Sunday, November 13, 2011

Great HST Caper - ready to assemble

Today, I'm going to write my post backwards.  Instead of starting from the beginning of my day, I'm going to start with the end result.  And here it is.  A box full of 4-patch components, all ready to be joined into the final blocks.  Is it not a thing of beauty?!


It's hard to believe this all started out as a box of untrimmed unsquared ten year old half-square triangles made with fabrics I didn't like.  When I opened the box 2.5 months ago, I thought there were 1,000 or more, but it turned out there was a little less than 900.  While still a jaw dropping number of HSTs, it left me short of my goal, by 250-something which I pieced together in a marathon session yesterday.


And this is what I'm going to make with those components.  I have enough to make 30 12.5" blocks (5 x 6) resulting in a quilt top 60" x 72" (before borders).


I had to trim all the flying geese units I made today.  But I was right about trimming 70 four-patches being preferable to trimming the 280 HSTs I made yesterday.  The four patches I made today were almost 1/4" bigger all around than all the ones I made with trimmed HSTs.  I think there's a lesson in that for me.  My habit of working with trimmed perfect components is not just a manifestation of OCD.

I trimmed off quite a bit to make them square.


And this was the pile before trimming, just after ironing and twirling the back seams.


And this was the string of flying geese after I finished sewing them this afternoon.


I think I've earned an evening off.  No ironing.  No cutting.  No trimming.  No sewing.  I might take my new box of tidy 4-patch components and start laying them out as blocks for chain piecing.

5 comments:

  1. Wow! Those are so precious all neatly stacked in the carton. They look yummy! And to think that just a few hours earlier, they were that jumbled mish-mash mess. Good job!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Well done! You have been really busy the last few days, and working so hard. And the end result is fabulous! You definitely deserve a night off.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Way to go there girl. Are you seeing HST in your sleep now. This will be a gorgous quilt. Boy, if it was me I'd be so tired of HST.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Most excellent work! This is going to be a beauty. What accomplishment/relief you must feel to be getting this decade-old project near completion. I would definitely take the night off (I can't stand trimming), do a little happy dance and find some chocolate! : )

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just had a look round your blog (found the link on QuiltvilleChat) and enjoyed seeing everything you're working on. I love scrappy too and can't wait to see your HST units becoming a quilt.
    I'm doing Bonnie's mystery too - hope your fabrics will work :)

    ReplyDelete