ScrapHappy Saturday - Hatching new plans

December is for finishing and January is for starting. I am feeling motivated to finish some projects to make room for something new next year. So first with the finishing. This is my Hen & Chick Sampler which needs a good pressing and some borders. I've started sewing 2 inch squares together for that. I think that a 2 inch calming strip surrounded by 2 inch squares and then something to hold it all together. After that, my leaders and enders project for the  last couple of years was plus blocks. I am sure that I have enough of those for a nice large sized quilt. The hexies are so close that I can taste it. Sadly, the second half of this year just got hectic and sewing time has taken a big hit. This too shall pass. There is a cycle to all things. I am sure there is another saying I could use, but you get the idea....

That leads us to ideas for next year. I screenshotted this off of Instagram as an inspiration photo. I am not thinking of exactly this, but something similar. If I take 2.5 inch blocks and tic-tac toe them like this, then I could alternate them with larger squares framed out in a similar way. I think that I will play with that idea. I am thinking that what is here must be on a larger scale. The sashing strips on the split blocks need to be twice as wide as the ones on the combined block, right? Maybe I need to doodle some things to make a plan. If I use a solid block then all the sashing strips could be the same which would make it easier to do these as my new leaders and enders project. I will keep you posted on this if it works. 

ScrapHappy Saturday - Putting the Pieces Together

There are no official colors in November and December at the the Rainbow Scrap Challenge. Hopefully you have a collection of blocks to put together. Perhaps you have a bit of catching up to do. Soon there should be a finished quilt or two ready to be born. I have the blocks for Hen and Chicks patiently waiting for a bit of free time. I keep saying that the busy part of my job is going to be over soon. I think that might be accurate right now as applications are in, the fair is over and I might enjoy a bit of calm. 

How are your projects starting to come together? I hope that your block collections are coming together nicely Misterlinky is below, please share with us all.

Hen & Chicks October Block 3 Tower's of Camelot

I loved the inverted star look of this block. Then I accidentally rotated the QST units in the smaller version and all of the sudden it was a diamond. The smallest changes in fabric placement and value can make such an impact in the final look of the block. I am not sure if I am going to remake the second block or not. I kind of like it!

Go ahead and use your favorite method to make 8 HST units. I know, 8 is a lot. Half of them will turn into QST units and the other half will remain. You will also need 5 background squares and 4 small grey squares. I should mention that I did not choose the most fabric efficient methods in block assembly here, but it sure was easy

You will use the small grey squares to snowball all 4 corners of one of the background squares. The other background squares get a diagonal line, and then are placed right sides together with 4 of the HST units. Make sure the seam and the line are perpendicular to one another.  

Sew on the drawn line and then flip open your square to reveal a quarter square triangle. Press and trim away the extra fabric beneath. I know this creates some waste, but it is simpler than doing the math for the two at a time method and then having seams running in different directions on different blocks. 

Pay special attention to the orientation of the units here. I speak from experience, as I have two different blocks based on a simple rotation that I didn't even notice until after the block was sashed and hanging on the design wall.  

Here is your finished block. I really do enjoy this one, it is subtle, but effective.