More Half Square Triangles

After yesterday's Fourth of July family time I found a little energy left in me to square up a few half square triangles.  These HST's are my newest leaders and enders challenge I started back a few weeks ago.  You can read about it here. 

What is a leader and ender?  Well I could tell you but it's not my invention.  I heard about it years ago from Bonnie Hunter.    You can read her explanation of the process here.    You can see some of her yearly FREE leaders and enders projects below.

Leaders and Enders by Bonnie Hunter

2018

2019

2021

They go WAY back.  If you would like to see more you can Google

Bonnie Hunter Leaders and Enders 20?? <--- then add the year to the end.

She's the master of scrappy quilting, in my humble opinion.  I've followed her since the very beginning of her quilting journey.  Long before she wrote her first book.  But I didn't jump in the fun of making a leaders and enders quilt until this year.  Oh I've tried and I would start one and get so frustrated with the process and then just finish the quilt.  This year I have finally made 20 leaders and enders blocks but once again I could not stick to the leaders and enders way of doing things for the sashing. It's a new to me way of doing things and I'm willing to keep working at perfecting it. 

My current leaders and enders is HST's and could take awhile.  You see I have thousands of triangles and making more with almost every new quilt.  My current stack needing to be trimmed is fairly small.

As you can see they don't even need to be triangle scraps for me to use them.  And they don't need to match in size.

Every little bit of scrap fabric is used.

Then squared up to the largest size possible.

The box to the left is full of HST's needing to be trimmed.  But at the bottom of this box is a bag full of triangles, hundreds of them needing to be sewn into HST's.  The box on the right is baggies of trimmed HST's.  Each baggie holds a different size of HST's.  So far the largest HST is 3.5", the smallest I will go is 1".    Trimming all of these may take months or years.  Slow and steady wins the race.  I'm in no hurry but would like to use them all in a quilt/quilts before I die. 

And then I have a stack of "needing to be sewn" beside the sewing machine. I keep adding to the jar and tin box.   I've made a pretty good dent in these even though I add to them with every new quilt.  I could kick myself in the rear for letting them get so out of hand.  Occasionally I'll do a little marathon sewing of HST's.  Marathon sewing them is the easy part.  Marathon trimming them is foolish.  Talk about a literal pain in the neck!  UGG!  I think the most I've finished in one setting is 150.  That won't happen again.  How many HST's have you trimmed in one setting?  No breaks, just trimming without stopping.

I think this afternoon I'll sew a few together just for fun.  I need some sewing time before quilting on the frame later.  Juggling more than one project gives my body a break. I'm sure most of you understand the achy body parts.   Don't sit too long and don't stand for too long or those parts will remind you of your age.  Like a need a reminder!  HA!  

My word of the year.  I'm MOO-ving along these HST's.

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Quilting the Blue and Yellow Leaders and Enders Quilt

 One of the most challenging parts of making a quilt is the actual quilting.  I suppose that's why longarmers have wait lists that can be several weeks or months long.  When I purchased my midarm on a frame I had big plans of quilting for others someday.  The only problem was I don't like the quilting process.  I had grand illusions of the quilting machine making the quilting process more enjoyable.  Ten years later and I really don't enjoy quilting anymore than I did on my domestic machine.  Sure it is easier but enjoyable? Not really.  

My quilting setup is one of the cheapest out there.  It has what I call an old school Stitch Regulator with a learning curve that make some owners throw in the towel and buy a different set up. 

 Over the years I've made some modifications to my Bailey Home Quilter.  She looks like a monster   but the old girl gets the job done.  It doesn't matter what she looks like or how much I paid for her, what matters is we have learned to work together and make some pretty good looking quilts.  

 Every once in awhile after finishing the quilting on a quilt I will still need a binding fabric.  The easiest way to find just the right binding fabric is to take the quilt with you to the quilt shop.  Of course a finished quilt in a quilt shop is going to draw some attention.  The questions are always the same...

