Welcome to our series Exploring Quilting Basics! Previously, we looked at ways to sew and use the snowball quilt block. If you would like to start from the beginning and work through all the topics, you can find them all here.
Hi friends!
Today in the Exploring the Basics series, Tammy and I are chatting about the partial quarter square triangle block!
There are many quilt blocks that can also be considered “units” in that they become part of a larger block and provide the movement and interest to the block. The partial quarter square triangle block is one of those units!
The Partial Quarter Square Triangle block
Let’s look at the block from my quilt Royal Flush.
The block is a Card Trick block colored a little differently to create the secondary pattern you see in the quilt.
The block consists of half square triangles (HSTs), a quarter square triangle unit (QST) and partial quarter square triangles.
I wonder what abbreviation we can use for the partial block? PQST?
You also may find people reference this block using a different name, like a combination unit, a 3 piece quarter square triangle unit or the 3 triangle unit ….. but we are used to that in quilting right?
Traditionally pieced partial quarter square triangle
How does one make the quarter square triangle block? To start, the large triangle is cut using the math from the HST and the 2 smaller triangles are cut using the math from the QST block.
For the large triangles, take the finished size of the block and add ⅞”. Cut the square in half on the diagonal for 2 half square triangles.
For the 2 different small triangles, add 1 ¼” to the finished size of the unit and cut the squares in half on the diagonal twice for 4 small quarter square triangles.
Sew the 2 small triangles together and then sew that unit to the larger half square triangle. Easy peasy!
Want more tips on making HST units and QST units? Click here for my post on HSTs and here for my post on QSTs!
A different approach to making the units!
Want to stream line making them? Start by making a half square triangle unit using the fabrics for the smaller triangles. The size of the squares you would start with remain the same as in the other method.
Layer that HST unit RST with a square of the larger triangle fabric and sew ¼” away from the diagonal line on both sides.
Cut along the diagonal, trim to size and ta-da!
You have 2 mirror image partial quarter square triangles.
I also used the unit in my quilt Sweet Spirals.
And in my quilt Sparkles!
Don’t forget to head over to Tammy’s post to get her tips for making these blocks! She always has good tips for you!
Next week in the A Quilter’s Alphabet series, Tammy and I are to the letters J and K!
Happy Quilting!
Kate
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