Lessons From An Old Half-Square Triangle Quilt
To watch the video, click HERE or on the image above.
Antique quilts are my favorite, and this one is no exception! I just love how the maker used a simple scrappy half-square triangle block, or as sometimes called HST, to make a lovely quilt. Half square triangles are so versatile and quilts made with half square triangles are stunning. We can see from vintage and antique quilts that this isn't a new idea in quilt making. It is a classic design that we can all use to make amazing quilts from scraps.
About This Old Quilt
Details-At-A-Glance:
Size: Approx. 80” x 80”
Age: Late 1800s/Early 1900s
Acquired: I purchased this at a yard sale last summer for $10.00.
Quilt History: The elderly woman who sold me this quilt said it was always on the back of her family’s couch for as long as she could remember. She didn’t know who made it since she didn’t know of anyone who quilted in her family. She was cleaning out her house preparing to downsize. She doesn’t have children or anyone to pass this beauty down to. I offered her more than $10.00 for it, but she refused.
Number of Blocks: There are (100) 7” half-square triangle blocks in this quilt.
Construction Technique: Everything is done by hand
Quilting: The quilting is 100% by hand.
Fabric: Cotton
Batting: Cotton
Binding: Added separately, but a lot of it is worn and missing from age in use. It looks like a beige fabric now, but it could have faded from age and use.
Backing: The backing is a beautiful maroon floral print. It is in excellent condition! At least 6 yards of fabric was used in the backing alone.
Condition: A lot of the fabrics have broken down from age, but there are still a few that have held up really well, specifically the navy blue fabrics. There are quite a few holes due to the breaking down of fabric.
A Closer Look
Quilt Blocks
Except for the borders, this quilt is made up of (100) 7” x 7” half-square triangle blocks. That’s it! The color placement and the overall layout gives it a look of a much more complicated block, doesn’t it?
Fabrics & Colors
Navy blues, light blues, pinks, maroons, yellows, browns, beiges, and a pop of green (more on that below) make this quilt shine! I just love how the navy blue sets the tone and design for this entire quilt, giving the eye a place to focus while the lighter fabrics give the eye a place to rest. Although this is what we see now, it is important to note that these fabrics have faded over the years. Can you just imagine what this looked like in its prime? Although we will never really know what it looked like, one thing is for sure: The maker had a wonderful sense of design.
Unexpected Green
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Quilting
This quilt is quilted completely by hand. In the blocks, the quilter used two designs—a diagonal design and a half-square design, as you can see in the photo. This design is used throughout the quilt, with the exception of the border, where we see a quilted rope design.
Border
This border! Oh my goodness! It measures 5.5” wide and goes around the entire quilt. It is this wonderful double pink fabric. So pretty! The maker also quilted a rope design into the border. I love it so much! The pink goes well with the rest of the quilt, too. Although we don’t see this fabric repeated in the half-square triangles, there are other double-pink fabrics included in the body of the quilt.
Strips & Plaids
There is a wonderful mix of plaids, strips, dots, florals in this quilt, if it tough to pick a favorite! The maker was detail-oriented, however, as all of the plaid and stripes are going in one direction. In many other scrappy vintage quilts I have in my collection. the maker would use any pieces—even if they aren’t straight—in the quilt they made, which if you think about it, makes sense. Using up even the tiniest scrap is important. However, this maker made sure the fabrics were straight. Why do we think that is? Did the maker have excess? Is there another quilt out there in the world with the scraps left over from this one? I love thinking about this stuff!
Backing
There Oh my goodness! I am obsessed with this backing! The maroon pink has held up so well and has very little signs of wear and tear. Although it is a busy print, we can see the quilting lines well. The backing was pieced together with one seam down the middle. Because of the side of this quilt, this is a lot of yardage! The print is so pretty with the flowers and the dots. It also goes so well with the front of the quilt.
Binding
Binding is usually the first to breakdown in old quilts, which makes sense. Imagine the wear binding gets. This binding looks like it may have been yellow in its prime, but is more beige now. It is breaking down and falling off. It was hand-stitched on as a separate piece of fabric. It is a single-fold binding. The corners are folded in but not mitered.
Lessons We Can Learn
What can we, as modern makers, learn from this antique half-square triangle quilt?
Navy Blue Fabrics: I just love the navy fabric in this quilt! It highlights the overall layout and design and gives it the quilt pattern boundaries, helping eye see overall pattern. As modern makers, we can learn to do something similar in our own scrap quilts. Adding that consistent element helps with the stunning aspect of this quilt.
Simple Blocks = Stunning Quilts: Oftentimes, as makers, we think (or at least I think) that quilts have to be complicated to be beautiful. This quilt is a great reminder of how simple blocks, like these half-square triangle blocks, can make extraordinary quilts. Not to mention that half-square triangles are so versatile. This is a great example of that, too!
Quilting Design: With the exception of the gorgeous quilting in the border, the quilting is simple, yet effective. It highlights the pattern well and adds to the texture and overall look of the quilt. Maybe the maker wanted the blocks to shine, or they could have wanted to finish the quilt before winter. I really wish these quilts could talk. I have so many questions!
Add Unexpected Pops to Scrap Quilts: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that green fabric. Oh, my goodness! This is a wonderful way to add interest to quilts, isn’t it? Just by putting in a few unexpected elements or fabrics can make a scrap quilt go from boring to extraordinary! I am going to have to remember that in my own scrap quilt designs.
Busy Backings: I didn’t talk about this in the video, but it is worth mentioning. This backing is a wonder example of how a busy-ish backing can enhance the quilt. When you really look for the seam, you do find it, however it is disguised some because of the overall print of this quilt. Also, it matches the front of the quilt, which I love!
Thank you so much for reading about this beautiful old quilt.
Kris