1.  What's the name of quilt pattern?

2.  Who designed it?

3.  The quilting is amazing, who quilted it for you?

4.  What brand is your longarm?

The Bailey Home Quilter isn't a brand that most quilters know.  And when I explain to them how cheap it is and it's lack of bells and whistles they are shocked that I can make it look like a "big girl" machine did the work.  It may seem like I'm bragging a little but really I'm not.  No one needs a frame quilter to make beautiful quilts.  I too have been impressed with the quilting on a quilt and ask some of the same questions.  And I too am shocked when they sometimes say...I quilted it on my mothers old sewing machine with a seven inch throat.  

The first thing I learned when I first starting quilting on a frame is....

Buying a quilter does not an artist make

Only time and lots of practice is going to produce a pretty quilting design.  Some learn it faster than others but all can and will if they put in the blood, sweat and tears.  I think I've paid my dues and for the most part I can give a quilt a little character with the quilting.  

And then there's quilts like this one.  I love this quilt.  It's simple design and bright colors just tickle me pink.  But my choice of quilting design...EH...I'm not feeling it but I'm not changing it or picking out the stitches.  The quilting doesn't look bad it just looks to be the wrong scale or wrong shape.  To me it's just off.  But it's quilted and that is all that matters.  Sometimes you win and sometimes you don't.

The real win is when a quilt is actually finished and no longer a UFO, right?  Yes ma'am!  So I'm moving forward and getting this girl done.

I'm linking up this post at a new to me link up over at 

Quilting and Learning-What a Combo

for the Free Motion Mavericks Linkup Party

Hop over to be inspired or to link up.

My word of the year, MOOVE.  Moving along UFOs and moving physically.

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In the Studio and in the Garden

The blue and yellow leaders and enders project is moving along nicely now that I've changed gears from a leaders and enders to a get it done mode.  Patience for the leaders and enders process is something I still need to work on.

However I'm still on board with the process.  So while finishing up the blue and yellow leaders and enders I'm starting another.  These containers of triangles for HST's are my leaders and enders for the blue leaders and enders.

 

Yesterday's HST's still need to be squared up this morning before doing anything else in the studio

Hopefully I can find some time at the end of the day to make a dresden or two from this UFO.  This will be a small project.  The plan was for a bed runner but it might be a table runner.  Can a bed runner be used as a table runner?  I suppose as long as your table is as large as your bed, right?

But before I do anything in the studio I need to hop out to Mr. Podunk's garden and uncover the plants.  We had a little frost last night so he covered the plants that can't tolerate frost.

The peppers and tomato plants were our biggest concern.

This gave me a chuckle.  Obviously he ran out of buckets and bowls.  Whatever works and gets the job done.

The snap peas are a little more tolerant of frost so they did not need covering.  However I'm noticing a good weeding is in order.  Maybe I can spare an hour or so to help out in the garden.  

He's doing a pretty good job but lacks the time.  I used to be the one to manage the garden but health issues in the last couple of years kept me inside.  The health problems are much better now so I think I give it another try.  Gardening, like quilting, is very relaxing.   Right now would be the best time to do a little weeding while it's muddy.  Those weeds will pop right out of the ground.

Of course Miss Khaleesi wanted to help.  She's very curious about what's under this plastic.

We also have a couple of raised beds in need of some love.  This is his garlic patch.  It's doing really well.  Garlic is planted in the fall, mulched heavily over the winter and then harvested in June or July depending on the weather.

The other raised was our onion patch last year.  These onions are volunteers we did not plant them this year.  Instead of onions he wanted asparagus in this bed.  Since it takes a couple of years to get a good asparagus patch going he decided to let the onions do their thing.  I guess I need to trim these up before they bolt and do a little weeding here as well.

Here's his asparagus.  It doesn't look like much but it grow rapidly after this year.  That's why it gets a bed of its own.  It's like a weed and will take over.  You only need to plant it once and it comes back year after year.  Well I better get busy on these weeds so I can get back into the quilting studio.

