By The Hundreds....

I have been continuing along on my cutting/sewing/trimming journey. Hundreds of half-square triangles. Hundreds, seriously, these are just some of the ones for the current block I am working on.



After pressing, and more pressing and then pressing some more, I am ready to trim another round of HSTs. This was where I happened upon a great stroke of luck. Years ago, a friend out in the Chicago area sent me the most wonderful square up tool for half-square triangles (yes, Dawn, that would be you!). I happened to find it again, going through my large tool basket looking for my Easy Angle. Found both that and the Groovy 4 ruler as well. You can see it here in this photo of trimmed blocks.



What makes this tool so useful is that it has a groove along the diagonal that corresponds with the diagonal sewn while making HSTs. When you set the tool on your block to be trimmed, the grove hugs the diagonal tightly and you can trim with ease (read a review here). I think that it really helps in making my blocks more true, and I seem to be zipping right along-at least with the squaring up portion of each block. This weekend, as time permitted, I was in the sewing room working on this project (2010's Web Sampler) while I wait for my next installment of Patriots in Petticoats. I will be alternating the piecing of the sampler, PIP and my Civil War Tribute blocks. It keeps the interest level up and running, and gives me a rest from the CWT- which can make me totally crazy some days!

In my last post, I mentioned sewing a block totally wrong, and wondered if I should pull it all apart and "do it right". Now that I see the blocks filling up my smaller design wall, I am not so eager to pull out the industrial strength seam ripper. I'm thinking who would know (other than other sampler makers) which block is the "oops" block.
What happens in the end remains to be seen- but I am enjoying this process. Here's a peek so far:



This could be the end of a daily sewing session for me. This week is going to be quite busy, and Friday I return to work. Spring is around the corner, I hope, and that means inside and outside work to be done. I guess I will have to play with the idea of getting up earlier (nah....) or making time whenever I get home. This daily sewing thing has taken hold, and I'm not so eager to give it up!