Ever feel like you have deja vu? We’re making small HSTs!

Retro Tetro Quilt Along

Dates: September 15 through November 23
Duration: 10 weeks
Quilt Sizes: Mini, Crib, Throw, or Twin

How to Quilt Along

Share your progress on Instagram using #retrotetroqal. That’s where you’ll find the weekly photo prompts, livestreams, and more! Sign up here to be eligible for prizes, and get the weekly emails with tips for the coming week’s fun.

Join the Retro Tetro Quilt Along

Schedule

Week 1: Pick your fabrics, get your pattern, plan your coloring sheet
Week 2: Cut, label, and organize your pieces
Week 3: Make Large HSTs
Week 4: Make Block 2 (12 blocks)
Week 5: Make Small HSTs
Week 6: Make Block 3 (10 blocks)
Week 7: Make Blocks 4 (8 blocks)
Week 8: Make Block 5 (8 blocks)
Week 9: Sew blocks and strips into columns
Week 10: Finish quilt top

Step 1: Get organized

Open up your pattern to page 8 and grab your large squares.

The top half of the page tells you how to make 2-at-a-time HSTs. The table in the bottom half of the page tells you how many large and small HSTs you need to make from the pair of colors in the leftmost columns. This should look familiar! You’ve probably already made your large HSTs. You might have been so eager to stitch that you kept right on sewing and made your small HSTs as well. If so, take the week off! Have a nice relaxing beverage! Skip to the giveaway!

2 important notes: the “number to make” is the number of HST units, and the size at the top of the column is the size to trim your unfinished HSTs to, NOT the size of the squares you start with. Remember, your smallest squares should be in your “Block 4” bag.

Tight on time? Make your Z, T, and J HSTs first, and pin together the S and I HSTs. Have them stacked up beside your sewing machine. That way you’ll be good to go for next week, and you can sew your S and I blocks as leader/enders!

Step 2: Pair your squares

Grab a color A and a color B (that’s the first 2 columns in the table). Put them right sides together.

Step 3: Mark your line

Draw a diagonal line from corner to corner, or fold and press to make a crease. You may be tempted to skip this step and eyeball it while you’re stitching, but that will lead to tears.

If you’re using directional prints, peel back a corner before you mark your diagonal line to check that you like the way the 2 fabrics will look together. Rotate as needed.

If you like, pin on each side of the line.

Step 4: Chain piece!

Stack up your paired squares and sew a seam 1/4″ to the left of the line. When you get to the end of a pair, leave a tiny gap, then start sewing the next pair without cutting your thread. You’ll save time and thread, and avoid that thing where the ends of the thread get snarled up under your fabric.

Step 5: Chain piece the other side!

When all your pairs are stitched, turn your last pair around and stitch 1/4″ from the other side of the line. Keep going until all your pairs have 2 lines of stitching.

Step 6: Cut triangles apart

Bring the whole chain of squares over to your cutting mat. Cut apart the threads, then cut your squares in half on the marked line.

Step 7: Press

Press each triangle with a hot iron briefly before opening it up to set the seam. Finger press open, then press with the iron. (It really doesn’t matter which way your seam allowance goes. Dark side, open, toward the rising sun, it doesn’t make a big difference for this quilt. Open just means you’re opening up the triangle into a square.)

Step 8: Trim

Line up the seam with the 45 degree line on your ruler. Trim the square down to the finished size at the top of the Large HSTs column.

You can see how it’s done in this video!

You should have 58 small HSTs. We will use them to make the remaining blocks, starting next week.

Step 9: Share!

Remember to share your progress on Instagram using #retrotetroqal.

Giveaway!!

This week we have 2 prizes of $25 gift cards from Purple KATZ Quilting!

Purple KATZ Quilting is a one-of-a-kind Quilt Boutique Experience. Passionate about creating with fabric – our Central Alberta Quilt Studio features fabulous fabrics, notions and patterns. We also offer KATZ classes, retreats, as well as pop-up shoppes catered to your event. Purple KATZ Quilting is located in Rimbey, AB, Canada!

We are available to meet your Quilting needs online 24/7 and by message or email. 

We love you and appreciate your support of our local family owned business.

Purple KATZ Quilting carries an amazing range of modern fabrics, ranging from Alison Glass, Tula Pink, Libs Elliot, as well as beautiful wide backs so you can finish up your Retro Tetro quilt! We’re giving away TWO gift cards worth $25 each, toward your purchase of fabric, notions, patterns, and more!

Head over to today’s Instagram post for the details! Best of luck!

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Don’t forget to check out all our amazing sponsors!

• Birdie and Dot Fabrics
• Craft de Ville
• The Electric Quilt Company
• Hobbs Bonded Fibers
• LDH Scissors
• Mister Domestic
• PreQuilt
• Purple KATZ Quilting
• Ruby Star Society
• Shannon Brinkley Studio
• Silly Moon Quilting Co
• Wonderfil Specialty Threads

Join the Retro Tetro Quilt Along