Ohio Star Quilt Quarter Square Triangles Step 3

Making a Quarter Square Triangle Block   

Quarter Square Triangles Pinning & Sewing Block

  

Pinning and Sewing to form a Square

Insert a straight pin into the seam on the top triangle and match the point of the pin to the seam on the bottom triangle.  When this is matched up place a straight pin on each side of the seam to hold this in place.  Do not remove the pin matching the seam.  Pin on each end of the triangle.  This is a bias edge so a couple of extra pins are a good idea to keep the edges matched and when you sew the seam it will not stretch out of shape.

Sewing the Seam

You will sew a 1/4 inch seam using about 10 – 12 stitches per inch.  I prefer to backstitch at the beginning and end so my seam doesn’t come apart at any point.  When you get to the center where the pin is matching the seams leave it in the fabric until you are up to it.  Slip the pin out just as you sew across that seam and continue to the end of the triangle.  Then look at the right side of the block to see  that you have sewed this square so you have all 4 pieces meeting nearly perfectly in the center of the block.  If  they are off a thread or 2 don’t worry about it.  With flannel you can gently move it into place and when you press and later when you quilt it will not show if you are off just a little.

Pressing the Seam

Use the up and down motion to press the seam allowance closed just as you sewed it.  Then open the block and from the wrong side press that seam open.  Flip the block and press the seam from the front, again with the up and down motion, not a sliding action.

Quarter Square Triangle Block

Squaring the Quarter Square Triangle Block

Use one of the bias square rulers available.  You are making a 4 inch square.  The 2 inch line will match the center of the block and the bias line is with the seam line.  Trim along the outside edge of the ruler on two sides, then flip the square and line it up again to trim the other 2 sides.  Now you have a 4 inch block.

 

In our next post we will be sewing these blocks together with the 4 inch block to form the sashing of the quilt.