Hst Quilt

Well, back to work on my hst's!  I finally hand pieced enough hst's that I started assembling them into sixteen patches.  I was inspired by a quilt on Lucy's blog, back in January.  I really need to remind myself that I love quilts that are simple and repeat the same block.  It's all about color and seeing the fabrics play off one another.  I used to struggle with trying to choose fabrics when I first started quilting. Then there was the question of how much yardage should you buy?  Then one day I was weeding the flower garden and realize how all the colors in the garden seem to cohabitate and look lovely, why should it be any different in a quilt.  So my journey into scrap quilts started!  I am much happier to make blocks out of scraps.  You can always throw another fabric into the mix if you aren't sure you have enough of this color or that.  It changed the way I purchased fabric.  It's all about pretty colors, prints and solids.  Less stress and more time to enjoy the time stitching.  But with this process all the units need to be made before a quilt top can start coming together.  I usually don't fret too much about each blocks layout, my only rule is to not have the same color next to the previous color.  Sometimes certain colors take the same position in each block, but mostly it's pretty fabrics stitched together and either pieced or appliqued to a background solid or print. I need 36 scrappy 16-patches for this quilt.

I am finally seeing the bottom of my project box!

First I lay out 16 hst's in a pleasing way!

Then they turn into foursies!

 I have room to lay out about four blocks in my sewing room. I don't always get them all sewn each day but I do try and spend a little time sewing each day.  Hopefully by the end this week, I will have all 36 blocks assembled.  This will be my first scrap quilt that I hand pieced but then machine pieced the blocks and the quilt top together!  It allows me to enjoy some hand piecing, but I don't have to worry about stressing my hands.  I hope that I can keep doing some kind of hand work well into my future.

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Keeping it Simple!

I know when I started quilting I was attracted to the technically most difficult quilts.  Now that I have tackled a few, I keep reminding myself that it's the simple traditional patterns that I really love.  I think it's because they really showcase the fabric or combinations of colors.  So, as I was piecing my hst's I kept reminding my self : keep it simple!

So yesterday, I started assembling a 16 patch.  Now do I set them on point for a zig zag effect or not.  Again, reminding myself:  keep it simple.  If I don't set them on point I can quilt with a diagonal line thru the triangles which will keep it simple and let the fabric shine.  I don't know how many quilters consider the quilting when actually piecing the top.  It is always on my mind.  I piece so I can hand quilt, I guess that might not be true for those who have their tops longarmed.  So all my decisions have been made.  Oh! except maybe how wide the sashing and outside borders will be.  But first, I need to get these blocks assemnbled.  I am using the machine to stitch the blocks even though I hand pieced the hst's. There isn't a rule against that is there?  I really like both methods so why not combine them?????