I spent the weekend working on the latest quilt top – 108 6″ blocks (9 x 12) – 12 unpieced squares, 96 half-square triangles. Earlier in the week I cut the fabric into strips, then into squares, matching 48 squares with 48 background pieces, marked the diagonal. That’s where I stopped on Tuesday. Yesterday and today I sewed 1/4″ each side of the diagonal line, cut along the diagonal, pressed and trimmed the HST blocks.
I’ve opted for maximum symmetry in this layout – at the same time doing my best to distribute the star centres as well as making sure all six fabrics are represented in the assembled on-point blocks with a decent distribution of fabrics on the periphery! That’s meant a lot of moving individual and sets of HST multiple times. (I just noticed in the photo that the direction of the background print isn’t consistent! You won’t see it but I can. I’ll have to try swapping blocks within each set to correct that!)
This is the layout at the moment. I realize nobody but me is going to notice the “clashes/repititions” that stand out for me. Besides, once I have the top stitched together, I’m thinking about appliqué of some sort in various dark purple/blue small prints (that will draw attention away from the overall fabric distribution beneath). I have no idea whether that should be circles of various sizes, or small diamonds (some of which might overlap), triangles? I’ve pulled several scraps
from various boxes and laid them out together. Until I assemble the top I won’t know what might work and what won’t. I have still more boxes to rummage through – I’ll do that tomorrow.
I’m finally moving on a quilt again. I’ll have time tomorrow and Wednesday afternoon to chain piece blocks together but before I do that I do want to check the layout at least one more time!
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I just took a careful look at the background triangles. I knew the background fabric had a directionality to it but I wasn’t aware of how it was going to play out.
The right leaning diagonals have the subtle background stripe horizontal; the left leaning diagonals have the background strip vertical. I looked carefully – they’re all like that. The background pattern is so subtle nobody’s going to notice it but me! Can’t change any of them! Interesting outcome. Completely unanticipated.
jmn 
Looking good. You made a lot of progress. I wish I was more comfortable chain stitching. Some of my quilts might be done faster.
Kathy, chain piecing is straightforward – With the blocks today, I placed the diagonal point under my presser foot, dropped the needle into the down position, lowered the presser foot, stitched at a comfortable speed almost to the other end of the diagonal. With the needle in the down position, I carefully placed one diagonal point just beside the needle, 1/4″ from the diagonal line I’d drawn, put the presser foot back down, and stitched the second block almost to the end of the diagonal – repeated with the 3rd block, until I had all the blocks sewn on one side. I cut them apart, then sewed the other side of the diagonal. Took no time at all to all remaining 36 blocks. (Does your machine regulate your stitching speed, if you can adjust the sewing speed, it’s a good idea to set it at a comfortable slow so you can control what you’re doing without having also to think about what your foot is doing, the machine will only go as fast as you’ve set it to).
It’s all much easier when you’re sewing squares against one another, you just come to the end of one square, position the second one against it, and keep on sewing! Take some practice runs with scraps until you feel comfortable with your machine speed and the placement of each new square. It won’t take long to get the hang of it!
I worry about sewing the wrong fabrics together. I’m working on a Storm at Sea pattern now. Just now, I think while typing my subconscious just gave me a solution. Thanks
That’s why I laid out the quilt top first! Once I’m certain I’m happy with the layout I’ll VERY CAREFULLY pick up the rows, pairing blocks as I go and using a post-it note on each stack marking “top” so I don’t screw up the sewing direction. I make sure I’ve taken a photo to check my progress so I know I’m getting the layout correct.
Thanks for encouraging me to chain stitch. I’m very happy with my progress on my latest quilt.😀