Easy Herringbone Quilt Tutorial with Half Square Triangles
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Make an Easy Herringbone Quilt using half square triangles! This simple quilt comes together soo fast since you are using 10 inch fabric squares and a shortcut half square triangle method.
It’s been so crazy lately with everything going on over the last few months.
Most challenging for me, was the six weeks of distance learning with an unmotivated and unfocused 7th and 9th grader; so yes, it was definitely a tough 6 weeks.
While all of the schooling was going on, I had no extra energy to even think about visiting my sewing room. (Made plenty of time for baking sweets though, so I guess the next challenging time will be three months of dieting, lol.)
Thankfully, “home-school” is out for now and I’ve (mostly) regained my sanity and am starting to get the urge to make pretty things!
The first project that came to mind was a simple quilt in my favorite colors.
Easy Herringbone Quilt Made with Half Square Triangles
Simple quilts are fun to me, it’s minimal amount of time per project, but the results are fabulous! (Also why I love making little girl dresses – like a pillowcase dress.)
This herringbone quilt is a perfect quilt project for a new-ish quilter or someone who likes quick projects that really make a impact. (Like me, lol.) One of the reasons it is so quick is you can make this quilt using a layer cake(s)! Plus making the triangles is more fun than just sewing squares together.
In today’s post, I am creating the blocks for this quilt using a half square triangle shortcut method, then putting the triangles together to make the blocks for this amazing Pink Herringbone Quilt. The quilt comes together so fast!
Half Square Triangles Are the Best!
I just love working with half square triangles. There are so many fun designs you can make with them.
The method I am showing you today makes 2 half square triangles using two 10 inch squares. I have another fun and Easy Chevron Quilt Tutorial that is made similarly, but that method makes 4 half square triangles from two 10 inch squares.
For my Pink Herringbone Quilt, I used part of a layer cake for the white squares and yardage from my stash for the pink.
I cut the pink squares into 10 inch squares with a 10 inch quilting ruler. (I have a ton of one yard cuts is various shades of pink from when my missy was younger and I was just collecting fabric. She’s no longer into pink and one yard of fabric is not enough fabric to make a dress or skirt anymore.)
Quilt Block Details:
One finished block is 9.5 by 9.5 inches. The picnic sized quilt top is 5 blocks across by 6 blocks down and is 45 by 54 inches. Of course, it is completely up to you on the size you want to make your quilt.
I plan on adding a 4 inch border all the way around before binding, so my quilt should end up being around 52.5 by 61.25. A perfect lap or picnic sized quilt.
Various Quilt Size Suggestions
If you are interested in turning this Herringbone quilt tutorial into a different size, here is a list of suggested quilt sizes (in inches). All you will need to do is add blocks to get close to your desired size. (2 ten inch squares make 2 blocks.)
- Baby/Crib: 36 by 52
- Lap/picnic: 50 by 65
- Twin: 70 by 90
- Full: 85 by 108
- Queen: 90 by 108
- King: 110 by 108see
Love Quilting? Make sure to check out these easy quilting projects!
- Easy Quilted Fabric Coaster Tutorial
- Free Motion Quilting – Embellished Towels
- Free Zig Zag Quilt Pattern and Tutorial
- 75 Easy Quilt Patterns for Beginners
- How to Make a Rag Quilt Placemat
- Patchwork Tunic Top
How to Make an Easy Herringbone Quilt:
- Skill level: Beginner
- Time needed for quilt top: (if using precuts) 3 to 4 hours
Herringbone Quilt Layout Guide:
Print the guide here. It will come in handy when you are putting the quilt blocks together.
Materials Needed to Make a Herringbone Quilt top (picnic size):
- Five – 10 inch blocks of 3 different colors
- 15 – 10 inch blocks of white fabric
- Herringbone quilt fabric layout guide
- Ruler, rotary cutter, fabric marker
- Basic sewing supplies
- helpful supplies: 1/4 inch presser foot
Sewing Instructions:
Tutorial Note: For the 1st part of this tutorial, I am using smaller cuts of fabric so all the blocks will fit in the frame of the camera. Your blocks are 10 by 10 inches.
Step 1: Organize and cut fabric squares, create blocks.
For the 1st two rows you will start with 5 blocks of white and 5 blocks of a colored fabric.
Line up a block of white and a block of the color, right sides together.
Use a ruler and draw a line from one corner to another.
Sew a straight stitch 1/4 inch on each side from the center line you drew.
Cut the square in half down the line you drew.
Open the triangles and press into squares. Trim off the corners
Optional step, use a ruler and “square up” your squares. (At this point, they should be 9.5 inches by 9.5 inches) Technically, this step is optional, but it is incredibly helpful in the later steps. Ensuring your blocks are uniform in size, helps to line up all the seems when the rows together.
Repeat these steps with four more pairs of white and colored squares.
This gives you enough for the 1st two rows
Use the printable template and arrange squares into the correct alignment.
Repeat the above process with the next two colors. (When done, you will have 6 rows of three colors.)
Step 2: Sew blocks together.
Starting with the top row:
Line up first two blocks right sides together and sew with a .25 inch seam.
Then sew the next 2 blocks together, and then the last block to the second set of 2. Then sew the 2 groups together.
Repeat with the second row.
Then, matching up the seams and pinning, sew the two rows together. Tip: I like to match up the center most seam first and work outwards.
Nesting the seams together, like this:
Keep repeating step 2 until all your blocks and row are sewn together!
Finish quilt as desired.
For me, (and this particular quilt) I am thinking of adding 4 inch white borders and a raspberry pin dot/polka dot for the binding. Not sure about the back at this point, but wouldn’t it be fun to have a contrasting herringbone on the back?
I’ll show it off when finished!
If you end up making one of these quilts, be sure to tag me on Instagram with #scatteredmompatterns or you can upload the photos to your finished project in my private Facebook group!