If you have ever needed a whole pile of half square triangles and felt your heart sink at the thought of making them one pair at a time, this is the trick for you. In this tutorial from our Fabric Hut channel, we show you the Magic Eight method, a clever way to make eight matching HSTs from just two squares, all in one satisfying go.
Here is why this one is worth watching:
- Eight at once, from two squares. Instead of piecing HSTs two by two, you draw, sew and cut once and end up with eight matching units, which is a huge time saver on triangle heavy quilts.
- The units are cut oversized and squared up after pressing. Yvonne starts with squares larger than the formula strictly needs, so every unit can be trimmed to size once it has been pressed. She frames it as a deliberate trade, a few minutes with the ruler at the end rather than needing every drawn line and every seam to be exactly true.
- Sizing the two starting squares. Take the finished size you want each unit to be, double it, then add 1 3/4 inches for the seam allowances, and that gives the size to cut your two squares. In the video Yvonne uses 10 inch squares from a layer cake, which leaves comfortable room to square up at the end.
- Knowing when it earns its place. This method is worth reaching for when a block needs six or more identical units, where a single pass hands you the whole matched set. When the same block calls for a variety of colours, layer separate pairs instead of forcing everything through one pass.
- A technique you will use forever. So many blocks are built on half square triangles, so once this method is in your hands, you will reach for it again and again.
One last thing before you start. One edge of every finished unit falls on the bias, so press away from that bias and towards the straight of grain, otherwise the unit will stretch out of shape.
If you have not already, subscribing to our channel means you will catch every new technique as soon as it lands. Had you tried the Magic Eight method before, or is this one new to you? I would love to hear how you get on.
