I get frustrated with half square triangles (HST) often...
Very frustrated.... so I decided to build a better mouse-trap and stop the frustration.
I don't know that it saves time but it does NOT waste fabric and it saves me frustration. As an added bonus, I have very little trimming to do at the end.
My project (Playing with Jacks) requires 2 1/2" HST and many, many of the same combination of a finite number of colors and a consistent white.
This method would work with scrappy too... you would end up with two HSTs exactly the same but over the entire quilt, it would not be noticed.
With my 2 1/2" strips, I cut sections of the white and the color that measure 3 1/4". This is basically the amount of fabric needed for 2 HSTs.
On the light color (in this case, the white), I use my Easy Angle ruler to draw a pencil line at the edge of the ruler. This line is located where you would normally cut for 2 1/2" HSTs.
I end up with a pile of colors that measure 3 1/4" x 2 1/2"....
and a pile of whites that measure 3 1/4" x 2 1/2" and have a line through them. Note that the line is NOT corner to corner.
Using the strip sewing technique (not cutting threads between sections).....
I sew my scant 1/4" on each side of the pencil line.
Cut the HSTs apart by cutting on the pencil line.
Cut off the dog ears....
Press them open....
And viola!!
.......a pile of stress free HSTs!!
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