Strip Piecing: It's all in How You Slice It

My father had a saying. If it's too hard, takes too long, or is to nasty, you're using the wrong tool or technique. This is always true in quilting.

Piecing little tiny bits of fabric may be a zen technique and may well sooth some souls, but most of us want to get on with it. It's a lot easier to sew and cut up strips than it is to sew tiny bits.
And Sew much more fun!

Remember all the wonderful blocks that we can  make out of half triangles. Take a collection of sewed strips, cut half triangles and find yourself with the basics for endless half triangle square blocks with tiny intricate strips. For very little effort.

Then the fun begins. They can be turned, twisted and sewed into so many possibilities.

By the way, this is much more fun if you have a photo wall. Take a sheet of Blue Dow( or another Styrofoam insulations). The 3-4 inch ones will stand up on their own. You can ask the person at the hardware store to cut it to whatever size fits your room. Throw a sheet over it or some other fabric ( I use black double knit. Which you can usually find most likely in an Amish shop). You can endlessly pin your squares up in any way, walk away, and look at it. Not only is that endless fun, but it's the best way to view your design. And when it's time to photo your quilt, you're ready.

Designing Ways: Half Cousins, Log cabin and Half Square Triangles

half square triangle

 Last time we talked about the log cabin block functioning as a half triangle block. We're going to show you how that works.
We have our half triangle block. It's the building block for many more complicated block, but for now we're going to call it a quilt block on it's own. It's 2 45 degree triangles sewed together.

log cabin

Here's our log cabin. No triangles in sight. Instead it's made of straight rectangles.But the effect is so similar that you can use them interchangeably.


How does that work in a quilt block? You can take any quilt block and swap a log cabin block for a half square triangle. Really!

Straight Furrow half square triangle

These lay outs are both called a straight furrow pattern
Here's a classic half square triangle version,

Here's the log cabin version.

And just if you thought they didn't mix, here's a quilt using both.

Functionally they are absolutely interchangeable.

That means that any pattern using half square triangles can instantly become a log cabin, or visa versal

Here's several examples

Barn raising hst

Barn raising log cabin

Ohio Star hst

Log Cabin Star
How can you choose?Here's a comparison.

Half square triangle                         Log Cabin

Bias pieces                                     Straight grain piecing

Quicker piecing                               Easier piecing

Graphically simpler                         Graphically complex    

Can you make a mistake? Don't be silly. It's all part of the fun dance of design.               
       

Cabin Fever: The Very Variable Log Cabin

Log Cabin Pattern from Generations Quilt Patterns

The log cabin block is one of the most classic building blocks for quilters ever. And it's a wonderful optical illusion. It's made from straight, squared off strips sewn in straight lines. But because of the color choices, it gives us a great half square triangle look.



Which means that any block  you can make out of half triangles, you can make with log cabins. With no triangles.

Why? it's all in the color choices. Actually what makes the biggest difference is contrast. There are two sides to each log cabin block. They can be divided into bright/pastel

Amish Country Lanes Quilts

color/neutral, dark/ light, 

Capital steps
www.quilt.org

or bright/dull contrasts. But to get the triangle illusion, you need a strong contrast between the two sides.

www.quiltstudy.org - 650 × 634 - Search by image

Log Cabin (Courthouse Steps variation), Maker unknown,

Once you've got a set of log cabin blocks you can play like a kid with colorforms. They can make just any half triangle block you want, without that pesky, bias, stretchy seam.
We'll look more at some of the very cool things you can do with log cabins in the next couple of posts.

Designing Ways:Stars out Tonight

Ohio star from Sewing.org

Are there stars out tonight? Almost every quilter I know did an Ohio Star at least once. And if you haven't, maybe you should.
You might be saying, "That may be the oldest quilt block out there. Why would want to do something that traditional?" You might find yourself mistaken about that.

From http://colleens-sewinspired.blogspot.com/. 

Somehow the Ohio Star has always given quilters new ways to play.

Pattern from Multipatch, Inc.

Why is that? Partially because the components are not that hard. You have 4 quarter triangle squares and 4 plain blocks. That sounds pretty simple. It is. But the possibilities are endless.

Found on flickr.com

Changes in colors

by Angela Walters.

Changes in size

By: Leanne for She Can Quilt

Changes in design have kept it going strong and fresh for a century and a half.

Why? Because a block is just made up of squares. And you can make your square out of anything you like. It's a three grid ( 9 patch) block. Any where you like you can change out one of those nine patches with a different piece of the puzzle.

Here's a  small collection of Ohio Star variations.

Found on 3.bp.blogspot.com

It's a universe of stars out there. The Ohio star one of the best. Peg is working on an Ohio Star right now. Come on in and help her play with it.

Divide and Conquer: Simplifying Blocks with Half Triangles

Delectable Mountains

Quilting is as hard or as simple as you make it.But the great thing about quilters is that they know how to work smart instead of just working hard. And they know how to share.
New quilters are sometimes daunted by complicated quilt blocks. But experienced quilters know how to simplify those blocks by dividing and conquering. Most quilt blocks can be divided into half square triangles and squares.

Delectable Mountains

How can you tell? The best way is to put a grid over the block. Most really good patterns will show that grid. But if they don't, don't be dismayed. Get out a ruler and pencil and draw them in.

You'll see on this Delectable Mountains, which is a pretty complicated block, all you really have is 1 square and a whole lot of triangles. It gets pretty simple after that.

Let's try that with some other blocks.

Double Pinwheel

This pinwheel divides into four squares with one larger triangle and 2 smaller triangles.

Double Pinwheel

Much easier!

Some squares that seem to be made up as squares are much simpler as triangles

Hazy Daisy

Hazy Daisy

How hard  do you want to work? Silly question!

Divide your blocks into half triangles and squares and it get's much easier after that.

Triangles: A Million Blocks from One Block

Most beginning quilters are somewhat daunted by the huge array of quilt blocks out there. It seems somewhat endless because it truly is. 

Most beginning quilters look at the array and say,
"I think I'll make a nine patch."

That's not a bad decision. 

 But at a certain point it becomes a bit boring. When you find yourself ready to stretch out of square quilting, the next step is  the triangle. Many quilt blocks with straight lines can be made from 45 degree triangles.

Half Triangle squares can be used simply,

Combined with squares to make other patterns,

Or used in contemporary ways.

Moda bake shop has called them turnovers, which is fun. But precuts are only one way to make half triangles. 

Thangles are a foolproof easy way to make half square blocks and there are some sew and cut techniques that also make them super easy. For the next few weeks, we'll explore blocks made of half triangles and different ways to construct them.