Stash Busting :: HRT

I've been enjoying stash busting this year!  I finally got to the point where I need to unload some fabric and the easiest way to do that was to make as many quilts as I can.  Scraps, Feed Sack, Polka Dots, and now I'm getting in the cream of the crop fabric.  Fabric that I still love.  There really isn't any reason it should sit on a shelf for months or even years.  If you love it...why not use it?  That's the million dollar question!

I don't know when exactly it was, but last year I won a bundle of Alison Glass Handcrafted on Instagram.  It's exciting to win a giveaway and even better when it's a fabric line you love.  I knew I'd eventually get around to making a quilt with it in due time.  That time finally came and I couldn't be more excited about it!

A good old Half Rectangle Triangle quilt (HRT)!!  I have made HRT's before, but it was always labor intensive and frankly too much work!  I'm not ashamed to say it... the 'old fashioned' way made me have to think too hard!  Cutting, angles, piecing and trimming, it was too much!   

So, when I saw a post from Cynthia at Quilting is more fun than Housework, where she had made a HRT quilt using the Creative Grids Perfect Rectangle Ruler, I pounced!  Could it be that easy?  The answer is a resounding yes!  

I was able to cut both pieces needed at the same time, choose the size I wanted my block, sew it together with ease and not have to trim or square up my block.  It couldn't be easier!

 

I wanted to get the most out of each print so I made my blocks 3 3/4" x 7" (3 1/4" x 6 1/2" finished).  The background is Moda Pewter.  At first I was a bit hesitant about using grey, but it didn't take long for me to come to terms with the decision and ever so happy that I did!  

Did I mention I didn't have to trim my HST's?!  That's probably part of what made this such a rewarding quilt to make!  

Some of the fabric in the Handcrafted line are large prints like the triangles.  After a little strategic cutting to get the most out of the print part, I also cut HRT's that were just solids.  It gave me more variety and when it came time to layout the blocks it ended up being a good idea. 

As for the layout...when I downsized my space I also had to go with one design wall instead of two.  Thankfully with a little painters tape I could stick the blocks on the sides while I was placing the blocks.  Not ideal, but it works.  

This quilt top ended up having 187 Half Rectangle blocks in it.  17 blocks x 11 blocks, which ended up being roughly 55" x 71".  A good sized for a lap quilt.  

As strategic as I was with cutting, I still had good sized pieces of fabric leftover.  And if you know me...I didn't waste a second on using them up!  I love to use every scrap until they are gone!

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All Good Things Must End ~ For The Moment!

I get tunnel vision when it comes to some things.  Like my hand dyed fabrics!  I tend to dye a big old stack of every color in the rainbow, cut them in to squares and make a ginormous pile of half square triangles.  There's something about the texture, the subtle variation in colors that never seem to bore me.  Which always leads me to make a quilt, or two or three, until every HST has been carefully sewn in to one big (or small) quilt!  (Here is Quilt #1)

33" x 45"

One of my all time favorite designs, my 'go to' baby quilt, is this one.  I arrange and rearrange the blocks until I get just the right combination.  Pink, yellow, purple, green, blue and orange.  

The key is to pick four different shades of one color for each block.  The half square triangles were trimmed to 7 1/2" and the center squares are 2".  I layout the HST's into color groupings, pick four 2" squares for the centers, mark a diagonal line, sew and trim. 

The block itself is pretty simple, pretty basic.  Maybe its the colors, or the hand dyed fabric, perhaps the borders or quilting?!  I'm going with all of the above...it can pack a punch when it's all said and done!  

I often add an inside border, usually 1 1/2" to 2" and finish it with a 3"  wide border in grey. Quilting is another way to add some punch!  My favorite quilting is straight lines in a geometric design.

This was the first time I used 'wild colors'!  By wild I mean, pink, green and aqua.  I thought it would be a fun twist and something different for a change.  

Once I have divided the quilt into sections, I grab my 24" ruler, my trusty Hera marker and proceed marking 1/2" to 1" lines in each section.  Marking the lines gives me a guide to follow while I'm quilting.  They are rarely perfectly perfect!  I can only imagine how they would look if I didn't mark first!  

   

I like the effect, especially when they converge and make a grid!

The cherry on top is always the magic of a 'wash & dry'!  

That was quilt #2...this is quilt #3:

53" x 77"

This baby is all HST's!  Not randomly placed, there was actually order involved!  

And this is quilt #4:

54" x 79"

When I say I get tunnel vision...I'm seriously not kidding!  I used every single HST I had! And when that wasn't enough, I added grey to the corners.  It made for a nice frame and also, different from my usual!  

Maybe I'm afraid if I don't use all the fabric or HST's all at once, I'll never use them?!  I don't exactly know, I can't figure myself out either!  What's done is done! 

What is your 'go to' 'fail safe' design or block?

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Scrap It Out

I've been playing around with my hand dyed scraps the past couple days. Trying to think of something spectacular to make.  Or just something. Until I can get back to the dye pots (hopefully mid-June), I've made it my mission to whittle down the scraps pile before I let myself have fun. 

Here is part of the scraps.  They don't look very impressive, pretty dull picture really.  I should have staged it and pulled the bright ones out!  

First, I have to start with something.  It's taken me days to get a couple ideas together and made.  There has been little time to work through the ideas.  

My husband and I decided it was time to cut down and dig out the bushes in the front of the house.  There is a total of six and they are the size of a mini cooper car!  The years have been good to them, but they have been having issues.  We weren't sure how awful it was going to be...so we took a chance. 

The first day we muscled one out and got a pretty good feel for the project.  In the process I got stung by a bee on my chin.  It was fine until yesterday.  All of the sudden it decided to swell up and itch. Honestly I feel like Dudley Do Right ~ although it doesn't look that bad! Just feels that bad!

Yesterday we got two pulled out.  I thought I made it through without injury only to hit myself in the shin with the shovel!  I bruise so easy and you can imagine the colors appearing right before my eyes, along with a sweet knot.  Visual:  think of Olive Oyl with goosebumps. (someone remembers, right?)

Today another two came out and I survived!  Just a blister and a few scratches!  Last day will be tomorrow!

Back to scraps...

I scraped together enough large pieces for a triangle baby quilt.  It will be layered and quilted at a later date!

I had pieces left from the edges of the triangles and many from previous triangle projects. Why not sew them together?  Make some Half Rectangles Triangles and see what sticks!

I ended up with several different sizes.  Seriously I haven't a clue what I'm making then or now!  But its fun and challenging!  

I could do something like this.

Or maybe even this.  This would involve partial seams though.  Do I want to go there again? You bet I do!  (at least to try it out)

Tried, easy and not too shabby!  I will make a tutorial for this one!  Still waiting for that brainstorm to hit ~ I'm leaning towards a sampler type quilt.

With my new found love of paper piecing, I wanted to try double geese.  These went together pretty quickly!

Medallion quilt?!  

Don't you love indecision?!  It is sometimes hard to have a concrete, solid plan. Being bound and determined to 'Scrap It Out' has its downside or up side?!  Depends on how you look at it.  Right now I'm playing and playing is good!  I'm on the up side today!

Who likes to 'Scrap It Out'?  Do you have a serious plan before starting?  

LINKING:

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