The Making Waves blocks have shown up on my wall a couple of times already, but after finishing a big project yesterday, I saw them on my sewing table and decided to move it toward the finish line. The half square triangles finish 1-1/2” so it isn’t a big quilt, around 48” x 60”, but it’s taken a year to get this far.
This was the first quilt I started in 2016. I cut all the half square triangles and kept them in a box by my machine. I’m too easily distracted to do leaders and enders; I forget which parts go with what project, the pieces get misplaced and I don’t really like having more than one project on my table at a time. I also organize my piecing so I rarely need a leader/ender and instead use the next step of my project as my leader.
What does work for me, though, is simultaneous sewing. When I have a big, tedious project like this one (576 half square triangles), I piece, press and bag a dozen or so almost every day. That way, the number of units isn’t overwhelming and everything stays organized. However, I just found out I got into a retreat this summer with Bonnie Hunter, who is the queen of leaders and enders, so maybe by fall I’ll be doing things differently!!
Last September, some friends and I went to MQX and I came back very excited to try some new machine quilting techniques. Regretfully, I have yet to apply anything I learned. The simple piecing and wide borders on this quilt just beg for some fancy quilting so maybe I’ll be brave and try something new. I don’t have a specific use for this quilt, so it will make a good practice piece.
Linking up today with Judy at Patchwork Times so be sure to check out some other design wall projects.
Great quilt! I love HST’s…. no matter what design. I’m like you…leaders/enders don’t work too well for me. And I plan my sewing so I don’t need them too often. My problem is I get started on a leader/ender project and want to finish that one first!
I had a hard time with leader-enders at first, too, but my projects always seem so disparate that nothing gets mixed up. I really like your idea of setting aside a key number of parts to work on daily, that is very clever and manageable. I can always make coin blocks if I don’t have a parts set ready 🙂
It is beautiful! I, like you, create little goals for myself on big projects. Bagging them is a GREAT IDEA! I am not one to power down on one project because I get bored with it.