Category Archives: Tutorial Tuesday

Tutorial Tuesday: Half-Square Triangles

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Over and over again, half-square triangles (aka HSTs) are explained.  Over and over again, beginning quilters continue to have trouble making them.  I will add myself to debunk the HST myth.  It’s not magic, it’s just MATH!

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Start with two equal-sized squares*.  On the back side of the lightest square, draw a diagonal line, corner-to-corner, ONE (1) time.

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Diagonal line.

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With right sides together, sew 1/4″ on either side of the line you drew.

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Using a ruler and your rotary cutter, cut the square into triangles, ON the line you drew.

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Two triangles.

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Open them up and press toward the darkest fabric.  You have now made two HSTs!

*A little quilter’s tip – cut the squares a tad larger than your pattern calls for.  Once you have pressed your HSTs, you can then square them up to be the exact finished size your pattern requires.


Tutorial Tuesday: Paint Palette Pincushion

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PaintPalettePincushion

Items Needed:

  1. Plastic paint palette holder
  2. 4″ in diameter circle template
  3. Nine (9) fabrics (or however many are needed for the paint palette you choose)
  4. Needle and thread
  5. Fluffy stuffing (fiberfill)
  6. Hot glue gun and glue

Instructions:

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There are nine (9) outer circular spaces in my paint palette so I chose nine (9) fabrics.  In this instance, charm 5″ squares were perfect!

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My 4″ in diameter circle template was this plastic cup.  Trace around your template on the BACK side of each fabric.

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Circles traced.

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Cut each circle out of your fabrics.

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Circles cut.

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With the right side of the fabric facing you, take your needle and thread and begin sewing 1/4″ stitches about 1/4″ from the edge of each circle (like a basting stitch).  I chose to double the thread for strength.  Be sure to leave a 2″ or longer length of thread at the beginning and ending of your sewing so you have enough to tie together.

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Circles sewn.

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After your circles are all stitched, pull out nine small but equal handfuls of your fluffy stuffing.  You want each of your pincushions to be roughly the same size so it works best to pull all of the little piles at one time.

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Stuff your nine circles and close them with the craft knot (tutorial shown here).  Just for added strength, I tied off my threads with two craft knots and then a granny square knot.  After all of your little bundles are tied, manipulate the fluffy stuffing so each one is uniform in shape.

PaintPalettePincushion

Finally, using your hot glue and hot glue gun, adhere your little fluffy stuffed fabric circles to the outside perimeter individual paint circles of your paint palette!  The center of the paint palette is for needles or buttons or whatever small sewing items you want to place in that storage area!


Tutorial Tuesday: Tying a Craft Knot

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Many years ago, I read something somewhere about how to tie a craft knot and I have been tying my craft knots the same way since then.  But, when I am around others and tie a craft knot, I have found that nearly all of them have no idea what I am doing or how it is done.  So, let me explain the mystery and show you the way to tie a craft knot.

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Take the two ends of your yarn (or thread), one in each hand.

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Cross your yarn (or thread) over each other.

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Pull your yarn (or thread) under and through the circle, just as you do for tying a regular knot.

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Now, instead of stopping and pulling your yarn (or thread) tight to form a knot, do another pass through your circle, the same as above – making a second pass through your loop.

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This is what a craft knot looks like before it’s pulled tight.

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The little knot you see in the center of this photograph is a craft knot.  Under most conditions, a craft knot stays tight and will not slip when you use it.  If using it on something that is filled tight with fiberfill, tie two craft knots (one after the other).  The first knot will probably slip because it is trying to hold so much together…but the second knot gives it added stability and usually does not slip.  I add a granny square knot on top of my craft knots most of the time, just for additional strength.