QST: Hourglass or Bowtie

Best Practices for Auto Recognition

Hourglass or Bowtie QST Block Unit in PreQuilt

It's important to note that the Hourglass or Bowtie QST has 2 different fabrics that are both opposite one another. Depending on which fabric stands out more, this block unit can look either like an hourglass or a bowtie.

There is also a variation of the Hourglass QST that uses 3 fabrics.

Since the idea behind this series is to build a block unit (not an entire block of just an Hourglass), I'm going to create a 12" finished block that has Hourglass block units in it (like for example, the Ohio Star quilt block).

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Help Guide

Click on the BLOCKS tab on the left side control panel.
Click on the Make Custom Block button.
The Block Editor panel will slide out and overtake your screen. My block is set to 12" x 12" finished, but it doesn't matter, the next steps will work for all sized blocks.
Set your grid guidelines by changing the number for the horizontal and vertical units.
- In this example, I'd like to create the Ohio Star block that has 4 identical Hourglass QST units, so I'll set my gridlines to 6 horizontal and 6 vertical units.
- Note: I set 6 horizontal and 6 vertical (instead of 3 x 3), because I need to have a gridline for the midpoint of each QST.
Click on the isosceles triangle shape () from the central control panel.
One isosceles triangle will be added to the block space. Move it into the correct position by clicking on the shape on the block space and moving it to where it belongs.
Isosceles triangle shape added to the quilt block space
Isosceles triangle shape moved to one side of the QST
Now that the isosceles triangle is in place, we can now stretch it into the shape of a quarter square triangle. With the triangle selected, grab the square on the right side of the isosceles triangle and drag it until the triangle fills the width of two grid spaces. If the snap to grid is turned on (default) then the shape will automatically fill the grid space.
- Keep in mind this is only quarter of the block unit, the three quarters are empty (denoted by gingham background).
With the quarter square triangle shape selected, click on the Clone button () on the central control panel.
Cloned QST shape - identical to the first QST (Using Fabric Link A)
Click on the Rotate button () on the central control panel so that it is in the correct orientation. You will need to click on the Rotate button several times to get it to be upside down.
Move the new quarter square triangle piece so it is opposite (and above) the first quarter square triangle. It should snap into place and the tip of the QST piece should meet perfectly at the middle of the 4 grid spaces.
Fabric A of the QST Hourglass Block Unit
With the two quarter square triangle shapes selected, click on the Clone button () on the central control panel.
- Directions: To select both shapes, click on one, hold the SHIFT button, and then click on the other.
- Note: Because both of the orange quarter square triangles are selected, both of them will be copied.
Fabric A QSTs (total of 2)
Fabric A QSTs cloned (total of 4)
Click on the Link button for a different fabric link (so that the two new QST block pieces are now linked to a different Fabric Link). In this example, I've linked them to Fabric B.
Cloned QST shapes - now using Fabric Link B (were formerly Fabric Link A)
Click on the Rotate button () on the central control panel so that the two new QSTs are in the correct orientation.
Move the new quarter square triangle pieces fill the empty spaces of the Hourglass block unit. It should snap into place and be snug with the orange quarter square triangle pieces.
1 x Hourglass QST block unit
4 x Hourglass QST block units in the Ohio Star