    MY WORD OF THE YEAR....MOVE.....MEANS MOVING PROJECTS ALONG OR ME MOVING, STAYING ACTIVE.

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Sunshine and Rainows

Hello Quilting Friends!  I just wanted to pop in and give you an update on my current leaders and enders project.  Slowly but surely I'm finishing up the cornerstones and sashing.  

 

When most of us think of a leaders and enders project we think of a Bonnie Hunter quilt.  Bonnies quilts more often than not do not have one consistent fabric let alone two or three.  The idea to keep this a 100% leaders and enders quilt sounds like a good idea but I'm at the point of just get it done.  Learning to use the leaders and enders method has been a real chore for me and I'm happy with my progress.  I love the idea of scrappy blocks but I also like the look of the consistent fabrics in the sashings and borders.

So here's my plan to bring together my scrappy blocks.  These simple blocks were made from leftovers.  The plan for the quilt was to use up the blue and yellow squares.  Cutting a bunch of  different scrap fabrics to make the sashing, cornerstones and border scrappy as well was never my intention.  I'll save all that energy for Bonnie's next mystery quilt.

In my mind I see a big beautiful floral print for the border but I don't have one.  Today at lunch time will be a good time to search my favorite online shops for just the right border fabric.  I'm giving myself one hour.  If I can't find what I want in an hour then I'll just have to make due with whatever I can pull from the stash.

Before I go back to the Studio I wanted to share with you our beautiful sky that rolled in yesterday evening.  It looked kind of scary and there was absolutely no wind which made it even scarier.   But as this front moved closer it brought a cold wind.  As quickly as it came it left.

And look what she left behind!  Beautiful!

If I see a rainbow I must have a picture.  They are one of the most beautiful things in nature.  You would think they were rare by the way I behave but really they aren't rare at all here in Podunk.  We are blessed with them several times a year.  They all look pretty much the same but I always feel as if it's the first time I've ever seen one.  It's not just me, Mr. Podunk takes a picture every time as well.  Do you? 

The blue and yellow leaders and enders is moving along.  

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Blue and Yellow Leaders and Enders

 The blocks for my current leaders and enders project are complete.  It took a little longer than expected to finish them.  For some reason I thought since it was a simple pattern with few pieces it would be farther along at this point.  In reality finishing it may take working on it during a couple more quilt tops.

Honestly this is the hardest part.  Waiting and waiting to put the rest of the quilt together.

They are staring at me and whispering "Come play with me" every time I walk in the room.  Oh the restraint it takes to stay on task.  They say it takes 12 times of doing something for it to become a habit.  Oh dear lord 12 more times.  Does this mean 12 days or 12 quilts?  Lets hope it 12 days.  

Maybe hanging them on the wall will curb the feeling to start making sashing.

At this point I realize I haven't cut the sashing.  Should I make it scrappy or use one print.

My plan is to make one of the quilts below.  The only difference between the two is one has yellow border.  The sashing and cornerstones are the same.  The blue corner units could be done in scrappy or one fabric.

And I could make the yellow in the sashing scrappy as well if I really wanted.  The large amount of white already gives the eye a place to land in this scrappy quilt.  Hmmm...I'm not sure but my comfort zone says one fabric for the blue and yellow.  Should I work outside my zone?  What do you think?

Did you know I'm an April Fool's baby?  Yep that's right.  My birthday day is April 1.  So I decided to have a my biggest sale of the year to celebrate my birthday.  

40% OFF  

No joke!  This is a great time to stock up.  I may have other sales throughout the year but none this large. No code needed the prices are reduced in shop.

Click here to go to my online shop

The leaders and enders quilt above is MOO-VING along nicely.  Most of the fabrics in this quilt are scraps from 2 other quilts.  If  new here and you're wonder what MOO-VE means to me, click the image below.  When the page opens scroll until you see the same image as below.

My Word of the Year

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