Use Your Scraps, Part 6

Many quilt projects result in half-square triangles being left behind.  Once you have a collection of them, turn them into squares.



Cut a strip of background fabric that is wider than your largest triangle is tall.  Place the half square triangles along the edge of the strip--raw edges of long side of the triangle matching to the raw edge of the strip.  Stitch them in place.









Cut the triangles apart, leaving extra fabric around each one.  Press the seam toward the dark fabric.  Using a small square ruler, align the seam with the 45 degree line on the ruler to square up each triangle square. 

Once they are all squared up, the squares can be trimmed down to the size needed for your project.  Be careful of the edges of the background fabric.  They are now on the bias, so handle the finished squares carefully.

(To end up with edges that are not on the bias, cut squares of background fabric slightly larger than the short side of your half square triangle.  On the wrong side of the fabric, draw the diagonal of the square.  Match the long side of the half-square triangle to the drawn line.  Stitch the triangle in place, using the drawn line as a guide for your 1/4" seam.  Add another triangle to the other half of the square.  Cut apart on the drawn line.  Press seam allowance toward the dark and square up as above.)
Great scrappy quilts can be made from these new 1/2 square triangles--pinwheels are fun.  Be creative and play with the design possibilities.