Several months ago I mentioned that I was going to try to use one of Bonnie Hunter's strategies called Leaders and Enders. A simple explanation is that she uses pre-cut and pre-planed fabric shapes to begin and end her stitching and therefore creates finished blocks while piecing another quilt. She is clearly very good at this as are many of her followers. I have spoken to some quilting friends who have tried doing this as well. Reviews are mixed.
As I stitched the last few quilts I have tried to assemble half square triangles in the process as leaders and enders. Again, mixed results.
- I felt like I was playing Wack-a-Mole! Always popping a piece here and there, always fumbling.
- I suspect more of my blocks were out of line than not.
- Bonnie uses antique machines. I don't. Bonnie NEEDS a leader and ender to stabilize those beginning and ending stitches in the line of sewing, I really don't.
- My machines start and stop dead on, reverse and/or lock the stitching row.
This will likely be my last leader/ender project unless I am using Miss Feathers or the Rockateer.
Do not adjust your screen. This really is an example of about 10% of these half square triangle blocks, joined. Yikes, I hear the quilt police sirens as I write this.
So you know what that means, right? Trim, trim, trim.......adjust sizes, and sing happy songs while working. 2 hours so far just trimming and squaring up. NO time has been saved. Trust me, this is not for me. I am only half done with these pile of half-square triangles and this is it tootsie, what ever I have after the trimming is all there will be. From quilt to table runner.....that's where we are headed with this one.
So there you have it dear Sewists. We have a way to go and I will show the finished project in the near future because this baby MUST be put to bed....it is driving me nuts.
- Bonnie Hunter must have another hand somewhere, hidden. She is so good at this. I am in awe.
- I am disappointed though, who wouldn't want to build two quilted projects at the same time.
- I wish I had saved the information about this fabric collection, but alas, can't find it. I didn't like it that much when I started but quite it has grown on me. If you know, please tell.
- Visit Bonnie Hunter here.
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