Stitch and Flip Blocks

I wanted to share some more quick quilt blocks with you. This one is one of my favourites: the Stitch and Flip Block. I've made a few table runners using this versatile block and I know that you'll create lots of projects with it too!

This is a very simple block that only uses two fabrics for each block. Here's what you'll need:

• one 5" square of fabric
• two 2 1/2" squares of fabric

Be sure that the two fabrics have a strong contrast between them to get the desired effect - which is to see the design that you are creating.

I have used a charm square for one fabric and two mini-charm squares, that are both the same fabric, for the contrasting fabric that will be forming the new corners of this block. You can use different sizes to create this block, if you wish, just be sure that the two smaller squares are half the size of the background square. For example, if your background square is 7", the two smaller squares should be 3 1/2" each. See how good I am at math! :)

Here's what you need to do with these squares:

• Draw a diagonal line on the back of both of the smaller squares - the 2 1/2" ones in my example.
• Place these smaller squares, right sides together (RST), on opposite corners on the background  (5" square in my example) square. Watch the video for fabric orientation.
• Stitch on the drawn diagonal line on both of the smaller squares (the 2 1/2" ones in my example). 
• Trim off the excess corners, 1/4" away from the stitched lines.
• Press to the corners.

You will now have one Stitch and Flip Block completed.

Watch the video below or on my YouTube channel for correct fabric orientation for those smaller squares so you'll get the desired effect when you've finished stitching. 

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to receive future video notifications. Share this or any (or all) of my videos with your quilting friends. I'd be so appreciative.

This is a great block to make a heartfelt quilt as it forms X and O blocks. I've shown you a few ways you can combine Stitch and Flip Blocks, but if you have more ideas, please post them in the comments below.

Creatively,

Half Square Triangles: Combination Unit

This week I'm featuring another quick block that can be created from half-square triangles or half square triangles or HST - it seems there are lots of ways to name these cute little units. 

These Combination Blocks contain three fabrics so I would suggest that you have a contrast between them for the proper effect. Nobody likes ineffective and unexciting Combination Blocks!

What do you need to create a Combination Block? I'm glad you asked :) You'll need:

• 1 square of fabric
• 1 half-square triangle the same size as your fabric square

I used a charm square and a 5" half-square triangle, but any size will work as long as the two squares are the same size to start.

That's it!

Now I suppose you'll want to know what to do with them, won't you? Okay, this is what you do next:

• Mark a diagonal line on the back of the fabric square for your stitching guide
• Put the two squares right sides together (RST - another quilting acronym!), and stitch 1/4" away on either side of the diagonal marked line. Note the fabric orientation in the video!
• Cut the squares apart on the drawn diagonal line and voilà: you have two Combination Blocks.

To see all of the steps in action, watch the video below or on my YouTube channel.

There are lots of different orientations you can use with these Combination Blocks to create interesting designs. I've shown you a few, but if you have more ideas, please leave a comment below.

As always, I hope you enjoyed this video and be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel so you will receive notification when I post the next video. I'd sure appreciate it if you would share this video with your quilting friends.

Creatively,

Half Square Triangles: Hourglass Units

Welcome to Telecast Thursday!

I hope you've been enjoying my mini tutorials on half-square triangles. I've created a playlist on my YouTube channel where you can view two different techniques for making them. I'll be adding this tutorial to that playlist as well so it will be easy to find the instructions to make all these units.

This Telecast Thursday I'm working on an hourglass unit. These little units are created from half-square triangles. You'll get two hourglass units from two half-square triangles. Hourglass units are versatile and I'm sure you'll find lots of uses for them in your quilts. 

Watch the video below or on my YouTube channel to see how quickly you can whip up some hourglass units.

Let me know in the comments below if you've made hourglass units and your method for creating them.

Creatively,

Half Square Triangles: Eight From Two

This sounds like a multiplication exercise, doesn't it? It really isn't, but there is always some math involved in quilting and this Telecast Thursday episode is no exception.

Last week I showed you how to make four half-square triangles from two pieces of fabric. This Telecast Thursday, I'm going to up the game and show you a technique to make eight half-square triangles from two pieces of fabric. That's twice as many HST's! This is the multiplication part of the episode :)

For this technique, you will again use two pieces of contrasting fabric, but instead of four HST's, you will end up with eight of them.

Watch the video below or on my YouTube channel to see how to make this happen.

Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to receive automatic notifications when new videos are posted. I hope you'll give this video and others you like a thumbs up and share it with your quilting friends.

I'm continuing with my series on half-square triangles and easy block units next week, so be sure to check back with me then.

Creatively,

Half Square Triangles: Four From Two

In this episode of Telecast Thursday I'm going to show you how to create four half-square triangles (or half square triangles, whichever you prefer) from two pieces of fabric. Okay, maybe this also sounds like a magic trick and it really does work like magic, but it isn't. Sorry to disappoint you but there isn't any real magic in quilting (just like no crying in baseball!).

You'll need two pieces of fabric the same size and I would suggest that there is a contrast between the two fabrics to get the appropriate effect. Two fabrics the same colour doesn't work very well and you'll just up with a pieced square. I'm using charm squares in my demonstration, but any size of square will work, but the pieces do have to be square. Rectangles and triangles just won't do!

To see how simple this technique is, watch the video below or on my YouTube channel.

Do you have an amazing way to create half-square triangles? Tell me about it in the comments below.

Next week I'll give you another way to create even more half-square triangles, so be sure to check back next Telecast Thursday.

Creatively,