16 Unique Quilt Block Layouts Using Bonus Half Square Triangles

If you're a quilter, you know how much of an investment it is to make a quilt. Fabric itself is a

hefty portion of the cost so it's understandable to want to use as much of the fabric as possible.

I'm a big proponent of utilizing Bonus Half Square Triangles wherever possible for this reason. Not only do you extend the life of the fabric, but you save time on your next project since half of the work of making your bonus HST is already complete before you start.

This technique can be used in both the piecing and block assembly process, depending on the design. The Log Cabin Lateral quilt utilizes this technique in the block assembly process which gives the bonus HSTs a more unique look with a scrappy, multi-colored half of the HST.

If you're looking to extend the life of your fabric, here's a quick rundown of how to make Bonus Half Square Triangles PLUS 16 unique quilt blocks you can make from your Bonus HSTs.

Understanding Bonus Half Square Triangles

Let’s recap what bonus half square triangles actually are. A Bonus HST is made by using the snowball or stitch 'n' flip method of piecing. In this technique, triangles are added to the corners of a unit by:

1. Placing a smaller square of fabric aligned in the corner of another square of fabric, right sides together

2. Sewing a diagonal line from corner to corner on the smaller square

3. Trimming 1/4 inch away from the sewn line to the outside of the sewn line

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

The trimming step in this technique leaves you with two extra triangles of fabric that if big enough can be used as a scrap later, but often times are too small by themselves to be utilized in another project.

To put those corners to use, you can add one simple step to the snowball or stitch 'n' flip technique:

1. Sew another line 1/2 inch to the outside of the initial sewn line.

   
   
   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

If you add this one step to your process, you can simply trim between the stitched lines and you'll have both your snowball corner AND a sewn HST ready to be trimmed!

Here's an example of the bonus HST technique used on a snowball corner rectangle unit.

Ways to Use your Bonus HSTs

You can use your bonus HSTs however you wish; in smaller projects like mug rugs or wall hangings or sew them together to make a small bag or tote. Or you can save all your bonus HSTs from multiple projects and combine them into a larger quilt.

In this blog post, I've gathered 16 different 16-patch block layouts to make a full-size quilt. Each of these full-size quilts utilizes 256 HSTs with a 4x4 grid layout of each 16-patch block. Based on your trimmed HST size, you can expect each of these full size quilt tops to be the following finished size:

[( Trimmed HST size- 0.5 inch ) x 16 ] + 0.5 inch = Finished Quilt Top Width and Length

For example: if you have trimmed 4 inch HSTs, your finished quilt top size will be:

[( 4 - 0.5 ) x 16 )] + 0.5 inch= 56.5 x 56.5

These examples all utilize only two colors of HSTs but if you have multiple colors in your collection, using the lighter color of the HST where the cream is and the darker color where the green is in the diagrams will give you a similar look.

Be sure to play around with your HSTs as some of these blocks will be better for certain color combinations than others.

Bonus Half Square Triangle Quilt Block Layouts

1. Simple HST Layout

2. Alternating Geese

3. Broken Chevron

4. Diamond Stripes

5. Diamonds

6. Rickrack

7. Diamonds + Geese

8. Alternating Geese #2

9. Split Geese

10. X Marks the Spot

11. Star #1

12. Star #2

13. Chevron Diamonds

14. Diamond Star

15. Diamond Zag

16. Knitted Sweater

Let Your Creativity Flow

Using bonus half square triangles from past projects can serve as a simple way to explore new half squre triangle quilt block layouts. Regardless of your skill level, HSTs are a foundational element of quilting and are a great way to build on the skills you have. With these 16 quilt block layouts, you can extend the life of your fabric while also tapping into your creative flow and continuing to build on your quilting skillset.

I can't wait to see your bonus HST projects! Share your Bonus HST projects with me on Instagram @jessicasteeledesign.