Hi all! It’s your free quilting course again today. Quilt Instructor Janeen van Niekerk created this gorgeous HST block for us, incorporating the quilting techniques she taught us in the last two quilting workshops.
Wall hanging, Pillow cover or Quilted Bag ?

Janeen wrote to me that it’s intended as a wall hanging. But oh, me the decorator, instinctively called it the ideal quilted decorative pillow cover instead.
That is, before I realised that it could also be the front of a fabulous tote bag too. If you like that idea, check out this free tote bag sewing pattern to make the bag component.
And follow along to get the quilting block done first!

HST Block
Wall Hanging
18” (46cm)
Quilting Materials Needed
You will need:
- 4 Different colors from your stash – I’m using White fabric and 3 different colored fabrics. I’ve tried to grade them down from dark to lighter.
- Each small block of HSq measures 3.5″ (cm) unfinished.
Size of Final Quilted Block
The overall large block for our wall hanging measures 18″ (cm) unfinished.
Quilting Tip – Technique:
Easy to remember – when wanting to make the traditional blocks, when cut makes 2HST you must add 1″ to the size of your block (we are using 3,5″ blocks, so we add 1″ to them and work with 4,5″ blocks that will be cut ONCE.
When working with the alternative method, you add 2″ to your block and cut TWICE. (3,5″ + 2″ = 5,5″) – see last HST quilting workshop for details.

This is what we will be working with:
- An HST.
- This is a traditional quilt blog pattern.
- It is created by two fabrics sewn diagonally on each side of diagonal line and then cut down the center between the sewing.
- Each also has a 1/4″ seam around each triangle.
Cutting Your Quilt Block Fabric
You only need to use one fabric cutting method. The choice is yours. With this block I’m going to give the traditional method instructions only, but in prior workshops I have taught you the alternative method.
Color Fabric |
Cutting Size in Inches |
# Squares You Need – |
1 (white) |
3.5 |
8 – (Leave these one side) |
1 |
4.5 |
12 |
2 Pink |
4.5 |
7 |
3 |
4.5 |
6 |
4 |
4.5 |
3 |
Pairing up Your Quilt Blocks
The next step is to pair up two blocks and have them facing right sides together. You will need:
Color Fabric Combinations | You Need | Instructions |
1 and 2 | 12 pairs | Mark a diagonal line on each pair onto the lighter fabric using a fading fabric pen |
1 / 3 | 10 | “ |
1 / 4 | 2 | “ |
2 / 4 | 2 | “ |
3 / 4 | 2 | “ |
Quilt Wall Hanging Assembly
Sew each of the pairs each side of the marked line (1/4″ seams). You can chain the pairs and sew down each side and turn and sew back up again on the opposite side. The line you drew is not to be sewn on. That line is to help guide the sewing on either side of it and once all pairs are sewn, you will cut down the center on the line you drew.
For the quilted wall hanging project, you will now have the following quilt elements:
- 28 HST
- 8 Squares.
Trimming Your Quilt Blocks
All HST blocks need to be trimmed down to 3,5″ x 3,5″ before sewing the block.
Layout and Finishing Your Quilt Block
Lay the HST and the squares out according to the image on the front of the pattern to get a good visual of the block.
- Sew each row’s blocks together with a 1/4″ seam. Press all seams in one direction. On the next row, press each seam the opposite direction so that when we sew the finished rows together, they can lock into one another (nesting) and you will get a good clean corner.
- Press your block and square it up at the finish. Do not cut off the 1/4″ seam around the block.
- The unfinished block should measure 18″ (46cm).
- Once you have finished making the block you can add a back and batting to it. The back can be folded over to form the edge on the front.
- Straight line quilting of your choice can also be added.
And then you have this!

I hope you enjoy making this quilt block. I had a lot of fun doing it. I think this quilt project turned out great. Can’t wait to see your pictures to learn what you have made with this tutorial. Drop us a line below when done and share a picture for the blog in future.
Till the next time!
Janeen
Copyright & Design Notice
ALL QUILT ART PATTERNS ARE FOR PRIVATE USE ONLY.
These designs were created to be used and shared. You may sell items made from the patterns on small scale. They must be handmade by you and not mass produced. If you sell online or otherwise, please include “Pattern designed by Quilt Art Designs” within the description and label.
We have taken great care to ensure that the information included in this pattern is accurate and presented in good faith, but no warranty is provided and nor results guaranteed. Having no control over the choices of materials or procedures used, neither the author nor Quilt Art Designs shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this pattern.
‘Till the next time,
By Janeen van Niekerk, Quilting Instructor
QuiltArtDesigns

How to Sew a Quilt – Quilting Workshops for Beginners
Want to begin sewing quilts with me? Join our free online quilting workshops, which you can take at your leisure, any time you want. Work at your own pace.
Free Quilting Patterns & Tutorials & Classes in this quilting course:
- Class #1: Fussy cutting ~ How to Make a Quilt: Free Quilting Beginners Class.
- Class #2: Quilting Tools – What you’ll need as a beginner.
- Class #3 : How to Choose & Work with Quilting Fabric.
- Class #4: How to Read & Work with a Quilt Pattern.
- Class #5: Creating a Finished Quilt Block .
- Class #6: How to Make Quilt Rows – from finished blocks.
- Class #7: How to add Borders to your quilt.
- Class #8 : How to finish a quilt: add backing, batting and how to bind a quilt.
- Class #9 : How to Make Quilt Blocks more Exciting.
- Class #10 : How to Make a Modern Lap Quilt.
- Class #11 : How to Make a Modern Lap Quilt, the next steps.
- Class #12: How to finish a Quilt :: Modern Lap Quilt.
- Class #13/14: Quilting Glossary with Quilt Sewing Terms for Beginners
- Class #15: Half Square Triangles Quilting Techniques
- Class #16: Half Square Triangles Quilting Techniques – part 2
- Class #17: Half Square Triangles Quilt Wall Art Project – part 3 (this class)
About Quilting Instructor Janeen van Niekerk
Our latest news of quilt making instructor Janeen van Niekerk is that she has just launched a brand new paper piecing magazine.
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Quilt artist Janeen van Niekerk is an avid quilter. In particular, she’s an accomplished paper piecing designer. She does it all with a passion.
Janeen’s prolific range of hand-made quilts (she takes commissions for personalized, stylish portrait quilts), as well as her unique quilt patterns (think quilts featuring safari animals and trees, or kids toys) are inspired by her environs; she lives in sunny Pretoria in South Africa, with her husband and kids.
Janeen offers her quilts designs & paper piecing patterns for individual sale Out of Janeen’s 230+ quilt patterns for sale, these are my top 5 Paper Piecing Quilt Patterns, Animals and Flowers. All really beautiful!!
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Quilting Pattern Library & Other Training Courses
This gorgeous owl quilt pattern is both included in one of Janeen’s books as well as being available for individual sale. Don’t you just love this quilt design?
Or, … continue your journey with Quilting patterns, tutorials and ideas featured here at FineCraftGuild.com (beyond Janeen’s quilting course).