Bonus HSTs from Stitch and Flip {Tutorial and Sizing Table}

In order to be ready for my next quilt along, I have the new pattern designed and I have started writing the pattern. I’ll be effectively “snowballing” the corner of a half-square triangle block to create one of the units for the quilt. In the process of doing my design work, I looked for a bonus half-square triangle sizing table online, but I did not find one. So, here I am on a side tangent providing the reference that I had hoped already existed.

Let’s start by taking a detailed look at how stitch and flip, making one-at-time HSTs, or snowballing works while also sewing an additional line to create a bonus HST.

Bonus HSTs from Stitch and Flip

Specifically, in order to get Bonus HSTs, this tutorial is for when a square is added to a base unit using the stitch and flip (SNF) method. The SNF square is placed in a corner (on the left in the photo above) or directly in line with the same size square (on the right in the photo above). After sewing from corner to corner on the wrong side of the placed SNF square, a second line is sewn ½” away from the diagonal line toward the corner of the SNF unit.

Bonus HSTs from Stitch and Flip

Cut between the two sewn lines to create (2) units with ¼” seam allowances: the SNF Unit and the Bonus HST. Press seams as desired (to one side or open). The SNF Unit will not need trimmed, and it should measure the same dimensions as the base unit. The HST unit can then be trimmed so size.

To summarize: a bonus HST can be created when a SNF square is used to create a SNF unit. The next question is, how do we know what size the bonus HST can be trimmed to (unfinished size) and what will its finished size be? The answer to that question relates to how much margin you like to have when trimming your HSTs.

Bonus HSTs from Stitch and Flip – Intermediate (left) and Beginner (right) Trimming

The earlier photographs show when I tested this out by using 5½” SNF square to create two SNF units (not shown) and two Bonus HSTs (shown above). Then, I trimmed the Bonus HSTs to the sizing that I would label as Intermediate (on the left in the photo above) and as Beginner (on the right in the photo above). The Beginner sizing has more waste, but the Beginner sizing allows you to sew the Bonus HST line further than ½” from the diagonal, if that would make you more comfortable, too.

The Intermediate Bonus HST was trimmed to 4½” square (which makes a 4″ finished square) and the Beginner Bonus HST was trimmed to 4″ square (which makes a 3½” finished square). Which means that I now have an equation for knowing the size of Bonus HSTs based on the SNF square size:

• Beginner Unfinished Size = SNF Square Unfinished Size – 1½”
• Intermediate Unfinished Size = SNF Square Unfinished Size – 1

Bonus HSTs from Stitch and Flip Sizing Table and Instructions (click to enlarge / open in new window)

Printable Tables

The sizing table above has a LOT of information packed into it. If you would like the free PDF printable, which has an individual page for the two options (Beginner or Intermediate) so that you can choose which chart you want to print out, simply sign up for my newsletter! If you are already a Quilting Jetgirl newsletter subscriber, check your email (and perhaps your spam directory) for the printable.

Linking up with Tips and Tutorials on the 22nd.