Sunday, November 6, 2011

The Great HST Caper

It's been a month since I posted about The Great HST Caper.  Wow, time flies!  I made the final choice on which block I want to use (4 blocks laid out on the design wall in the pic below) and today I figured out how to proceed with the block components.  I still haven't discovered what this block is called and have been referring to it as a modified depression block.


I'm going to make 4 patch components (and twirl the seams clockwise), then assemble the final blocks as 9 patches.


The plan... (My! that sounds efficient and organized, let me say that again)... the plan is to end up with a 60" x 72" flimsy (12.5" blocks laid out 5 x 6).  The calculator tells me that 30 blocks will use 1,080 HSTs from the box containing about 1200.  This seems like the most efficient way to proceed.  I can either chain piece in a marathon session, or I can proceed with it as a leader n' ender, or do it in a combination of both approaches.


Each block has 4 of these corners = 120 light left leaning lazy diamonds
and 120 dark left leaning lazy diamonds  (30 blocks x 4 corners)


And 1 of this 4 patch for each of the block centres = 60 dark flying geese


And each block requires 4 of these units = 120 dark flying geese and 120 light flying geese


I've written down the components I need on a post-it note that will sit on my sewing table.  I foresee a lot of counting in my immediate future.  I shall be very pleased to finally get these HSTs used up in a quilt top and off my unfinished list.  They have been on the back burner for almost ten years.


And to think, ten years ago I actually thought this was a good way to use up fabrics I didn't like in a quick scrappy project!  If you're laughing, you've got one of your own tales of woe to tell.

Now I think I'll enjoy a little mindless scrappy sewing in what's left of my Sunday.  I've got some foundation squares starched for string blocks, the 1.5" strip box open on the sewing table, a pile of teeny crumb strips to use as a leader n' ender, and a fresh pot of coffee brewed.

4 comments:

  1. These HST's all on the design wall truly looked like a very well-planned quilt design. It gave me a chuckle to know the 10 year process that you have described. You are winning!

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  2. Looking good to me and boy to get that off your list should feel wonderful. You have been very productive and just love what you've done. Great job.

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  3. Whatever you want to call this pattern, I will just call it good-looking!
    Love the "light, left, leaning, lazy diamonds". Great alliteration.
    Sometimes I think the term "quick scrap quilt" is an oxymoron. : )

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  4. This is going to be an awesome quilt! I'm just wondering if it would be a lot less counting if your blocks were divided into four 9-patches that are all alike as far as where the lights and darks go. Then you just rotate them to form the overall pattern of your quilt.

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