Setting Triangles for Lazy Punk and the Secret Tote Bag

I'm still hand stitching the half blocks but can get on with sewing the finished blocks into strips. So now it is on to the sashing, cornerstones and setting triangles for Lazy Punk. Unlike the original Steam Punk quilt  I've decided to use cornerstones that are a slightly different colour from the sashing. The setting triangles will be cut from the Alexander Henry skeleton fabric (the recipient of the quilt mentioned that she liked the fabric when she saw it in an earlier post and she wants it in the quilt). The print on the far right will be used for the cornerstones and the solid dishwater white fabric behind is the sashing fabric.

Here are the blocks on the design wall; I've already starting attaching the sashing.

 The setting triangles that will fill in the sides and corners of the quilt are cut from squares that are larger than the finished quilt block. For the side setting triangles each square will yield four side setting triangles because the square is cut on the diagonal twice. The squares that are cut for the corner setting triangles will yield two corners.

There are two simple formulae for cutting setting triangles. The formula for side setting triangles is:

 

Finished size of block x 1.41, round up to the nearest 1/8" and add 1 1/4"

 



The formula for corner setting triangles is:

 

Finished size of block x 1.41 / 2 and add 1/8", then round up to the nearest 1/8"

 





This means I will need 14" squares for the side setting triangles and 9" squares for the corner triangles.

I used to struggle with this formula because it is based on decimal whereas quilt measurements are fractions. So what is an eighth of an inch when expressed as a decimal? The following list provides the measurements in 1/8"s and multiples thereof expressed as a decimal!

1/8" = 0.125

1/4" = 0.250

3/8" = 0.375

1/2" = 0.50

5/8" = 0.625

3/4" = 0.750

7/8" = 0.875

 

 

I keep a little chart pinned to my bulletin board. I include the 1/8" measurements along with a list of finished block sizes and the size of squares required for side & corner setting triangles.



I've finished the bag for my secret tote bag swap partner. Here are a few quick pictures of the finished bag.

Back of the bag with zippered pockets and beaded zipper pulls

Front of the bag

 

Side panel with appliquéd grasshopper and butterfly &

side pocket with appliquéd butterfly

Close-up of grasshopper

 

Other side with appliquéd butterflies on panel and pocket

 

 Inside the bag

 

I sure hope my partner likes her bag. She has left some comments on the Flickr page for this swap that would lead be to believe that she will be happy!

Until I post again, happy sewing!