Make the Broken Dishes Quilt Blocks
CuttingRead the easy sandwich method for half square triangle (HST) unit construction, including the optional method on page 5, which explains how to cut the squares oversize and then cut back completed units to the exact size after construction. If you do that, slightly increase the square size given below.
Alter cutting instructions if you use another method to make HST units. Each should finish at 3" x 3" -- in other words, measure 3-1/2" x 3-1/2" before sewing them to neighbors.
For an orderly quilt:
- Cut (6) 3-7/8" wide strips of dark fabric from selvage to selvage. Square up one end of each strip and cut a total of (60) 3-7/8" x 3-7/8" squares.
- Repeat for light fabric.
For a scrappy quilt:
- For each block (30 total blocks) cut (2) 3-7/8" x 3-7/8" dark squares and two light squares of the same size
Assemble the Broken Dishes Blocks
- Pair a light square with a dark square and use the easy sandwich method to sew them together, resulting in (2) HST units that measure 3-1/2" x 3-1/2".
- Repeat with two more squares of the same fabrics.
- Arrange the four HST units into two rows as shown, lower left of illustration. Sew the components of each row together. Press seam allowances towards the darker triangles.
- Join the rows. Press. The quilt block should measure 6-1/2" x 6-1/2". If it does not, try one of my problem block fixer-uppers.
- Make a total of 30 Broken Dishes quilt blocks.
