Wednesday, July 18, 2018

New leader and ender

   New leader and ender project was announced by the Scrap Queen, a la Bonnie Hunter.  She based it on an antique quilt she discovered .  It is called Jewel Box Stars.     Link is to her PDF.

   I have made a couple of jewel box quilts, and like the block a lot, so I have begun setting up a basket for  my leader and enders.  A small basket that can sit by my machine for the pieces, and a larger basket for finished units.
   Guess  you can see....my fabric selections are not  just anything, but floral scraps.  I saw a version someone shared on FB on the forum  that was done in florals.  I was hooked from that point on.

  The whole point of a leader/ender project  is to work on it between other things.  By breaking down the block into units---like HSTs and 4 patches---- you can stitch one or two up at the end of a row of blocks that you are joining  for a top.  The aim to keep a unit under the needle at all times rather than cut thread and move on to the next row, etc. 
Example would be between my string blocks I would join 2 strips that will be cut into 2 patches for my 4 patch units.  Do another string block, stitch a pair of HSTs to make a unit, then another string block, and so on.   It does require some planning and matching of fabrics for pairs.....go busy work while watching TV.  Or just as a change of pace when you have a few minutes before dinner. 

 This is one of my favorite leader and ender projects.   Charming Bricks, the larger wall hanging, was done as a leader and ender in 2015.  It is based on a pattern published in 2007 in McCall's Quilting.  Here's the post with details

  I also did a full size gifted quilt, and a door banner using the same technique/idea of the bricks. 
  So periodically, you can expect me to rave on about the L/E units as they begin to accumulate.  I won't be over-achieving on this one but rather electing to enjoy the progress. 
Happy stitching.

8 comments:

Mary said...

I can already tell you are going to have a lot of fun with this one.

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Your pretty florals are perfect for this block.

Ray and Jeanne said...

I know this will be a real beauty or maybe a real jewel. Enjoy!!! ~Jeanne

Linda Swanekamp said...

I printed out the new leader/ended, but so far have resisted starting it. I loved looking up your linked posts. It will be terrific in florals.

Louise said...

L/E's are amazingly efficient, both in saving thread and in accumulating parts with seemingly no effort! I have to stick with squares and rectangles for mine, though, since I use a different foot for HSTs. I did Double Four Patch last year and loved it. Now I'm just doing crumb pieces :)

Janet O. said...

This will be so pretty in your florals!
I am so hooked on L/Es, that on rare occasions when I run out of them, I sit at my machine, paralyzed, because I can't bring myself to lift the needle and cut the threads to get whatever I just stitched out from under the needle. :)

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

I like your brick quilts. I have enough HST's and 4 patch blocks from block exchanges to make a super sized quilt (mine are 6.5" square).

Mystic Quilter said...

As you say this is a great pattern to break down into small units for leaders and enders. I probably waste a lot of thread by not trying this method.

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