Thursday, December 3, 2015

Peace on Earth - A Mystery Quilt - Day 2

Welcome back for Day 2!

Today is an easy day because we'll be making some more half-square triangles, otherwise known as "HSTs" by cool quilters the world over.

Here's where we're headed...


We'll be making 10 -- 2" x 2" (unfinished) HSTs.  They'll be dark blue print tone-on-tone HSTs with one half slightly darker than the other.  Trust me, you'll see why later!

In total, you'll need:

Dark blue prints:
10 -- 2½" x 2½" squares
2 -- 2" x 2" squares (these won't be made into HSTs, but you'll need them later on to assemble this component of the quilt)

Here are the combinations I chose for my HSTs -- all dark blue prints, but you can definitely see the contrast in each set of 2½" x 2½" squares.  And take a look at the 2" x 2" squares -- they should be cut from the lightest of your dark blue prints.  So mysterious...


Assemble the HSTs:
1.  If you haven't already, gather 10 sets of two dark blue print  2½" x 2½" squares (each should have one really dark square and one slightly less dark square).
2.  On the wrong side of each of the lighter dark blue print 2½" x 2½" squares, use a pencil or pen to mark a line a scant ¼" from either side of the true diagonal of the square.  





3.  With slightly lighter dark blue print 2½" x 2½" square layered atop darker dark blue print 2½" x 2½" square and right sides together, stitch along drawn lines.




4.  Use a rotary cutter to cut along the true diagonal to make two triangle units.




5.  Press seams towards the darker dark blue print.




6.  Trim HST units to 2" x 2".




7.  Repeat steps above with remaining sets of 2½" x 2½" squares to make 10 -- 2" x 2" (unfinished) HSTs.  And although they are not pictured below, remember to reserve the two slightly lighter 2" x 2" squares.



And that's it!  Told you today would be easy!  We won't be making HSTs on Day 3, but we may be doing some simple paper piecing.  Hmmm.....