Hive 6 Tutorial for April 2024 - Springtime Herringbone for Meg

Hi!  My name is Meg, and this is my second year participating in Stashbee.  I had so much fun last year and made amazing friends in my awesome hive, and this year has been just as enjoyable so far 💕💕!  This month I am asking my hive mates to make a herringbone unit for me using 4 half square triangles.  My inspiration for this block is from this tutorial: Easy Herringbone Quilt Tutorial with Half Square Triangles (scatteredthoughtsofacraftymom.com).  I really loved the ombre pink layout featured in that tutorial.  My tutorial is going to be a little bit different from the inspiration tutorial, but that link will give you an idea of what the final product may look like.  Here is a photo of 4 of my practice blocks together:

 

Fabric Selection:

I want my final product to be springy and girly 💅💮.  I am looking for bright pink, pastel pink, lavender, pastel blue, and bright blue in prints or solids.  I especially love small floral prints!  I am laid back about your fabric choices, and I love seeing everyone's first choice of fabric, rather than your first choice within really tight guidelines.  So, I have tried to make the pull encompass a wide range of fabrics.  Here is a picture of my fabric pull:

You will need to pick 2 fabrics - one colored fabric (pink, lavender, or blue), and one background fabric (white or cream: low volume, white on white, solid, pretty much anything goes!).  If you would prefer, you can pick 2 different colored fabrics that coordinate like I did in the practice blocks above.  For one of them I used a pastel blue and a bright blue, and for another I used a bright pink solid and a bright pink blender.  

Cutting:

Cut two 8-inch squares (go with 8.25 inches if you like to have wiggle room in your HSTs) from your colored fabric(s) and two 8-inch squares (again, bigger if you want wiggle room) from your background fabric.  Here are mine, I chose a pastel pink solid and a low volume background:

Sewing:  You're going to make 4 half square triangles that each finish at 7.5 inches square.

1.  Draw a line from corner to corner on the wrong side of your background fabric squares:

2.  Place each background square right sides together with a colored square and sew 1/4 inch or a scant 1/4 inch on each side of the line.  Cut on the marked line:

3.  Press in whichever way you prefer.  I am a weirdo and I like pressing towards the light side.  I love to see that perfect quarter inch showing through the lighter fabric.  But you should press your favorite way, whatever that may be :)  Here are my HSTs before squaring up:

4. Square to 7.5 inches and arrange like this:

5.  Sew together in a 4 patch.  Your final block should measure 14.5 inches square, but no need to square up!  I pressed my first two seams to the side so that I could nest, and then pressed the final seam open to reduce bulk.  You can press your seams however is most comfortable for you though!  Here she is:

Wahoo!!!  I think it will be pretty easy, but if you have any questions, please reach out, as I would love to help and chat.  Thank you so much for sewing for me!  I can't wait to see what you all create.  💗

With much love,

Meg from Alabama 💓