Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

Nantucket Triangles

001
I can hear you out there, saying, "What triangles in Nantucket"?  I know, the quilt is made up of flying geese units to make the nine big star blocks and a gazillion nine patch blocks for the borders.  What am I talking about?

You know when you make flying geese units the "old fashioned" way?  You have to trim off the triangle after you sew the diagonal seam.  Typically those get tossed right in the waste basket along with other unuseable trimmings.  This time it's different.

By no means am I a scrap saver.  We all know people who save every smidgon, every teensy dog ear, which they save for years to eventually make beds for rescue cats, stuff sock monkeys, or to line the bird cage.  That is not me by a long shot.  I don't have the time or energy to deal with teensy scraps.

But friends, these triangles are LARGE.  I just can't toss them in the trash.  If you use your ruler to carefully cut a quarter inch out from the seam, all the trimmed off triangles will be the same size.

002
Look, it measures 3 1/2 inches!  That is a half square triangle you can do something with.  Of course you could trim them down to whatever size you want, but there it is:  a very nice 3.5 inch half square triangle.  And by my calculations, you end up with eight half square triangle units for each of the nine blocks, which is 72 half square triangles total. 

Of course I don't have a clue at this moment how I could use 72 3 1/2 inch half square triangles, but a number of blocks come to mind that use them–pinwheel, friendship star, or just sew them all together and see what you get.

Friendship.star01   
Pinwheel01  
Half.square.triangles

 

20 responses to “Nantucket Triangles”

  1. I have been doing the same with my swoon after I sew across I move over and sew another line I get 21/2 in hst 8 of each color

  2. I have been doing the same with my swoon after I sew across I move over and sew another line I get 21/2 in hst 8 of each color

  3. You could sew them together and piece them into your back if you can’t find another use for them. I love the look of a pieced back, especially when it coordinates with the front.

  4. You could sew them together and piece them into your back if you can’t find another use for them. I love the look of a pieced back, especially when it coordinates with the front.

  5. Like Diana, I move 1/2″ toward the corner, sew a line of stitching parallel to my 1st stitching line, and cut 1/4″ between the stitching lines. Those small HSTs are like freebies, suddenly they’re available for small quilt borders, small block Christmas ornaments, and I really enjoy having them for narrow border corners. I don’t save the tiny bits either and – gasp! – I don’t save the selvages.
    This extra sewing line is a breeze if you do it as you’re making each HST, but I find it a bother to go back and sew on that bias cut after the fact.
    How is Ozzie?
    Hugs!

  6. Like Diana, I move 1/2″ toward the corner, sew a line of stitching parallel to my 1st stitching line, and cut 1/4″ between the stitching lines. Those small HSTs are like freebies, suddenly they’re available for small quilt borders, small block Christmas ornaments, and I really enjoy having them for narrow border corners. I don’t save the tiny bits either and – gasp! – I don’t save the selvages.
    This extra sewing line is a breeze if you do it as you’re making each HST, but I find it a bother to go back and sew on that bias cut after the fact.
    How is Ozzie?
    Hugs!

  7. I am so with you on saving every little bit!!! What’s up with that? But I do concede on the 3 1/2″! Your Nantucket is going to be beautiful. I am turning my layer cake of Midwinter Red into Jersey Girl a la Miss Rosie. Happy sewing Nicole!

  8. I am so with you on saving every little bit!!! What’s up with that? But I do concede on the 3 1/2″! Your Nantucket is going to be beautiful. I am turning my layer cake of Midwinter Red into Jersey Girl a la Miss Rosie. Happy sewing Nicole!

  9. A pieced back would be a good bet for sure. I’ll keep your tip in mind when I get to this point and go ahead and sew these together and have them ready for later.

  10. A pieced back would be a good bet for sure. I’ll keep your tip in mind when I get to this point and go ahead and sew these together and have them ready for later.

  13. I’m with you! You could even use them to make coasters, pot holders…piece into a border. I’m with you on this one! ;p

  14. I’m with you! You could even use them to make coasters, pot holders…piece into a border. I’m with you on this one! ;p

  15. I love your paragraph about scrap savers. It made my laugh, because the other day when I was cleaning up my sewing area I realized I’m a scrap hoarder struggling to change ways! Thanks for the inspiration!

  16. I love your paragraph about scrap savers. It made my laugh, because the other day when I was cleaning up my sewing area I realized I’m a scrap hoarder struggling to change ways! Thanks for the inspiration!