Turkey's Dilemma

HST = Half Square Triangle Unit
FG = Flying Geese Unit
HQST = Half Quarter Square Triangle Unit

Fabric requirements for a 12” block:

Please note that the dimensions below are for precise piecing.  

I almost always oversize my squares by 1/8” –1/4 “ and trim down to size after sewing.

All seams are 1/4".

Background Fabric

(8) 2-1/2” x 2-1/2” squares

(4) 2-7/8” x 2-7/8” squares  (for HSTs)

(8) 2-1/2” x 2-1/2” squares (for FGs)

(4) 2-1/2” x 4-1/2” rectangles (for FGs)

Color A (corners and center)

(6) 2-7/8” x 2-7/8” squares for HST and HQSTs

Colors B and C

(2) 2-7/8” x 2-7/8” squares each for HSTs

(1) 3-1/4” x 3-1/4” squares each for HQSTs

(4) 2-1/2” x 2-1/2” squares each for FGs

(2) 2-1/2” x 4-1/2” rectangles each for FGs

Make the HSTs!

Using 4 squares of each, pair a color A square with a background square.

Draw a diagonal between two corners and stitch a 1/4" to each side of the line.

Cut apart on the line.  Press seams towards Color A.

Assemble the 4-square corner unit as follows:

Sew an HST to a background square.  Repeat for all 8 HSTs.   The orientation of each HST set must be the same.  Press seams towards Color A.

Sew two pairs together to form the four-square block.  Press half of the seams in one direction, and the others in the opposite direction.  The goal is to have the seams pointing towards the outer edge of the finished block when the corner squares are placed.

Make the Flying Geese!

Draw a diagonal Line on 8 of the 2 -1/2” x 2 -1/2” background squares and (2) each of the Color B and C squares.

Lay a white square over a colored rectangle. Aligned at three sides top.  Stitch ON the diagonal.  Trim off corner, 1/4" from the seam.  Press the seams toward the background.

Repeat on the opposite corner.  Make two of each color.

Make the background geese in the same manner, except sew colored squares onto the background rectangle.  Press the seams toward the background.

Create pairs of geese by sewing coordinating color and background geese together along the “bottom” edge.  Press the seam toward the background.

Make the HQSTs!

Pair up the 3-1/4" color squares, B with C to make an HST.

Draw a diagonal through between two corners and stitch 1/4” to each side.

Cut apart on the line.  Press these seams apart.   

Next, pair up the two-color HST with a color A square .  Aligning a ruler marking with the seam on the HST, cut in half on the opposite diagonal.  [edited to add:] The idea here is to cut exactly perpendicular to the seam line of the original HST by taking advantage of the ruler markings perpendicular to the ruler edge.  The diagram below on the left shows the cut line. 

Stitch the cut edge in a 1/4” seam.  Press these seams open.

Note: making HQSTs from two squares results in alternating orientations – this is want we need for this block!

(It is possible to make these by drawing a diagonal, but I find I have better luck aligning the angles by cutting into triangles first.)

Assemble the center square:

Assemble the block!

Arrange blocks per diagram. 

Sew blocks together as indicated.  Press seams towards the geese blocks.

Sew each row together.  The new seam line should intersect the points.

(This is when I break out the pins, aligning seams and points, and pinning each side of the seam.)

And that’s it!  The Turkey’s Dilemma!

strip-pieced HQSTs

This block merges a quarter square triangle with a half square triangle to create what I'm calling a half quarter square triangle.  ( I don't know if that's the right name, but it made sense to me! )

Making half quarter square triangles (HQSTs) using a traditional method with two half-square triangles (HSTs) results in blocks in alternating directions -

 But what if all the blocks need to be oriented the same?

This alternate method uses strip piecing to create HQSTs which all orient the same way.

Start with strips equal to the size of the finished block, not including seam allowances.   You can use any number of strips - odd or even - and any length.  You will need approximately 2 1/2 times more of the background (HST)  fabric than the accent (QST) fabric.   

Sew alternating background and accent strips together along the long edges.  Press seams open throughout.

Note:   Starting with strips cut on the cross-grain will result in finished squares on the bias.  Start with bias-cut strips to finish with cross-grain squares.

Cut perpindicularly into strips equal to the original strip width.

Sew these together with additional strips of the background color, keeping the alternating strips oriented the same direction.

Starting in the upper corner, cut at a 45 degree angle through the center of the accent fabric.

Continuing cutting in this manner until all accent squares have been divided.

Cut these strips again in the opposite direction through the backgound fabric to create a series of HQSTs.   

The resulting half quarter square triangles are all identical!