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October 28, 2014

Let's Talk About Leaders/Enders

If you've been following along, you know that I just recently finished up the center of my leader/ender project for last year, the Split Nine Patch.


I actually finished putting the borders on it last night, so I'll so the finished top to you on Friday.  But that being said, it's now time for a new leader/ender project.

If you're not familiar with leaders/enders, Bonnie Hunter explains them really well on her blog and you can read all about them here.  Basically, you have a side project that you use to end your chain piecing on your regular projects.   Something simple that you can keep a stack of next to your sewing machine works best.  Over time, those little pieces add up, which is how I came to complete that beauty up above!

As I was assembling that top, I took a good look at my scrap baskets and determined that my 1-1/2" box is overflowing.  Thus I needed a project that used up 1-1/2" pieces.  I really have been wanting a postage stamp style quilt and originally thought I'd just do a simple 36-patch block.  But I wanted it to be a bit more interesting.  This is what I came up with:

I'm calling it Patches and Pinwheels.  (Yes, I seem to do best with simple graph paper.)  So what I've decided is to work with a controlled palate and add some pinwheels between the 36-patches.  If you're interested in joining in, the 36-patches are made with 1-1/2" squares/strips.  The pinwheels are 3-1/2" HST's.

Reminder, an easy way of doing your HST"s is to use the Easy Angle Ruler.  If you are making 3-1/2" HST's, you layer 3-1/2" strips of your two fabrics, right sides together, and use the ruler to cut them at the 3-1/2" marks.  The ruler removes the dog ears prior to sewing so there is no waste.   I love this ruler since I know that I'm making 3-1/2" HST's that I can just go to my 3-1/2" box to pull the strips.  Nice and logical, just like I like it.

Please let me know if you want to join me in this leader/ender (or any other leader/ender) challenge!  Maybe we can do a monthly link up to show our progress. 

Hope you get a lot of sewing time in today!!

Linking up with My Quilt Infatuation!




2 comments:

  1. Love your Split Nine Patch Cathy!!! It's one of my favorite scrap blocks, although for some reason I've never made one ... hmmm... Anyway, I always have a leader/ender project in the works, and I'm currently "interviewing" for a new one :) A linky party would be fun to see what others are making with their L/E's!

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  2. Oh! Okay, I see they are six inch blocks. Beautiful, beautiful quilt. Growing and growing, and not all that slowly, really. You've gone from 2 blocks to 41, just on leader-enders! Not even 10 months yet. You are sewing a lot to make that many with all those small squares, even if they are done in strips.

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