Next!!

Here's the thing about Leader & Ender projects.

There has to be a MAIN project...in order to use a second project as the Leader & Ender for the first.

Unless you are using parts of your main project as your Leader & Ender, but then I was always one to enjoy the "pat my head while rubbing my tummy" "walking, talking and chewing gum at the same time" kind of multi-tasking.

But if I just finished my Flame Azalea top...what is going to be the vehicle for my Four Patch Fun Leader & Ender project?

I'm sure I'm not the only one that will look at a growing mess and find something that will minimize and contain that mess within a project and then choose the pattern to make the best of that mess, am I?

Or are you more of a "Look! A pattern!" type of quilter, and then go to your stash bypassing all of the possibilities in the pre-cut strip bin mess?

I guess I am kind of doing both.  I'm in the mood for a "scrappy everything under the sun" kind of quilt.  Maybe something I'll hand quilt later? 

And I want to utilize stuff I've been shoving into bins for a while.  This bin is the 2'' strip bin from the cabin sewing room.  It's dwindling in colors, but there is still a lot good in there.

Anything I don't deem worthy can be shuffled off to the string bins.

Anything too short to cut out one-block-worth can be cut into squares.

And speaking of squares...

Here is a drawer of squares 3 1/2'' and above that I don't dig into often.  It's time to do something.

Over the long holiday weekend I did some cutting and kitting and yesterday I settled in to sew on a scrappy main project of simple blocks while pulling in my Four Patch Fun units as Leaders & Enders.

Two projects at once? Yes!

It's so much better than sewing off onto a folded over throw away scrap that is going to end up in the trash can anyway.

And it's like a little game - 

Go as far as you can on the chain piecing of your main project, and when you reach the end and it's time to take that batch out of the machine to go press/trim, simply sew a pair of leader/ender pieces and stop at the end, trimming your main block parts from behind the presser foot and leaving your "ender" in place beneath the presser foot.

Come back and sew some more on the main project - your ender is now your leader as you sew more main block parts through.

Eventually your ender units become completed four-patches.

Two four-patches become the center section.

All the while your Four Patch Fun blocks are growing along side!

My new main blocks have more seams. I can actually finish more Four Patch Fun blocks in the same amount of time I am working on the new main blocks, but that's okay!

Anything can be a Leader & Ender.  You just have to think far enough ahead to know what you want to use, cut out enough pieces to set to the side of your sewing machine and remember to USE them to keep your piecing continuous.

Four pink ones from my kitted up pieces.

More to come!

I'm so excited to see so many diving in.  You just need to check out our feed on our Quiltville’s Open Studio group.  I'm loving the fabrics and colors and progress I am seeing folks share.

Meanwhile at Quiltville Inn:

Some more landscaping is happening re-using the bricks from the wall that was taken down by Hurricane Helene.  This will make weed-whacking and trimming easier, and keep the new mulch around the base of the bushes in place.

We've put them here too.

A bit more fill dirt will be added, and then some mulch. It makes a nice edge! After we are done here, son Jeff is going to take the remaining bricks and do the same to his yard.,  I'm happy to have them repurposed and we will never have to deal with a falling wall again.

Jeff also finished the top round here.

These finishing stones had to be cut to fit the curve.

He did a great job!

Feet up evening stitching time!

I'm so happy with this binding choice!

I've made it just to half-way so there are a few more evenings of this ahead before I get back to stitching my hexies.

Today:  The Pieceful Hearts Gals are arriving from North Augusta, South Carolina!

And we have more days of rain in the forecast. Sigh.

My hope is that they will get here before the storms let loose so at least they will be inside and setting up stitching stations before thunderstorms start.

That's what I'm hoping.  My fingers are crossed.

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Welcome to Wednesday folks! ⁣

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Today my plans also include rechecking my math and making up the difference.⁣

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Yesterday thought I needed only 36 units, but it was actually 52? That's when I know it is time to stop and give it a rest. ⁣

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Onward!