From each dark/light block combination you will get 2 finished hourglass blocks, in other words, 2 sets. You can use both sets in your quilt or work with a friend and trade half of your blocks or maybe make 2 quilts.
Picture #1
To begin, place a light and dark 4" square right sides together.
On the darker square, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner using a Pilot brand fine point black pen. (Pilot brand does not
To begin, place a light and dark 4" square right sides together.
On the darker square, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner using a Pilot brand fine point black pen. (Pilot brand does not
bleed.)
Stay away from pens that promise their ink will disappear. It does not, but more on that later on.
Picture #2
Using the continuous piecing method, sew a 1/4" seam on each side of the drawn black line using a size 10 or 12 to-the-inch stitch.
Once a seam is sewn on to each side of the black line, cut along the black line. You now have 2 half square triangles (or HST).
Next you will press each HST open making sure the dark side of the seam is pressed t
owards the dark fabric triangle. Do not press the seam open as it weakens the seam.Picture #3
Lay out HST #1 with the dark triangle towards the top left.
Right sides together, place the second HST (in the same color grouping) with the darker triangle on the bottom right. Slide them together until the seam lines come together, but do not overlap. It must be a snug fit. 
Using the same Pilot pen, draw a line diagonally from corner to corner, this time from the light triangle point to the dark triangle point.
Picture #4
Using the same Pilot pen, draw a line diagonally from corner to corner, this time from the light triangle point to the dark triangle point.
Picture #4
Pin if necesary and sew a 1/4" seam along each side of the drawn line. Cut apart on drawn line.
Picture #5
Picture #5
Press open to see your hourglass block.
Trim square by placing the diagonal line of your ruler on the center diagonal of the block. Be sure to align the 1-1/2" mark in the very middle of the block in order to trim the first 2 sides. If you don't square up from the center out, your block will be off-kilter.
Blocks will finish at 3" square trimmed, and 2-1/2" square sewn.
In order to determine how big you want to make your quilt divide
width and length of required size by 2.5".
For instance, if my quilt needed to be 25" x 35" before adding borders, it would be 10 blocks wide by 14 blocks long. (I tend to make them the size I like and then add borders.)
Trim square by placing the diagonal line of your ruler on the center diagonal of the block. Be sure to align the 1-1/2" mark in the very middle of the block in order to trim the first 2 sides. If you don't square up from the center out, your block will be off-kilter.
Blocks will finish at 3" square trimmed, and 2-1/2" square sewn.
In order to determine how big you want to make your quilt divide
width and length of required size by 2.5".
For instance, if my quilt needed to be 25" x 35" before adding borders, it would be 10 blocks wide by 14 blocks long. (I tend to make them the size I like and then add borders.)
Good luck and happy sewing.
3 comments:
I always marvel at quilts made from the hourglass block and think --- there is NO way, I would be able to get those triangle blocks together.... thanks for sharing this. I'm printing it out and it's going on my bulletin board.
Those hourglass blocks are so pretty, love your fabrics.
I didn't do hourglass blocks, but did a ton of teeny tiny broken dishes this weekend!
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