Triangle Explosion is something my LQS is doing. You purchase these little packets - they call them cinnamon sticks - for $2.50 each. I bought 5.
Inside are 2 pieces of fabric and one of these long pieces of paper that has lines on it. I ironed and starched the fabric and ironed the paper. With right sides of the fabric together, I pinned the paper on top.
You sew on the dotted lines with a shortened stitch length (I used 2.0 on my Bernina). It's easy, you just start at the arrow and follow the dotted lines!
When you're all done, you cut on the solid lines. As you can see from my picture below, easier said than done! I guess I'm still learning some of those kindergarten skills!
Pull the paper off, press open, trim the hangnails from the corners.
And you end up with 28 half square triangles! In my case I ended up with 28x5 of them! Yes, I'm too tired to do the math!
I'll take these in to the LQS in the next couple of weeks. They'll make note of how many I made. A month or so later, I'll get that same amount of squares back but they'll all be made of different fabrics and color combos! How easy is that? Then I'll have some fun figuring out what I can do with them. The ladies at the quilt shop have been making up samples using a differing number of squares and they've come up with some wonderful ideas.This really is a quick easy way to make a lot of half square triangles. Typically my favorite method is drawing a line down the center of the back of a piece of fabric and then sewing 1/4" on each side and cutting them in half. It tends to feel a bit fiddly and labor intensive to me. Using the paper like I did here seems like much less work. I did all these in just one sitting and I can't imagine I could/would get that many done any other way. The down side is that you get 28 of just one color combo. The exchange at the LQS eliminates that from being a problem. I hope there are some reds in there! I might pick up a couple more cinnamon sticks this weekend.
Did I just start another project?
Did I just start another project?
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24 comments:
What fun! I've always wanted to try the triangle paper. One of these days! Can't wait to see what you get in return!
How slick is this?!? Where can I get he pattern? Got.to.have.it!
I love the Triangle Explosion and the cinnamon sticks! That is too cool! My mom is a quilter. I am going to send her a link to your blog to check out. She will love this!
Hope you have a great weekend!
What a great idea for a swap. Can't wait to see what you get back, and what you do with them.
Fun Jackie! Is your LQS really close to you? I have one in a village about 20 minutes away from our city but I rarely go. I have been on a stash diet for 3 years now and rarely buy anything. I did however break my stitching stash diet for some real beauties which I will show you as soon as they arrive.
When did you say you get to pick up the exchange HSTs? Do you have a certain pattern in mind to use these? HST quilts are beautiful. I am cutting triangles from various fabrics as I make other quilts and saving them in a special box. One day I will pull out the box on triangles and make a quilt using the barn raising setting.
Hugs ~
Heidi
Sure beats drawing the lines on the material....easy!!! Thanks for showing.
What a great idea. I love the name Cinnamon Sticks, too!
Wow, you sure make it look easy, those HSTs look perfect. I always make mine bigger then square them up, regardless of the method I use. This method would maybe get me over that extra step.
I've seen those papers hanging in shops, how clever of yours to market them that way!
Hope you have a sunny day, more snow for me!
Very cool technique. It will be fun to see what you come up with using them.
you made that look really easy, I've never heard of cinnamon sticks though. I'll have to looks for those.
I just love using that paper. Were they Thangles? I didn't see a name on them, but they should make pretty quick work out of making those half-square triangles. Beats the heck out of drawing the lines on them doesn't it! Less room for error.
I can't wait to see what comes net on this project!! I wish mine stores had something like that!!
That is a great idea, Jackie! What a great way to get a variety of triangles without purchasing so many different fabrics. Hope you get some fun colors in your batch when you pick them up :)
Thanks for the helpful hint. Do these papers come in all sizes? I'm trying to make flying geese for a quilt border and I hate using the method they recommend, as it wastes so much fabric.
Yes, I think you did, lol. But this will be a complete fun project. You are lucky that your quilt shop offers such great ideas. And you are lucky that you have a quilt shop nearby, lol. Enjoy the game.
Yes, indeed, you did start another project lol. I did too...in my case: everyone has to have a portable project right?
You do make it look easy Jackie - An exchange of this nature might prove to be very interesting - Can't wait to see what you can do with your squares. have a great weekend! Mel
Your LQS sounds like a wonderful place! A quilt made this way will be really special. Thanks for sharing the HST paper technique.
Amazing!!! BTW, I would love to adopt you as one of my grands!!!
What a fun idea! Seems like it would easier to sew that way too..can't wait to see what you get back.
It is a fun idea! Have fun making triangles!
I 've used tangles and you can tear off the paper while watching TV.
Happy sewing!
Looks like fun, what a neat idea :)
Wow, I've never seen this method before. It looks like great fun. No thinking, just sewing. the thinking will come later when you try to figure out how you will use them.
Seems like a very fun project!
I've always wanted to try that triangle paper. Looks like your LQS has a lot of fun ideas! I can't wait to see what you come up with.
What a GREAT idea!!
I love triangle paper :) so fun and addicting too.
Happy Stitching and Happy Valentine's Day!
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