Today I'm working on my Block Unit 8 HST (half square triangles) for the Grandma Minnie Quilt Along. I'm hearing feedback from the BOM class and online that quilters are worried they're behind, don't be! I'm behind also and I'm leading this stitch along! It's summer but no matter what time of the year it may be, life happens, we are busy, and I don't worry about it because eventually it all gets completed. I'm lucky enough that I have a dedicated sewing area so when I find myself with 20 minutes before I need to leave the house or while cooking (with timers going of course!), I'll sit down and sew for 15 minutes. It's the small spurts that get the most progress when I don't have time to sit and sew for a day or even for hours. I try to work on my quilt for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day and some days I have the entire day. I worked on block units yesterday and this morning while I was sewing, I thought about a few things I'd like to share, and this pertains to any quilt you are making but especially if you are making the half square triangles. I know many quilters have started using the half square triangle papers you can buy so you lay two cuts of fabric down, put the paper on top and sew on the dashed lines, cut on the solid lines and tear away the paper. I've used these, and they are nice, but they can also add up in price. I purchased a CD called Triangulations where I can print out any size I need on regular copy paper, it's cheaper than purchasing the preprinted versions. I like to use these when making the very small HSTs. For the larger ones, like in the Aunt Daisy Quilt or the Grandma Minnie Quilt, I like the method for making two at a time. It's quick, it's easy, but most importantly, it's extremely accurate when you sew larger and trim down to the exact size. I made a video to demonstrate how I make mine but also the video has other tips that I hope some of you find helpful. Well, if anyone has any tips for getting a video off my phone onto my blog....I need help!
Vanessa VanTrease Quilts 