What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 Hi Quilty Friends!  It's time for me to start using up those bonus HST's of which I have thousands. Just how many?  Well, I counted them about 3 years ago and there was about 3500 but I've added many more since and didn't count the additions.  So, my guess would be around 4,000 ranging from 1 inch all the way up to 5 inches.

I received a bag of 2-1/2″ HST, carefully made and even seams pressed open. But a little dated. And maybe some odd fabric choices. But, I wanted them to be…something.

It isn’t perfect, but it is a flimsy. And a good reminder that finished (or nearly finished) is better than perfect.

It started with a box of hand-me-down half square triangles.

And a block idea.

And it is growing towards this…

I don’t have a specific size in mind. It depends on how far the blocks stretch with some from scraps that I come across. But I am hoping for something between a throw and twin size. I hope it lives up to its name (Sunshine and Shadow) and doesn’t end up looking a busy mess.

It is called Halfway because it started with a pizza box full of half-square triangles.

HALFWAY QUILT BLOCK

The secret is that there is only ONE set of cutting directions, but you can lay it out FOUR different ways. Of course, you can just do it one way for the entire quilt. There is nothing wrong with that. If you use more variations you will get more movement in the final quilt.

Here you can see the difference between FOUR variations on the left and TWO layouts on the right. It is up to you! Just get to work on ...

Finally!

It is now at the quilter. More updates (and promised tutorial) soon.

The Halfway Quilt has 56 blocks. I have 29 complete.

There are 14 each of 4 different blocks styles. Here are styles ONE and TWO, all together.

I will keep pushing along. It will be finished soon.

PS–Can you see what makes this quilt unique? TIP-all the blocks have the exact same pieces–28 HST.

I have very few UFOs. In fact, I have one. In 2021 I cut and trimmed over 1500 HST, with the intention of making another Halfway Quilt.

Then, I put it away. For two years. But, it is time.

I finished the first block today with a resolution of not starting anything new until the top is complete. I have two leader-ender projects that can run at the same time and several tops in the quilting-and-binding phase. This will do me some good. Hopefully a finish (finished top at least) before June?

It was an intriguing idea. And it helped address the overflowing basket of small scraps of light background fabric.

But, I had no idea how much I would love the finish.

Very different from my usual quilts in some ways, but with some common factors: small pieces, many different fabrics, etc. And it is finished, always a good thing.

ps–It is 72″ square. Contains 144 6″ blocks, 2304 pieces. More information and a tutorial can be found HERE.

Every January I start a new blue and white quilt. Well, maybe not every January, but it seems that way. It must be the gray days, cold temperatures, snow, and ice that influence my January palette. As I was sewing Reflection, this year’s blue and white quilt, I remembered one I started a few years ago. That one is Plain Sailing by Janet Clare and unfortunately, it is still a WIP. 

I still love this quilt. There’s just something about a million half-square triangles in a quilt that makes me swoon! The pattern is hard to find now ...

Somehow almost two weeks have passed since the last post. Not sure how that happened, but here we are. I have actually been in the sewing room quite a bit so I will do a quick update on what has been in the works.

First and foremost, I have been working on a cute baby quilt for my niece. It is just about done – I have a few more inches of binding to stitch down and then into the wash it goes. Once she receives it, I will share it here. I am 99% sure she doesn’t read the ...

Today I'm sharing the 2nd quilt made from this print:I love HSTs for their versatility - they can be made into any number of quilt designs so I often fall back on this classic quilt block when I just want to sew I used the last of this pink Sketch print and a blue solid, both from my stash, for the binding and Jackie quilted a sweet pattern called Flower Spray across itAt 47" x 52" it will be a

Yep – it’s true. I have another finish to share. The very small, almost non-existent, silver lining to the fires and smoke we are experiencing is having to stay inside. The smoke is thick and the air very unhealthy so we have been indoors continuously for a long while. This means I can sew!

OK – I started this quilt ages ago. The fabric was leftover from the twin size quilt I made for Julia’s bed in our Downieville house (which we sold this summer.) I made that quilt back in early 2016.

This was a huge quilt ...

A few weeks ago I started sewing HST’s with a stack of charm squares that have been on the shelf for several years and lots of solid scraps. When I started this, I had absolutely no plan for the. It was just something to do in the sewing room. I limited the solids to shades of gray and blue.

Time passed (as it does) and I decided it was time to put them together. I looked through my computer files at patterns I have bought and never used. A copy of Pike’s Peak by Meadow Mist Designs caught ...

According to science, you are a terrible multitasker. (We all are!) Studies show it’s best to focus on just one task. Until today, that is.

Today Jenny will show you how to whip up 3 different blocks all at once: Square in a square, broken dishes, and chevron. (The secret? They’re all made from half-square triangles! Easy peasy!) Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

According to science, you are a terrible multitasker. (We all are!) Studies show it’s best to focus on just one task. Until today, that is.

Today Jenny will show you how to whip up 3 different blocks all at once: Square in a square, broken dishes, and chevron. (The secret? They’re all made from half-square triangles! Easy peasy!) Click HERE to watch the tutorial!