Diagonal Squares

I saw squares similar to these on Pinterest and decided I could figure out how to make them myself. Well, it wasn't all that easy...I probably wasted at least a yard of fabric. So, now that I have made 52 of these suckers (for a couple of baby quilts), I feel confident in expounding directions to anyone interested! First, these can be made into different sized squares. Mine are 7 1/2" squared. I cut my fabric strips 1 1/2" wide by about 28" long. This will make four 6 1/2 by 6 1/2" squares that will eventually become two finished 7 1/2" squares. My best advice is make sure you use spray starch to iron and be very careful when pressing not to stretch fabric. I pushed seams open with my finger rather than with point of iron and it seems to help.

Sew strips together using 1/4" seem. Press, using starch again. Then lay out finished strip and cut into 6 1/2" lengths. Take two squares and lay them right sides together but with one of the blocks vertical and the other horizontal. Then stitch around all four sides. I only sew one side at a time because inevitably the squares don't match up perfectly so I end up having to fudge my seams a little. After two squares are sewn together lay them out again and carefully make a diagonal cut so that you have two triangles. Then cut the triangles in half again.

This is a picture of how you lay them together to sew around outside edges.

Using fabric spray starch again press them open and this is what they will look like.

Match up the four squares and stitch them together. Then do the same with the other four and of course press. Again, diagonal cuts stretch the most so just be very careful with the fabric. For my finished quilt it took 1/4 yard of each of 8 different fabrics and 1 yard for the 1 1/2" strips in between.