but I will if there's a next time with HSTs for me!

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  8. looks pretty perfect to me ! love your colors too.
    is using the 1/2 triangles with paper the same as EPP? I enjoy EPP - just not enough time in my life for all I love to do ! Mel

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