HST: Sashing Debacle

When designing one of my patterns, I had a million HST left over. Ok, not a million but it felt like it and I didn't even have to trim most of them! I took all the colors and laid them out in different patterns to make a HST sampler. There are 16 blocks all together, so it was only 256 HST. 

I have seen in the past people using different solids for sashing that is bolder or in contrast to their backing color. I have pulled Kona Silver and Kona Midnight  

What do you think? Do you like either of them?  Opinions please! 

Not sure I am ready to take the risk, worst case scenario I do have some Kona Snow in my stash. 

Half Square Hell

Anyone ever look at a stack of HST and think, "what the hell!" 

That's me each and every time I look at even one HST. So, times that by 200ish. 

I belong to the no waste community of quilters. It's just wrong criminal tossing so much good fabric away. So while making my latest pattern, I ended up with a 200+ HST byproduct.

Jokes on me. As part of my design I used flying geese so I could avoid trimming HST. 

Who's not laughing now. 

Back to the drawing board on the design. The pattern ended up using HST. Less fabric use, less waste.

A quilting miracle did occur recently. I hosted a quilting bee at my house with some NHMQG members to help teach the members about paper piecing and while people waited to use a machine they started trimming.

And trimming. And trimming ... Finally I got some quilting minions! 

Eventually the whole stack was completed. It was a great day.

Now that these suckers are all trimmed it was fun to get out my HST Quilt Along pages and start over with this bold array of colors. The best part was knowing that no trimming would have to happen :)

Check out the blocks so far. At this point my original Sunrise Stars pattern is a 2 for 1 special. Oops.

Eventually there will be 16 blocks ... so more to come. 

Luckily, I am headed to retreat this weekend. 

Tomorrow is only a day away!!!!!! 

There is so much potential packed away right now, maybe too much. Either way I will be excited to share what I am able to accomplish in three sewing days! Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty is my wonderful co-pilot as we head north to Marden's then retreat, oceanside. 

I am already doing a victory dance as I finish packing thinking how great it's going to be! 

HST Quilt Along

Over the last year my guild has been doing a half square quilt along. There are 72 different patterns in all, but I only did 29. Instead of making them 8 inches, I scaled up and did 12 inches instead. This made the quilt come together much faster.  I also went with 1 inch sashing, it worked out perfect! It might just be my new favorite sashing width. Just enough to separate the blocks but not too much that it creates too much white space. 

For fabric I used a fat quarter pack of Gypsy Caravan by Amy Butler. They are not my "typical" colors but I was drawn to the color palette as a whole. For the background I used Kona Bone. The red and blue blocks are my favorite patterns in the bunch.

Over the summer I was at a discount fabric store and spotted some of the line for this quilt. At $4.99 a yard it was going to be the backing! The quilt was originally going to be 5 by 6 blocks but I hated one of the blocks, so the front became 5 by 5, and I used the other four in the backing. It ended up working out perfectly with the yardage I already purchased. 

Check another quilt off my WIP list! Now I can bring this one into my next guild meeting to share/brag to my guild mates this quilt along is done. Next, I just need to get started on my Patchwork City blocks .... 

- Patch & Chels

HST Quilt Along

Well, I finished all the Half Square Triangle (HST) blocks, all 30 of them. Then decided that I hated one of them and pulled it out. The other four are going to get pieced on the back. I also decided that I hate HST's. Wait, I already knew that. Now I just hate them more. 

After laying all the blocks out together, it needed something to break up each block. Each block is different and I wanted to showcase that no two where the same. On the inside blocks, I added the one inch sashing. The one inch sashing is quickly becoming my favorite. 

Now I am not sure how to finish the edges. So far my thoughts are a thicker border in the background color, then bind it. What do you all think?

- Patch & Chels

HST Update

This year the New Hampshire Modern Quilt Guild is hosting a Modern HST Quilt Along. Of course, because I do nothing the correct way, I made my blocks 12 inches instead of 8 inches (who has time for those tiny HST??). This project is moving along quite nicely because I settled on 30 blocks instead of the 72 some of my (crazy) guild mates signed on for!

For fabrics I picked up a fat quarter bundle of Gypsy Caravan by Amy Butler, and paired each fabric with Kona Bone. Each fat quarter makes two blocks with some extra fabric for the scrap bin or for corner-blocks in the sashing (not sure about sashing yet). So far I love the colors in this line even though it strays from my typical colors. 

Only ten more blocks to go :) 

-Patch & Chels

More HST for Quilt Along

Another update on the NHMQG HST Quilt Along. As of now I am half way done with 15 blocks completed. It's never been a secret that I despise squaring half square triangles, so I am not sure why I agreed to this quilt. Although these are not my typical colors I am loving them more and more. 

Before this picture I was thinking these blocks don't need sashing. After seeing all them all laid out, they definitely need sashing! Guess I will be changing my plans. 

-Patch & Chels

HST Quilt Along Update

The NHMQG is doing a HST Quilt along. This past weekend while at retreat I was able to get more of the blocks done. There are 6 more trimmed but I have yet found time to assemble them. 

When I first purchased this FQ pack of Amy Butler's Gypsy Caravan, I was very unsure what I would do. These are not  my typical colors so it was out of my "normal" although I love how they look with the Kona Snow and am excited to see how they all come together. 

This last block is my favorite so far of the bunch. As of now 9 done, 6 trimmed, and 15 more to go! Hopefully, another update soon when I get those other blocks together. 

-Patch & Chels 

Quilting for Some Small Friends

One of my friends recently let me watch her kids, and as payment she got me a gift card, so I used it to buy some fabric and make her kids quilts. Sneaky way of not accepting payment, bahahahaha. Today the kids came over to check out their new quilts. Verdict - they love them! 

Here is the quilt for Little Miss, and below the quilt for Little Mister. Both are made from HSTs but different designs.

Each quilt is backed in white flannel that has light blue polka dots to make them super warm and snuggly. The left quilt got straight line quilting a quarter inch from each seam, and the right quilt got an all over double loop pattern.

Little Miss definitely loved her quilt! 

- Patch & Chels

HST Quilt Along at NHMQG

Recently, I picked up this bundle of Gypsy Caravan by Amy Butler on a ridiculous sale at Craftsy. No plans, and no strings attached. It was sitting in my sewing area as I picked my fabrics for our HST Quilt Along at NHMQG. As nothing was working I sat there and kept looking over until I made the decision, this bundle is it! Paired with a Kona Bone for the background and I was good to go :)

The whole quilt is going to made from HST so, it was easiest to get all the fat quarters and background cut into 8.5 inch blocks, as I am using the 8 HST at a time method. If you are interested it's linked here. All the squares are cut and ready to go. The first four blocks went pretty fast minus having to square every one of them!

HST are the death of me, they are so tedious.  Good thing I have a whole year to complete the rest of the quilt!

-Patch & Chels

Epic Amounts of Finished

These poor quilts have sat on the couch for a few weeks waiting to be finished.  So, I guess it was time to start.  Typically I am pretty prompt with my binding. The anticipation of the finish and another project off the list really motivates me.  Not lately, I had THREE quilts patiently waiting to be finished!  I am so excited to have soooo much to share today! 

Odds & Ends

 48 inches x 60 inches

My Aunt Nona quickly laid claim to this one, so I made her pose with it :)

Funky Churn Dash

47 inches x 53 inches

Spring Weathervane 

48 inches x 60 inches 

Ok, that was a lot to share.  So happy that these three are now officially off my project list.  Now I can justify cutting more fabric and starting more quilts!  Yay.

Sew long for now, 

CHELS