Last week I went over how to calculate your entire quilt start to finish. This week I will be continuing my ADORNit project by teaching you how to cut out your strips, sew, an then cut the half triangle squares at 45 degree angle.

Cutting the strips is simple, so simple I forgot to get a picture of them (faceplam). Since you are here though, I am going to assume you know how to use your cutting mat to make straight cuts. Each strip should be 6.5 inches when cut.

A normal cut of fabric is approximately 45 inches wide, allowing me to get 5 half triangle squares out of each strip. I only need 20 squares for this blanket, which calculated out to be four strips of white, two strips of solid yellow, and two strips of the ADORNit floral fabric.

only the white and solid yellow strips are shown in this diagram but has the same amount of half triangle squares as ADORNit fabric.

Each white strip will be sewn to each yellow strip with a 1/4 inch seam on both sides. This will allow us make cuts at a 45 degree angle.

Let’s get to the actual how to of cutting out the half triangle squares from the strips.

On the see through acrylic ruler you should have with your cutting mat, there are a series of lines that indicate different angles, one of them being the 45 degree angle. Also on your cutting mat you also have a 45 degree angle mark. You’ll be using both of these to line up the ruler to cut the triangles out of the strips.

The ruler will be placed on the cutting mat at the corner and along the 45 degree line and squared up at anywhere along that line. The 45 degree line on the ruler will line up with a straight line on your cutting mat.

The sewn strip should be lined up and squared onto the mat along the base line and at the corner. See pictures below.

Cut along the ruler to make your first 45 degree cut. Then take the strip and flip it upside down and square up the new edge to the corner on the mat. Line up the ruler onto the mat and cut again.

You now have a half triangle square!

I like this way of creating half triangle squares because I think it’s easier to calculate and also to cut out. No cutting out individual squares and then sewing a bunch of diagonal lines and then cutting out your squares again.

This method does all the work for you and as along as you can cut at an angle then you’re golden.

If you like this way of doing half triangle squares will you let me know? And if I need to clarify anything if the instructions are confusing will you let me know too?

As always if you use this method and like it, share with me on social media – Instagram @thewhistlingbluebird and use the hashtag #thewhistlingbluebirdquilts

xo Sara